Summer Time - Boston Lunch

Had a couple of meetings cancel yesterday so I was able to spend some time during lunch venturing further from the office to enjoy the nice early summer weather we had in Boston. Walked up Summer St to the Corner Mall food court, bought a gyro sandwich and a drink, and continued up Winter St to the Common. The streets were crowded at lunch. Workers out to grab their bite either in a hurry or leisurely. Some construction work underway on Winter St itself. (When did they take their break if they are still working now?) Plenty of tourists around as well. Along Tremont St, a series of school buses were parked. Some school trip was no doubt visiting the Freedom Trail today.

I found a spot on the grass at the edge of the shade under one of the big elm trees. Close enough to the sidewalk, I could over hear the conversation of those passing if I choose to tune in. A little further along the way, out in the sunshine near the junction of two paths, a single young man had set up his stand. His guitar case was open in front of him. He played and sang. He had an average voice but in the park and open space, on the sunny day it was, it still sounded good.

He sang The City of New Orleans:

Some folks passing with their kids stopped to listen. The young kids dancing to the music and clapping. An older women came by to drop some money in his case. A couple of young women came by to do likewise and stopped to chat with him when he finished a song.

He sang The House of the Rising Sun

I finished my sandwich and got up to take a leisurely walk back to the office. I dropped my trash in the barrel and my soda can in the recycle container which is new this year. I do not remember seeing this before. I wonder how the folks that come by picking through the trash for the cans and bottles to recycle like this? It should make it easier for them.

The last notes of the guitar fade in the distance behind me. I recall seeing Rocketboom in the morning (actually the previous days show). It was a video summary of the Webby Awards. Spliced through the individual awards was Prince singing a song. I could not make out the words. Not particularly a Prince fan so I did not have the desire to try and listen. I was struck at the end of the video. Amanda closed with Prince finishing his performance, lifting his guitar over his head, and then simply tossing it behind him. No concern over what would happen to it. The tool he used, quickly expendable. Worthless.

Such disrespect for an instrument does not sit well with me and helps to confirm why I am not a fan of his.

I can not believe the man in the park would treat his instrument the same.

I also recall the intensity of the words behind Melissa Ferrick's "Everything I need" as a stark contrast to the attitude displayed by Prince.


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