Smelling the Roses

A friend sent me this feature article dated April 2007 from the Washington Post - "Pearls Before Breakfast" by Gene Weingarten.  It will take more than a few minutes of your time to read, and watch the video clips.  In fact, the author won a Pulitzer Prize for it.   In short, the Post decided to test the public's reaction to a violinist in a Metro subway stop in DC.   The violinist was Joshua Bell, a much-celebrated genius with the instrument.  The public's reaction is interesting, but I won't give that away here.  

The article reminds me of a solo trip I made to Key West a few years ago.  If you haven't been there, you should go, because there is a daily (every single day) tradition of Sunset on the Wharf.  This event is a loosely organized extravaganza of street entertainers, local jewelry artists, guys who weave palm fronds into silly hats, food vendors, and other silly acts that line the long docks where the cruise ships make port.  My personal favorites are the Cookie Lady - she rides an old Schwinn with a basket on the front, yelling in an spine-tingling screech every 5 seconds "Cookies - get your fresh-baked Cookies!", and the Cat Show - seriously - trained stray cats that really do amazing things.  I've seen them many times over the 20 odd years I've been visiting there.

Of course, I had a mojito in hand, and was strolling the wharf by 4 pm, thoroughly enjoying the craziness, when I noticed a young lady carrying a violin case and wearing a formal dress walking up to a set up steps.  She stopped on the second step, opened her case, tuned for a few seconds, and began to play.  My jaw dropped.  People, including little kids, stopped talking and walking and eating, and watched her with me.  It actually got quiet at this little corner of the bustling wharf.   I couldn't tell you what musical score she was playing, but it was classical and just beautiful.

She played for almost 10 minutes.  When she finished, the crowd was still hushed for about 30 seconds.  And then the applause started, and loud calls for more.  She quietly told us she was 17, and visiting her sick Grandma for a few weeks, and hoped we didn't mind that she practice her lessons some more.   No, we didn't mind.  I don't think any of us moved for the next hour.  By the time she packed up her violin, the case was full of money.  I never knew her name.

I was in Key West by myself on that day at the particular time because the ol' Fickle Finger of Fate had poked me in the eye.  But the reward of stumbling upon that young lady and her violin made it all worthwhile.  Just another case that sometimes things do work out for the best, and you just never know for sure what treats will happen when things aren't so good - but you better be paying attention.