Monday, October 20, 2014

20 Dollar Saturday

20 Dollar Saturday Night
Saturday night was pretty much routine and forgettable. I played for a couple hours and then knocked off after I broke a string.
The "Daniel" Jam With Tanya And Dorise
On my way to the spot, I stopped to see Tanya and Dorise. They began to play "Daniel," by Elton John, whereupon I joined in with my brand new harp in the key of C.
I thought I played alright, but Dorise said: "You played some weird notes in there; I mean they weren't like 9ths or anything.
This started me wondering; as I walked away; if I was so drunk that I hadn't realized that my pitch was off; or if the notes which I chose to play, despite being in pitch, just didn't fit the harmony the way Dorise heard it; or what.
I have heard that song countless times since it came out in 1973; and I might have been trying to play the "flute melotron" part on the original recording. If T&D learned the song out of a fake book the melotron part might have sounded foreign to them.
It had bugged me enough that I made my first stop Sunday morning at their playing spot, so I could ask Dorise about the comment.
She acted as if she hardly remembered the jam, like it was water under the bridge. "You're reading way too deeply into what I said..." she said and added that musicians play all kinds of notes all the time; and that it just had happened to sound to her like I might have picked the wrong key of harp. The song is in the key of C; but I might not have played straight "first position" stuff, which would "fit" better.
Or it could have been the alcohol.
"You're going to have to do your own comparison of playing drunk versus sober," said Dorise.
Tanya remained mum. She would have said that either she couldn't really hear me; or that it hadn't sounded "that" bad, I imagine.
I woke up for the final time Sunday at about 12:30 PM, realizing as I did that I had about 19 dollars on me; plus 17 on my prepaid debit card; and I had an urge to run to the restroom; and that the football games had already kicked off.
After I came out of McDonalds; I grabbed a 16 ounce Coors and watched a little of the Saints game from the sidewalk across the street from The Unique Grocery.
I had wanted to sit at my spot and break out the copies of Sheet Music Magazine which I have and practice for a while; but the football games were just compelling enough to keep me there. 
David the water jug player was in the area.
I blogged at Starbucks until almost 9 PM, while monitoring the games online; and then started the 10 block walk to my playing spot.
I made about 20 bucks on an otherwise forgettable night.
Well, it is Monday; and I woke up with 3 dollars and change in cash; and about 13 dollars on my prepaid debit card. And an urge to run to the rest room.
I had chowed down upon a turkey and cheese sandwich; by the Rouses Market bins. The bins being very barren; as if the employees have decided to keep all of the sandwiches and other edibles inside the store; for the incoming morning crew to dispose of.
It is hard to guess why this occurs at times; but people who dig through and leave a mess may have something to do with it.
Then, walking up Canal Street, I found a large plastic container with a transparent lid which was over a large fruit salad, of honeydew melon and cantaloupe and strawberries and a couple kinds of cheese in cubes a little bigger than dice.

1 comment:

  1. I doubt you bothered T&D very much, since if they worried about the un-musicality of every drunk who stumbled by and "joined in" they'd get no sleep at all.

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