Czeching Praguematically for Police, Day 3

It would seem I have a penchance for being on display. I spent the early afternoon (8.14.10) drawing Frank Gehry's Dancing House from a bridge across the Vltava. I sat cross legged out of the way but every single passerby slowed and looked at my rendering, some lingering for as long as a minute. This would be a good time to notate why it is I'm so amused at myself for being a street performer. I'm everything a street performer shouldn't be - shy, extremely sensitive, timid, unassertive... (with strangers, of course). It's quite funny to me.

One of these passersby struck up a conversation with me - he'd passed me the night before, singing at Karluv most - and we had a happy conversation in Cantonese. The drawing took rather longer than I'd provided for. So after a lovely walk by the riverbank I only had time for a short pitch before returning to make an improved avocado gnocchi for supper. I made a detour to check out a couple of other prospective pitches but inevitably ended up at the same tunnel


Cue Smetana, it's the Vltava.

I bid the Pizza Lady good day, in Czech, to add to my morning transaction for my 24h ticket, where the convenience store girl referred to me as Russian to whoever she was conversing with on the phone. I felt rather frazzled when I began, back in front of the closed (other) pizza shop, but things turned around thanks to one kindly faced man. He reminded me strongly of the Danish busker I met in Oslo, same weathered face and sympathetic eyes, same contemplative smile. He gave me a fifty crown coin and stayed for almost all of my pitch, watching with his back against the wall, eating a slice from the wonderful pizza lady, burgundy tee and slate trousers fitting well with the environs. He even tipped me once more with the change from that pizza.

I knew I couldn't split after such generosity so I remained a while, singing songs in the same tone as that he tipped me for, slow and dreamy. His presence was reassuring - after a young kid looked pointedly at me and stuck his fingers in his ears as if pained I looked back to the man and he smiled back. And after a sharp bark from a passing dog rattled me a nod from the man brought me back to my song. I gave him my list and he requested Stand By Me before departing. Appropriate. He had.

Mates was captivated by my packing skills.

Earnings: 128 CZK, 35 minutes
Song of the Day: I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You - Colin Hay