The Subway Series - Part 1: Subway Antics
Going Underground - buskers, beggars and more...
Usually, I find subway journeys dismally boring. Cooped up with a bunch of strangers with no distracting view - I'm thankful when I can fall asleep for the length of the journey. That may sometimes be difficult when riding the NY subway though.
Without fail, one in every two-three subway journeys will have a busker, beggar or other (!) on board. Let's see: there's these individuals which will ask for donations for the hungry but will also ask whether anyone is hungry on the train. If so, they are given a bunch of snacks such as a banana, bag of crisps and a carton of apple juice. Most beggars just ask money for themselves. They walk into the car and proclaim the "speech". It usually goes as follows:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, some of you may know me already. I have just been released from hospital/prison and I'm suffering from AIDS/am cold and homeless. I am very very hungry and appreciate it if anyone can help me with some food or change. God bless each and every one of you". They then walk the length of the car collecting change. At the next stop, they walk into the next car and go through the same routine.
You can hear all sorts of music riding the subway from the buskers - anything from African drums to calypso, chinese ehru to violins. Some will play for each car of the train for a brief minute and then ask for a donation, others stay put in the stations.
The most "inventive" entertainment act I witnessed on the train - a grown teenager partnered with a 8-year old boy put on a hip-hop dance routine. They danced together showing some impressive co-ordination(!) , then each putting on an individual routine using the whole length of the car. They used the floor - doing some moves right below passengers' feet and the rails above to launch some jumps (nearly landing on the portly gentleman sitting by the rail).
Brief respites from the tedium of the subway journey.
Usually, I find subway journeys dismally boring. Cooped up with a bunch of strangers with no distracting view - I'm thankful when I can fall asleep for the length of the journey. That may sometimes be difficult when riding the NY subway though.
Without fail, one in every two-three subway journeys will have a busker, beggar or other (!) on board. Let's see: there's these individuals which will ask for donations for the hungry but will also ask whether anyone is hungry on the train. If so, they are given a bunch of snacks such as a banana, bag of crisps and a carton of apple juice. Most beggars just ask money for themselves. They walk into the car and proclaim the "speech". It usually goes as follows:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, some of you may know me already. I have just been released from hospital/prison and I'm suffering from AIDS/am cold and homeless. I am very very hungry and appreciate it if anyone can help me with some food or change. God bless each and every one of you". They then walk the length of the car collecting change. At the next stop, they walk into the next car and go through the same routine.
You can hear all sorts of music riding the subway from the buskers - anything from African drums to calypso, chinese ehru to violins. Some will play for each car of the train for a brief minute and then ask for a donation, others stay put in the stations.
The most "inventive" entertainment act I witnessed on the train - a grown teenager partnered with a 8-year old boy put on a hip-hop dance routine. They danced together showing some impressive co-ordination(!) , then each putting on an individual routine using the whole length of the car. They used the floor - doing some moves right below passengers' feet and the rails above to launch some jumps (nearly landing on the portly gentleman sitting by the rail).
Brief respites from the tedium of the subway journey.
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