Clarinet Guy Dilemma (+pics)

The other day I'm sitting on the subway and this guy with a clairinet gets on to play for people for dollars or whatever. He seemed a little shy (as all clarinet people seem to be) and he set his case on the floor to collect money. He gets ready to blow his first note when this mean-looking tough dude sitting nearby says, 'Hey man! Don't do that shit near me!' Meaning don't play clarinet near to me. As if the clarinet guy was planning to drop trou and plop a dook on the floor right then and there. They stared at each other for a second. The clarinet guy didn't know what to do. He didn't want to totally wimp out and pack up I guess. Clarinet guy looked at me and I just sort of shrugged. Was he willing to get pummeled for his art?

Then the mean guy said, 'Ok if you have to... go ahead... But you better be good.' Clarninet guy sort of swallowed, took a deep breath, then started playing a really tentative rendition of 'Yesterday'. Really slow version. He seemed a bit offkey and squeaky. I don't blame him for being nervous. By '...all my troubles seem so far away...' the mean guy groaned and put his head in his hands and toughed it out. The clarinetting seemed to go on forever. When clarinet guy was done sympathetic people (including me) threw change and dollars into his case. Mean guy looked up from his hands and took a look at all the money clarinet guy collected... then he put his head back in his hands.

There's a picture of that guy other stuff here.

ok bye!

tOdd