BUS KING

i run through a quick rehearsal
up on the rooftop
a quite different repertoire
from the electric set the fireseeds used to do
strum-ability is the main selection criteria
most of the songs are originals
a few newies mixed in with tracks from the first two albums
and even an ancient one i cowrote with my little bro
which i've resurrected
a few old fave covers
high and dry by radiohead
providence by jack frost
america by simon & garfumble
under the milky way by the choich
with its luvly descending augmented chord structure
what i only recently worked out
apologies to non-guitarists who can skip the next few lines
a minor
a minor with thumb draped over the f# of bass string
f chord with top e left ringing
e minor 7
on the way there i set myself a target
to earn enough to pay the bus fare...
it is already a dusky seven pm
as i set up on the edge of the square
but this being sk and this being hongdae
there are still plenty of people about
strolling and sitting around
on this balmy early june evening
all the trinket and jewellery stores are still open
there's also some unbargained-for competition
an outdoor record shop across the square
opera drifting out of its speakers
a bongo player and a guy with a didgereedoo
music floating over from a shop
traffic noise from the road
suddenly my little unplugged set-up
seems in danger of getting drowned out...
i set up my music stand
place an old cap out front for contributions
sling on my trusty korean fender acoustic
tune up
fiddle with my capo
and this is it
for the first time in my life
i am about to serenade a group of complete strangers
with only the twin charms of my voice and an acoustic geetar
i start off with feels like summer
a bit inappropriate
as actually it is summer
but anyway a couple of lads who were sitting behind me
come and sit down on the floor in front of me
with their bottles of red wine
and start swaying to the strum
hey! i got myself an audience!
a girl from the stall next door
donates a paisley blue paper star to my cap
to my delight
people stop
smile
dance
even clap along to the rhythm
the money starts rolling in
nobody bothers with coins
i just get notes
i get my bus fare back in about five minutes
passers-by stop and take photos
a harmless drunk does a little jig
then makes a financial contribution of his own!
the lads on the red wine seem to be digging the music
eyes closed and raised to the heavens
they sway in unison
one of em goes off to buy me a bottle of water
as darkness slowly falls the family shows up
looking amused
they head over to the playground
where an electric combo is tuning up
out to provide extra competition
at the end of the next song
i hear somebody behind me say my name
one of my studes from last term
sitting there with a pal
big grins on their faces
by now my fingers are starting to burn
my delicate digits ain't used to playing like this for extended periods
giving it their all
for rock and roll
time to lay down arms
pack up and head for home
i count up the contributions
result!
i can pay that bus fare seven times over