But I do mind being a hippocrite.
Its been a strange day! Its been a long day, I got out selling at 9 after an hour and half walk into town. After around eight hours selling I've made £25, it's not much but it'll do.
For the first time I sold a spoon to a big issue seller, it's interesting that a big issue seller will usually make more money than I do. He was surprised, but I know many people, good people, that sell the big issue and they all make more money than I do. Much of that money will be spent on drink or heroin, but that is not all sellers, and I don't see those "addictions" in a different light to all of our "addictions".
In a good day buskers can make anything up to £100/hr, in a city it would be unusual for a busker to make less than £60 in a day.
One of the really beautiful things about my life is the relationship I have with other people on the street. Whether they are rich patronising people buying my spoons, or wonderful people i've met last year who have bought a spoon before and would like another one not to support me but because they want a spoon, I love my chats with street cleaners, market stall holders, town criers, buskers, the nice man in the pasty shop, they are my community and I love them. I would like to share more with you about these people.
Anyone that knows me knows I likes the coffee, and I tend to sit in a cafe like I am right now to charge my phone, use their toilet, fill my water bottle. I find I am much more comfortable in a big chain than a small independent, I am more likely to get away with being here for a while after i've finished my drink to charge my phone, and less notable in a busy place with air conditioning, particularly if I smell, when I look rough I am less likely to be treated badly too. The price is also considerably cheaper, I have just eaten two rounds of chicken and stuffing sandwiches for 65p from the reduced shelf in tesco.
I hope I have never billed myself as some kind of hero, I definitely don't feel like one. Though I feel like I am winning, is it to the detriment of others? Am I just one big disappointment?
You are a bit of a hero to me Barn, I love to see folk who act on their beliefs and out of the passion in their heart. I also like to see folk ask the big difficult questions in life, and throw them out to others too, even if it can be unsettling. So are the street people the parasites of society, the bottom feeders that feed off the detritus (like 65p chicken sarnies) or the carrion feeders that clear the mess up and deal with the stuff most folk don't like to look at?
ReplyDeleteI remember having a bit of an epiphany whilst queuing to get into a homeless hostel in the USA. There were a group of a dozen or so of us and the group included exactly the mix of folk you would get in any section of society whether a group of mates at the pub or at a dinner party or wherever. There was the joker who was keeping everyone's spirits up there was the morose one who was down on luck but most of 'em were just ordinary.
You Barn are one of the ones that brings a little light into other people's lives wherever you go. I smile just thinking about you.
Oh and I used your lovely cherry spoon today too.