El Mundo Es Loco

Yes, the world is crazy.

The relief effort in Haiti continues, as does the nightmare.  People are dying because they can't receive transportation out of Haiti to get medical treatment, especially children.  It's frustrating, busking here in snow-bound Philadelphia, watching this tragedy.  However, many generous people did donate to my collection for the ClintonBushHaitiFund.org last week.  I sent them $85 to help with the relief efforts.  Thank you to all friends and strangers who helped with the cause.  If you'd like to make a donation yourself, simply log on to www.clintonbushhaitifund.org.
Actually, the word "strangers" doesn't seem quite appropriate anymore.  I feel a sense of community with people who happen by.  Some I see on a regular basis, others I see for the first time.  It's hard not to just stop playing and singing and to stand there and talk and catch up on each others' lives.  My friend from Tehran stopped by after three weeks absence due to a car accident, which fortunately only totalled the car and did no harm to her or her son.  My friend, Al, stopped by.  He's always an inspiration.  He must be 80 at least, and he still plays piano and accordion in an Italian restaurant on a weekly basis.  We had a good discussion about jazz and why it's not popular, and how people and restaurant owners prefer pop songs to jazz, when we play for customers.  There are the other musicians I meet, talk with, and even jam with.  A new singer-songwriter named Tim joined the musical fold today, his first day.  We talked about busking, the do's and don't's, although there are really no rules or guidelines.  What works for some might not work for others. 
Sometimes bad things happen when busking.  My banjo player friend was almost robbed last week.  He was playing and a young couple walked up to him and the woman grabbed all his dollar bills out of his box and started to walk away.  My friend protested.  The woman hollered back at him, "What you gonna do about it, bitch?"  My friend went after her with his banjo and threatened her, her boyfriend stepped in, a store owner called the transit police who came and told my friend, he shouldn't be flaunting his money out there for people to see, and that it was basically his own fault.  He got his money back, however.  A senior cop later explained to my friend that he was, in fact, within his rights.  However, no charges were filed.  It was a blip on the screen.  Just another day at Suburban Station.
Which reminds me of the woman I wrote about last week, who asked me why I felt I should give to Haiti and not to the homeless right here in Philly.  She resented it that I also "flaunted" the money I made (for Haiti) for all the homeless walking by to see.
I understand where she's coming from, although I don't know what the answer is.
Nothing is black or white.  The couple was able to attempt to rob my friend in broad daylight before twenty witnesses.  The cops at first sided with the would-be robbers.  Flaunting was the charge, and my banjo buddy got what he deserved.  Welcome to Bizarro World.
Si, el mundo es loco.
And tomorrow I'll return to busking, perhaps a little wiser, remembering not to flaunt the kindness of strangers, and friends.  I will sing my heart out and look forward to seeing perhaps Al, or Austin, or one of my other new found friends....