Sunday In The Key Of C

Gambling

I woke up under the dock this (Sunday) morning; with $103.08 on me, plus a 5 dollar chip from Harrahs Casino. The Natchez steamboat was gone. It was 11:08 a.m.
Fine Dining

I also had most of a bag of instant light briquettes next to me and a good amount of food stored in the girders; and had eaten like a pig the night before.

Music

My guitar was snug in its case; the rats had been satisfied with the 3 pounds or so of cheese which I had put out for them; along with the "juice" from the seasoned catfish which had comprised the second course of my meal. The first course was some meat still on the bone which I sizzled up over the flames which the fire initially threw before it settled into embers.

Lifestyle

The catfish, I did in a tin foil basting pan with olive oil and sesame oil, salt, garlic, pepper and then, a bit of cheese after I took it off the flames. As it further cooled, I poured in some fresh salsa and finally dumped some blue corn chips in there, so they would soften up a bit and absorb a bit of the broth.

Money And Investing

The "3%" jar hit about 15 dollars, after I dropped the $2.40 in this morning, after making 80 bucks the previous (Saturday) night. Some quick math would seem to indicate that in the past 15 days (since I started the 3% jar) I have made about $490.

A guy had given me the chip on Thursday morning, as I walked Bourbon Street with the Indiana Scout (still) out of its case; and wound up playing something for him. I was on a mission to get a case for the Scout. I had 58 dollars; and had settled upon walking to Webbs Bywater Music and spending 35 bucks on one.

This wouldn't leave me very much money for a capo and a new harmonica and a charger for my Android phone; and a micro SD chip for same phone -so that I can do things like show a photo of the actual chip which the guy gave me, instead of the simulation shown below, but I figured that protecting the guitar should be my highest priority at this point.
I wound up making back the money for the case in short order, by playing a Steve Miller song; as expounded upon in yesterdays post...
I started to add:
$3.58 -vodka and juice
$5.00 -weed
$3.35 -cigarettes
$8.00 -briquettes
$3.00 -coffee
$4.00
-----
$26.91
up the money that I had spent the previous day and thought of how rich I might be if I could kick my addictions and live the Tanya and Dorise lifestyle!
Back To Wednesday
Wednesday night, the day after Mardi Gras ended, I slept at the sign spot, and under the statue of Simon

Bolivar; my guitar still without a case.
After a hot shower and a change into clothes which had just come out of the laundry at the Veterans Center

Laundry Debacle

(I had spent almost 7 bucks the day before at The Clothes Spin -the laundromat which used to be a recording studio and where Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Louis, Little Richard, Professor Longhair, and others recorded some of their classic hits- but I overstuffed the machine with my sleeping bag and clothes and they came out soggy wet, soapy and still smelling like rat shit; plus, I couldn't get "Bop bop a lu la bop wop bam" out of my head the whole time my clothes were washing).
I didn't know if I would wind up getting a ride to Guitar Center from Tanya or Dorise to get a gig bag that day; and I didn't want to smell like rat shit.
The Veterans Center washes them for free; I'm not sure you even have to be a Vet -Karrie washes hers there often- and they come out very hot and clean; but you have to be there early. 7:30 a.m. would be a good time to show up.

"They ain't gonna come clean stuffed like that!!"

So, I slept at the sign spot which is within a half mile of the place, and where I usually wake up early at, due to the sun rising. Under the dock it is a lot darker, and my average waking time there seems to be close to noon.
I was up and at the center by 8 a.m.
33 Dollar Friday
Friday, there were some gutter punk types banging on a banjo and maybe a mandolin about 200 feet from the Lilly spot.
This is just close enough so that I could hear them.
They were entertaining enough, with their terrible vocalist doing songs like "Laid Back, (with my mind on my money; and my money on my mind)" by Snoop Dogg -on a banjo and mandolin.
They must have been making good, because they just wouldn't go away.
I had about 10 bucks in my case when I decided to take a break. They were still going.
I think my best defense of the Lilly spot would have to be to arrive early and often. Nobody is going to set up right on top of me.
I couldn't see if these kids were new here.
After I returned from the break, they were still playing, but stopped shortly thereafter and I went on to make the above amount.
I was thrown a 20 dollar bill by someone which I put in a special place "so that I won't lose it" and then forgot about doing so, and then wracked my brains later on over "I could swear I got a 20, but where is it?!?" 
80 Dollar Saturday

I was back under the dock that night.

I cooked an excellent meal over briquettes and went to sleep.

Then, Saturday was an occasion when I left the dock during the 11:45 a.m. run of the Natchez (it returns at approximately 1:10 p.m.)

"Put It On Black!"

I had 60 bucks on me, plus the 5 dollar "put it on black!" chip from Harrahs Casino.

The chip (which is plastic and not all like the photo above) was given to me by a guy whom I had run into on Bourbon Street Thursday morning and who asked me if I knew of any music stores.

This lead to a conversation which eventually lead to him giving me his business card and telling me that if I was ever in a small town in Wisconsin a few miles outside of Milwaukee, to look him up because he runs an open mic night somewhere there...

Let It Ride??

And, he said: "I don't have any cash, but this is a 5 dollar chip from Harrahs"
I thanked him and told him that I was already wondering if I should "let it ride."
"Hey, put it on black!," said Mark Kenner from Wisconsin with a shrug of his shoulders; before we parted.
I still have the chip; 3 days later.....black, huh???

New Harmonica

Yes, it is time to at least invest in my business with the purchase of a $9.99 Hohner "New Orleans Special," harmonica.
Dave (from Dave and Roselyn) said that he doesn't like them because they are "soft and wear out fast," but what do I want from a 10 dollar harp??
Sunday Night
It is now Sunday evening. The clocks have sprung ahead one hour and so this coffee shop is closing soon, at this point.
I have gotten my juice and vodka and a sack of herb and a coffee and a refill and am starting out $10.58 in the hole. It never ends...off to The French Market to get a new harmonica in the key of C!!