What Fireworks?

Holidays are some of the worst days for me.

The fourth of July proved to to be a dud.

I walked to the Quarter with about 22 bucks in my pocket of which I wound up spending most of, while making practically nothing to replace it.

Tanya And Dorise

I passed Tanya and Dorise.

Dorise smiled and chatted a bit. Tanya kind of averted her gaze from me.
Tanya played an excellent solo over the Metalica song "Nothing Else Matters," which sounded like something that Joe Satriani would play.

There were about 30 people gathered around them; some had set up lawn chairs and parked themselves for the evening. I applauded the solo, which started all 30 of them clapping away, even though the song wasn't technically finished...the duo just faded out, not bothering to finish it. Tanya had a bored look on her face.

I walked away thinking that they deserve whatever money they make; but also thinking that, even if Tanya is 20 times better than me; then why don't I make 1/20th the amount that she does?

How About 1/100th?

I had been having consequetive 30 dollar nights.

Now that the ferry stops running in the early evening, I have been playing into the wee hours of the mornings, increasing the amount of time that I play.

Last night, to no avail.

I Miss All The Fireworks

I was at the Unique Boutique, drowning my troubles with what was probably my 8th beer of the night, when I heard the sound of the grand finale of the fireworks, coming from the direction of the river. I didn't see any of them.

Lillian And Angelique

I went back to my Bourbon Street spot, where I ran into Lillian, and her younger daughter, Angelique. They are the ones who live directly behind the spot where I play.

Lillian was in fine spirits; Angelique, not so much. The 12 year old averted her own gaze from me in dramatic fashion as if to say "No, mom. No!" to her mother, who was chatting (flirting?) with me.

I Wake Up Depressed

I woke up feeling depressed at about 9 a.m.

It was largely due to that nagging fear which people who drink to the point of "blacking out," get that they, in some way made a fool out of themselves or did something stupid which they don't even remember.

I thought about Angeliques attitude towards me; she, who used to be very friendly, and thought about how I have been playing and singing until 3 a.m, outside her bedroom window; being plied with free drinks from tourists; and what kind of lyrical creations could have been spawned in that environment...

Maybe she is frightened by a perception that her mother is becoming (too) friendly with a homeless street musician...

2 Day Fast?

I walked briskly to the Rebuild Center, hoping to get my new food stamp card out of their mailroom, based upon information that I had gotten from Howard that the center would be open.

It wasn't.

Now, I must come up with cash for whatever food I eat the next couple days.

Travel

My latest idea is to hop the freight train and try to make it as far as Montgomery, Alabama before having to switch to the Megabus there.

That would reduce my bus fare to Atlanta from 35 dollars, down to (?) dollars.