This post on Buskers and Panhandlers
relates to street entertainers and panhandlers in our cities and towns.
Some people may seem ugly and have issues but they are still beautiful
inside themselves. All of us are loved by someone somewhere at sometime.
As well as us all having a need and
deserve to love and be loved, how wonderful it is if we look around, open our
eyes wide, and see how beautiful people can be even though at times
beauty appears to be missing.
My favourite places, street and things
change from day to day, but Rue St Catherine in Montreal, Quebec Canada is
always a favourite.
Rue St Catherine is the main street for
retail shopping and it has many entrances to the underground network of
arcades, malls and shops such as clothing, luggage, food, fragrances, books, in
fact anything at all. The merchandise varies from inexpensive to luxury
goods.
Excluding the Metro, (underground rail
network), the buildings both above and underground are generally owned by
property corporations and banks. Generally, in Montreal, buskers and
panhandlers are not encouraged on private property, therefore, they have to beg
or play their instruments in public places such as the Metro and the streets.
It is very exciting to be in Montreal in
spring and in particular during the Montreal Festival du Jazz as buskers are
everywhere. However, during fall and winter when it is cool to freezing
and there is cold wind and light snow and the number of buskers is low it is
not unusual to see the regular buskers and panhandlers still working their
regular spots.
NO BUSKING
TODAY!
Rue St Catherine
Rue Drummond near
Rue St Catherine and Rue Sherbrook
(Photos courtesy
of Montreal Gazette)
Rue St Catherine, has about five blocks
with specific buskers on specific sites on the ouest (west) side of the street.
Near the Baie department store (Hudson Bay
Trading Company) on the corner of Rue Union in front of the Cathedrale Christ
Church, there is often a very talented classical/jazz guitarist. Many
times I have been so engrossed in his music I did not want to leave however,
when light snow turned to sleet it is time to depart.
Below, I think this chap in the metro may
be the same busker but if not, he sure looks familiar. Then again, I do not
recognise the tiles on the wall so this chap could be in Toronto.
Further down Rue St Catherine outside the
Complex Les Alles there is a chap that plays a harmonium whilst a marionette
dances. Further down outside the Eaton Centre on the corner of Ave McGill
College there is another chap who plays South American jazz on his tenor sax.
In the area of Rue De La Montagne or Rue Crescent
there are a large number of very high end retailers as well as classy
restaurants near Steilmann's and, a cigar store.
This is where things are even more
interesting. There is a regular tall skinny gentleman who is often
dressed a long brown coat. I have never seen him look anything other than
miserable and grumpy whilst playing his wooden spoons. Never smiles with
the joy of playing with his clappers, just looks cross all the time.
Around the block there is Ave Sherbrooke
and this area has many public and private art galleries, museums and McGill
University. The museum area is often frequented by another older
gentleman who is a panhandler. He asks for money and if refused he becomes
angry and abusive so I avoid him.
Proceeding north along Sherbrooke, turning
left into Avenue Du Parc there is a supermarket which often has two old grubby
and dishelved chaps sitting on the pavement drinking alcohol. They ask
people for change as they exit the supermarket and if not given enough they
grumble, grizzle and also become abusive.
Now here's the thing, two blocks up from
the supermarket is a very large multi-storied apartment building. In the
spring, an older gentlemen with a wonderful soft kind face, very well dressed
in freshly ironed trousers, crisp ironed shirt, with a bow tie and wearing a woollen
cap emerges. This very dapper gentleman appears after lunch and plays
piano accordion music that is very French and truly beautiful.
He stands in the space of the revolving
door that does not work. His case is open for donations. I often
stand there pretending I am waiting for someone while I am fully immersed in
his music. What do I do every day I see him playing his music? I toss every
coin I have in my pocket into his case. I always ensure I had at least
one or two dollars for him. He smiles, nods and I pass inside. We formed
a very positive connection.
I ask the question, would you rather form
a positive connection like my lovely senior accordionist or a negative
connection from someone like this chap below?
Do those that abuse you more than once,
benefit from your kindness? No of course not. The abusers are
avoided and thus miss out on a friendly human interaction and sometimes help
whether it be financial or otherwise.
Now, here's the thing.
Whether it be the excellent musicianship
of a busker, the grumpiness of a less talented busker like the spoon player,
the panhandler who became abusive, the two drunks outside the supermarket or my
wonderful old accordionist outside the apartment, I love them all.
I have been following the 'Way' of Taoism
for about three years ago. I try to practice love for everyone.
The nasty or unfortunate people that cross
my path, regardless of where they are in their lives, they are still people
with beauty inside and deserving of love. If we met the grumpy and
abusive people in a different time and place in their lives, or ours for that
matter, we may like them more. So, if they have issues and problems, are they
not the same people and deserving of love?
As I pass people who are hurting, I try to
make a point of either sending love by a hand or a thought, and sometimes I
smile and nod wishing them a good day.
Everyone deserves to be loved.
Verde
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