Busking NYC

Desperate times lead to desperate measures.

I, like so many others, have been looking for work for a long time. I once was a successful media executive. I had a career! Now I am pounding the pavement like so many others. But why not tap the pavement instead of pound it?

In the film "Fun with Dick and Jane" starring the excellent Jane Fonda and George Segal, Dick loses his corporate job and his house gets repossessed. He and his wife turn to a life of crime in order to get by. Others turn to prostitution and others gambling. I was thinking "What else can I do?" I don't have the stomach for crime and I don't have the stomach, pecs, abs, etc. for prostitution and then I thought, "I can play pipes! I will be the weddings and funerals piper for New York City!"

But first I decided to busk on the streets of New York.

I started out the other day in front of the Museum of Natural History and today went down to South Street Seaport. I learned fast to DO and ask questions later. Good idea as I got stopped by security (but not before raking in some good dough) and was told I needed a permit and there were auditions in January! Auditions to busk. Okay, I will do that. On to Times Square!

Here I was (and the excellent photo is kind of small here) playing in the crossroads of the world RIGHT in front of the master showman himself, George M. "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy" Cohan!!




That was all worth it to get stopped again by security. Another bloody permit!

"But isn't this public property?"

"You need a permit"

"C'mon, can't I just play here? The people dig it."

Then New York's finest...

A nice young cop came to my rescue and told me to come play over by his beat on Times Square! Wow, I had NYPD protection. Another officer even bought me a bottle of water. Irish policeman. You gotta love 'em.


My friends.
Tourist posing for a photo op.

Then it was onto St. Pat's!!!!