What then?

It was a little over twelve midnight last saturday when I met AK, Esther and Johnny in front of Shooters after work. It wasn't until I was in front of the bar that I figured I didnt brought my passport (you need to show some identification to proof that you are 18 and above, and only a 18+ card, or passport or drivers license will do...). I wasnt really dissapointed, coz didnt really felt like clubbing anyway, just felt like beer, but that wasnt a problem either, coz I was holding a plastic bag with a take-away chicken fettucini pasta (for AK) and a bottle of Corona (which I accidentally slipped it into my plastic bag before I leave the kitchen... you get what I mean...). Ended up sitting in Reading Cinema (cinema with footcourt below) with Johnny and met Grace who was waiting for her friends to go to a korean karaoke lounge in Reading too.

Her friends came, we were invited to join, so we walked together.

The street was filled with pointless people, some in crowds, some couples, some drunken, some act as if they were drunk, heavy beats from disco drifting along the street, taxis flooded the road, uninquisitive asian working in 24 hours convenient stores, girls showing off with as least cloth on their body as possible although it was a fairly cold night, old man holding an electric guitar, sitting on an amp., busking... which gave me an idea, why dont I busk too?

I told Johnny about my idea, and he was excited. as always.

We reached manners mall, I took off my deep blue water-proof-wind-proof jacket, spread it on the floor, us, wearing only T-shirts and jeans, started to ask for request from passer-by. I was amazed by how different peoples feeback was:

A couple from Switzerland kiss in front of us while I sang Your Song by Elton, and gave use a dollar gold coin.

A guy kept on saying he cant take it any more because we were too good (he was lying... he was suffering actually), he kept on grabing his hair, pulling them, acted as if he's gone crazy; but he gave us a gold coin anyway.

A girl with very short hair ( and I mean real short... almost bald...), she was singing along with us, if I remembered correctly, it was Billy Jeans, by Michael. She tried offering us her guitar pick, but we didnt want it, she ended up giving us a hug.

Some mature guy (in their forthies, I think), aging and desperate, threw a few coins to us and at us, saying rudely:"hey, you've got the coins, now sing, shut up and sing..." wasnt pleasant, but we were professional, we sang until they left, I head them said "crap" as they went...

A cute old couple came, didnt request for a song, but still gave us a gold coin, the lady told us, well, more of giving us order that we shouldnt buy drugs with it... Johnny say to me:"ok where should we get the drugs now.." out loud, the lady turned back and said:"I said NO DRUGS!", it was funny...

Met a few kids who can beatbox very well, gave us not money, but two candy bars, which one of them is my favorite, Sneakers... argrggrrgrrggrg...

A girl request for a Beatles song, and was suprise I know it, it was Love Me Do, by the Beatles. She drop a few coins and left dancing. The dance was awful.

A girl pull out a five dollar bill even though we didnt know the song she requested. she was awesome.

then there was three girls who took a photo of us with on of their phone, should have ask them to send it to me, as a proof.. haha...

there were more...

for one and a half hour, we stood there, of all the people who came by, some left saying that we were full of craps, a majority of them left with a twist of happiness dangling on the edge of their lips. they smiled, they laughed.

We earn a little less than 20 dollars all together, that was a lot for singing craps down town. Went to a jazz pub the following day, had a flat white, my usual, and a bowl of chips with live jazz. I wouldnt say I earn 20 bucks if you ask me, what then?

I earn a nice cup of coffee, a bowl of chips with dip, a few laughs, a few cheered hearts, a few hand shakes, and a hug.