the buskers

so one of the things that i most enjoy about life since crossing the water and taking on this inter-state commute is that... i actually really love the trains, the ride (hey: mandatory space-out time) and the stations.

yes, the stations are in many cases dirty, yes they are too hot in summer and too chilly in winter and yes the trains fail us all too often and the fares keep going up

but... down in those stations, amazing, beautiful things happen.

i have seen an elderly asian man taking portraiture to a new level, squinting up at you for a moment and then cutting a little square piece of paper into an incredible kirigami likeness ($5 and you get to keep the paper portait, but it's free to just watch and be amazed). my heart has ached while listening to an elderly colombian (i think that is what his friend said) man wailing an exquisite aria from La Traviata, the song made all the more touching by the tired rasp in his voice. i have even enjoyed passing the cheeseball with the digeridoo (you guessed it: white guy w/ dreads) because even though i suspect he is a little bit of a dork, he seems peaceful enough and the sound elicits fond memories from my kidhood overseas. and yesterday, i was coming up between platforms at union square and heard The Crazy Piano Guy doing his thing, but with some intense percussion alongside. i peeked over the shoulders of the crowd and saw that along w/ a lone drummer, there was a quad of tapdancers, one of whom was hammering her heart out through her feet on a board, to the sheer joy of the crowd. that was amazing enough, but i realized that i'd met one of the dancers before, through my friend heather, who teaches tap in brooklyn, and this young woman is *amazing*. i forget her name and how old she is, but the first time i saw her tap, she took me to the FLOOR. i was so happy to miss a few trains in order to catch a subway solo-- she has the most amazing body posture through her dance. her feet are ripping it up, but her upper body is always so loose and relaxed and comfortable. her movement, that pairing of rapid-fire and languid ease, is such a thing of beauty, and anyone who catches her tapping for free has just been given a gift.

and that's what it is. payment is of course welcome but voluntary-- all you people passing by, please understand that the free-ness of the experience does not in any way mean these gifts are not worth your time or appreciation or, yes yes, your dollars. i think i myself need to start keeping a pad of singles on my just for the buskers. there's a lot of nonsense out there, but i stop and am awed enough to owe the great ones something.

so thumbs up to the busking! friends compelled to get it out there, keep getting it out! keep belting out the tunes, keep slamming on the keys, keep snipping at the paper, keep your breathing circular.

and you, you tappers, you keep stompin'!



(yeah, i was finally moved to dig out my camera and take a few minutes of video. and then to take the time to upload.)