It is July 31st and I woke up this morning at the "sign" spot with two broken strings on the Yamaha and 1 dollar in my pocket.
A construction crew had started to arrive about 6:30 a.m. and had parked their vehicles around me.
A construction crew had started to arrive about 6:30 a.m. and had parked their vehicles around me.
They are used to me being there and they see that I have a guitar and I usually make a show of straightening out my money on my cardboard, as I sit up bright and early sipping instant coffee and reading.
I really think that it is the sight of the money which keeps them at bay; and the fact that I tree my cardboard and then pick up every last cigarette butt before leaving for the Rebuild Center or the library.
I pondered the broken string situation and finally settled upon the idea that I would take my 5 dollar Burger King gift card, which I have been carrying for 3 months in my wallet, and which the pickpocket has passed upon taking (twice) and I would walk to Burger King with it; the one in the direction of the music store; where I would try to sell it for 3 or 4 dollars (and maybe hit upon someone who would give me the money and then tell me to keep the card "you may need it some day..").
I got to Walgreens and grabbed a coffee energy drink (which I intended to spike with instant coffee to strengthen it up some) and was at the register when an older gentleman with a Boston accent asked "Where do you play?"
After a brief discussion about where and what I played, he asked me if I needed anything.
"I broke two strings, both during the last song that I played last night; and making it definitely the last song."
He gave me money for strings and, off I go to the music store....
Now you're getting with the program. Begging is the most profitable activity you can do, in your situation. What you need to do is perfect playing some songs on 3-4 strings, with errors calculated in to convey that you're missing strings, but can be musical anyway, in a quirky way. Then come up with some good begging "patter", you're already halfway there.
ReplyDeleteOne big hitch in your begging career is this patter you've kept up about wanting to record, become a straight, real musician. It's not going to play well because you're a drink-sodden street bum and it's just too far a leap from where/what you are to recording, sober, in a nice clean studio somewhere, owned by someone who'd trust you not to steal the mics and anything else loose the minute he leaves the room to take a leak.
Instead, you must beg for something more humble, like "Need strings", "Need money for a new guitar (pointing out missing strings and big crack etc.) that will serve you well, begging for money for a musical instrument in NOLA is probably a good money-maker.
This is why I've come to no longer believe you about leaving NOLA . Talking about leaving town increases a beggar's income quite a bit. I'm sure it keeps your cyber-donations fat.