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Taz

Busking Oracle
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Rugby UK
I think I'm going to have to give up this busking lark, it pulls on my heart strings, tugs on my emotions and then makes me cry!
I was playing in Northampton today and to be honest, I was having a pretty rough time of it! Normally, if other buskers or musicians turn up in the same street as you, they (most of the time) show you a bit of respect and move out of earshot. Some will stop for a quick chat but others simply hustle on by! Today however, I met a group of ....... I can't use the term "Musicians" because they weren't......... Hari Krishnas. Now I don't mind anyone standing on the street and doing a bit of preaching, it's not for me personally, but hey I'm sure my music doesn't appeal to everyone and I have to remember that this is a free country and we all have the right to self expression and the freedom of speech, but these HK's as I shall refer to them, were just plain bl88dy ignorant! They stood about twenty yards away from me and, looking in my direction with big fat grins on their faces, let loose this cacophony of awfulness! They had cymbals, drums, their voices and a new weapon joined their arsonal. An accordion! I wasn't prepared for that! Two chords were used all day.... yes all day! Like I said, they started about twenty yards away, standing there for about ten minutes just repeating the same old thing "hari hari krishna krishna" on and on and on. I had no choice but to stop! I stood no chance of overpowering them, nor would I have tried. I do try to keep certain standards (ok so they are fairly low ones, and I frequently fail to achieve them :rofl:) Anyway, soon they moved. Closer to me! They stood right in front of me and totally ignored me! Someone came up and chatted to me so I temporarily forgot about them. When I'd finished my chat, I realised that they had moved another ten yards up the road. From previous experience the HKs' don't tend to hang around for too long so I waited patiently.
It wasn't too long before they were out of earshot enough for me to get started again. So I made the most of it and got into some of my favourite tracks. Sadly the HKs' returned but eventually worked their way back down the other end of the street.
It was towards the end of my day that I started to play "Don't it make my brown eyes blue" I love this tune, it's got a really nice feel to it and the "older" generation seem to appreciate it. Well, this lady stopped, reached into her purse and dropped a couple of pounds into my box, she then lent forward and said "Thank you so much for playing that, it was my husbands favourite song, he died last week!" She then promptly burst into tears, and so did I! She walked sadly away and I tried to keep playing but I don't think I did a very good job of it as my tears were flowing down my cheeks!
I hope I bump into her in years to come and by coincidence I'm playing the same tune. I'd love to bring happier memories back to her, instead of the raw, sad ones I brought today!
 
Oh Pete, what a day of contrasts, I am sure the lady will look back on today with fond memories too.

She probably has many more tears she needs to shed yet so you have in a strange way helped her I am sure. I don't think she would not have come and spoken to you if she was truly upset by you if that makes sense :)

Jx
 
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In the years to come you'll remember the old gal but will have forgotten the run in with the orange brigade.
I think sometime fate puts you in a position to do some good.
Today it was your turn mate
 
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You have given someone far more than a bunch of self-indulgent HKs ever could - there should be more people in the world like you.

Good on yer mate for caring and a very Happy New Year.

Dave
 
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No place for bad manners. Good for for showing tolerance.

Your old lady is what makes it worthwhile. Brought a tear to my eye. My wife's played for the local annual hospice memorial service for the last few years. Not sure how she manages it, if I was there I'd be bawling with the rest of them. Keep it up mate!
 
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What a top man you are! Looking forward to meeting you at some point. One of the good ones Taz.
 
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Great story, Pete. You ignored the dross and hit the gold. Not sure I would have been so tolerant!
Happy New Year.
YC
 
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The orange brigade are a pacifist, buddhist movement. So...you can slap them with impunity.

Pete, if it makes you feel any better I seem to recall 'sorting' a few of these individuals out with me stick back in the 80's when they wore Dr Martin's, maybe they still do! Great story
 
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The orange brigade are a pacifist, buddhist movement. So...you can slap them with impunity.
they're a hindu-ish, Krishna worshipping sect, not Buddhists.... genuine hindus don't have much time for them, either...
my mate used to improvise wild, Coltranesque stuff over their racket when he busked in Manchester, which would raise a smile from the general public.
It seems ironic that they are such bad musicians when they worship the holy flute playing deity Krishna. Real hindu musicians are highly skilled and wouldn't dream of being so rude...

It's when people tell you how much they appreciate your efforts that makes playing the sax in public worthwhile
 
Keep up the good work, Taz, you made my day. Random acts of kindness are often the ones that you don't realize how much they mean to the recipient.
I garrantee that there's a place in that lady's heart for you.
Tom
 
They have very effective tactics for soliciting donations. By any chance were they passing out those little flowers to the crowds?
 
Just make sure it's not the other 'orange brigade'.

Ah, yes - fruiterers.

Some of them are real hard nuts and would show no reluctance to drawing you off a lemon (as my dad used to say - means a smack in the kisser...derivation obscure... does anyone say that these days?)
 
Especially if the fruiterer is wearing a bowler hat and a sash.
 

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