Da Cadence Of Decadence

• Decadence Festival Ends
• I Break Through On Royal Street
• I Sleep 24 Hours Monday To Tuesday



I drew this using the Paint program this morning, after having slept almost 24 hours

• I Wake Up And Draw

Let's Get Right to that last article in the above head...
I am getting good with the Paint program....This one is called: "Only In America"
I stayed up Sunday night, after having played on Royal Street, at the spot where Jay (aka The Guy With The Really Loud Voice) has pretty much been a fixture.
So much so that I hesitated; upon seeing it vacant at about 10:30 p.m.; to just plop down there.
His milk crate was there; along with a crumbled up pack of Pyramid brand cigarettes; and an empty bottle of watermelon flavored soda -definite Jay "droppings," and, since Jay has been feuding with Jesse Sewell (aka The Grizzled Old Man With The Cowboy Hat) I could imagine Jay having a heightened sensibilty to having "his" spot taken over, should he arrive.
He arrived and I immediately offered to relinquish the place. I had had 3 people throw a total of about 7 dollars in my case in the space of less than a half hour; as I played "Marrakesh Express" by Crosby Stills and Nash, over and over; scatting the verses* and singing the chorus and adding little details each time through; putting "the little melodies" in.
Jay declined to take over the spot, but moved a mere 25 feet down the sidewalk, and soon he and his amp could be heard; pretty much "over" me.

Feuding with Jesse

Feuding With Jay

But, he would stop in between songs, seemingly to listen to what I was doing; which was playing the Crosby Stills and Nash over and over and.....

"Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes
Traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies
Ducks and pigs and chickens call, animal carpet wall to wall
American ladies five-foot tall in blue

Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind
Had to get away to see what we could find
Hope the days that lie ahead bring us back to where they've led
Listen not to what's been said to you

Would you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express?"

Read more: Crosby Stills Nash - Marrakesh Express Lyrics | MetroLyrics

After I decided to move on, I sang a little ditty called "Let me see if I can make a buck before the guy with the amp does"; playing the same chords as him, yet singing the above.
A couple of guys who had been standing on the opposite sidewalk came across and dropped a 5 dollar bill in my case; which would be my last tip of the night at that spot. The sight of them walking across and making a beeline to my case would not have been lost upon Jay.
It could be that they liked Marrakesh Express, or that they saw that Jay had set up on top of me, or that they liked the line about seeing if I could make buck with him there..I'm not sure; and the busker never is sure.
Jay wants myself and he to work up an arrangement of "Lying Eyes," by the Eagles, a song which we somehow fell into singing together recently when I pass by. "Come on, hippie, lets do "Lying Eyes..." he will say.
The Hatrocks And The McCoys
Jesse and Jay are in an all-out "I'm gonna aim my amp right at you like the barrel of a shotgun and turn it up as loud as possible" type of feud.
Jay makes money with his booming voice; which sounds like Johnny Cash on steroids. He makes fun of Jesse, who has his own style and his own shtick.
His style is to sing very popular songs off of his "menu" of songs (not shown in photo). The purpose of the menu is not so much to suggest music to people, who stand as one peering through the glass of a juke box and flipping the cards; but it is also to prevent people from requesting any one of 100,000 songs that he doesn't know or doesn't want to know. "Listen buddy, this is what I play; if it ain't on there I don't play it!"
The typical song on his menu would have a reference to his dog upping and dying...
Then, he engages the tourist in a conversation during which the intelligence would be disseminated that Jesse has done a lot of things in his life; interesting things (he had Masters Degreed people working under him, once; even though he never attended college "Because I had common sense" for example).
Then, some bread would go into his basket and the tourists would walk off thinking "...interesting fella..."
Then, they would encounter Jay not 90 feet further; stop and listen and then drop a tip and walk off thinking "...what a deep booming voice..."
The two have a more symbiotic relationship than either might want to admit.
Plus, Jesse sits directly across from an ATM where people seem to take comfort in his presence, rather than feeling threatened. Jesse looks like a "good guy" who would pull out a pistol to thwart a robbery attempt.
And, indeed, he is "clean" enough to be able to carry one; though he opts for pepper spray.