What’s it doing outside? | johnozed

It’s a Friday and so far so good. Last night did not go so well. Fell asleep for about an hour or so then I woke up with the Everly Brothers singing Cathy’s Clown in my head. I did the right thing and got out of bed around 3:00 and surfed the net for a while before heading back to sleep for a few more hours. That went well, then Bill kissed me goodbye as he was headed off to the gym and then work at 6:00 then I woke up again for a little while before I was able to sleep again.

I did have a plan today. I had been corresponding with Payless since my sneakers started to fall apart soon after I bought them, but they were still wearable and they matched the chip on my shoulder. About a week after that they fell into further disrepair and I stopped wearing them. Of course I did not have the receipt but according to customer service that would be no problem. So I trooped over a couple of miles to the Newport Mall, Airwalks in my bag. I called customer service once again to make sure it was OK that I didn’t have the receipt.

And it was OK. I walked in and stood by an empty register. Just then a manager appeared and I told her my tale of woe. She understood and directed me to get a new pair if I wanted to or get store credit. I opted for the new Airwalks and after a quick and easy transaction, I was walking back to Hoboken. It was quite hot too, dense heat and a cloudless sky. I came home and took off the work boots and put on the new sneakers. Then after a few minutes I headed out again.

Busking was on the agenda for today and it had been a number of days since I last busked. I found a decent spot under a tree and set about playing some songs, A Hard Day’s Night, Walk on By, and Hateful by the Clash. It was going well. Tariq even showed up and was enjoying my playing as he was cocktailing. He is a good player and has the cojones to play on Washington Street at night, where he probably makes good money. I opt for the waterfront and the adoration of toddlers and change.

Tariq mentioned how much he enjoyed what I used to do, which was some improvisations. I play a few chords and sing about the people walking by in front of me. The color of their clothes, what’s on their t-shirts, the fact that some people look serious (but when they hear me singing about them they smile). I also sing about students from Stevens Tech and the amount of backpacks they carry to the trains and also sing about the nannies pushing strollers. So I did it again and had Tariq doubled over in laughter.

The funny thing is I am more comfortable doing that improve thing when there is a friendly face around and Tariq had the friendly face. If I had the nerve to do it without anyone around I would but since that rarely happens I rarely do it. Plus, when I do such a thing the people smile or smirk and just hurry along. They don’t linger and they don’t dig for change. But today turned out to be a good day, things went well and the toddlers showed up so happy to dance and clap along as I play. And you know that can’t be bad.

Well today is a rather unimpressive Labor Day. It’s been cloudy and seems like it is going to rain at any time. I suppose that is how it should be the ones who feel that Labor Day is the end of summer though we know it isn’t really. Bill is down in Atlantic City, with no play to stage manage and no wakes to attend in Puerto Rico and no place to sing the Star Spangled Banner he is back to bus driving which is his true love, or at least one of them. I guess it’s a return to normalcy… whatever that is.

Saturday was a very nice day. I did post the videos of Bill singing. We had a few giggles when we got back home, specifically how Bill marches out of the frame, his chest all puffed up like someone is about to get duffed. We also discussed how we have to get Bill a new outfit for events such as this. Some nice new trousers would do, something more fitting since Bill has lost quite a bit of weight the past months. Overall though, the trip to Staten Island was a lot of fun, the ferry ride is always fun.

It was quite crowded in the Manhattan terminal, at least a few hundred of us standing around waiting for the ferry to arrive while an earnest busker played her songs, vocals and guitar over amplified where it was thisclose to being distorted. Still she has more nerve than I and I duly tossed a dollar into her case for which she thanked me. After each song she received a smattering of applause and when she covered The Police, Message in a Bottle I told Bill that I had been practicing that song a few days before.

We received wristbands that enabled us to ‘All You Can Eat’ only it was certain foods we were allowed to eat. We found that out getting on a line and ordering food and then showing the wristband. Then we were told we had to get in the queue about thirty feet away where the foods were hot dogs, hamburgers, bags of potato chips and Pepsi. So of course Bill and I ate what we could, occasionally getting back in the queue for more grub. It was ‘All You Can Eat’ after all and we were very hungry.

Bill’s voice teacher Susan joined us near our seats with her friend Laura. They set about doing box scores as Bill and I enjoyed the game and the antics that the Staten Island Yankees provide. Dancers, games and t-shirts thrown into the crowd. At the 7th Inning, Bill sang God Bless America and that went over very well. Staten Islanders all reaching out to sake Bill’s hand, telling him his version was the best ever. I was quite proud of Bill.

We left at the 8th inning, the Staten Island Yankees hadn’t scored. Another couple of hundred people all milling about waiting for the next ferry. Young people, all dolled up for a night in Manhattan. Girls and boys all tarted up ready to paint the town red. We were home around 11:30 and it was too late for me to go to Maxwells, plus I was very tired. My mood had lifted, probably from spending time with Bill. We watched Humoresque on Turner Classic Movies, starring Joan Crawford, John Garfield and Oscar Levant who impressed both Bill and myself. I enjoyed Levant’s humor and Bill enjoyed his piano playing. It was a nice end to a nice day overall, and I owe it all to Bill.