Hittin’ the Haight

Had another one of those moments of broaching a wall of fear today. I’ve been wanting to play on Haight Street (I live a block away), and today I got my act together (literally) and put together CD’s, an email signup book, Generate Kindness stickers and my guitar. Since life’s been so hectic and fast-paced lately, I’d not created any kind of marketing stuff. So I did the simplest 1sheet in Word ever, put it in a plastic sleeve and hit the road (for all of a block).

As I got ready, I was getting more and more nervous. I’ve never sung on the street before, and I was worried that the cops would shuffle me away. Actually, I didn’t care about that. I WAS worried that they’d fine me. I already owe the city plenty for parking tickets.

I could feel myself trying to slip away – to take a nap, or to “do it some other day”. I pressed on, knowing that today was the day, and I was either going to do it or just give up the whole music thing for being a wuss. It’s funny how the unknown can invoke such fear.

Interestingly, that very notion was the subject of a deep, connected/ing conversation I had with a friend who’d stopped by. We both have been in similar places in our lives, and it was really warm and wonderful to share insights and experiences.

Anyway, I stood on the corner of Cole and Haight in kind of a last-minute haze of fear-driven ambivilance. Teetering on turning around for a moment. Of course I knew I really didn’t have any choice. But I’ll say that I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where the “best place” on Haight Street would be that would give me some visibility, some traffic, and some cover from the cops.

I’d walked by the Peace hotel at Belvedere and Haight lots, and love the place not only for it’s prima facie message (“peace, people”) but also it’s meta-message: it’s possible to make a living making peace. Seemed like the place to be.

I walked over to the building NEXT to the Peace Hotel (still wasn’t ready to step up) and started contemplating setting up next to it so I wouldn’t have to go in and talk ot the people at the desk who might well tell me I couldn’t. Though honestly, I can’t think of a more appropriate place on Haight Street to be playing my songs.

Anyway, I decided I was being a big wimp (or more accurately – an inner, football coach-like voice yelled “quit being a pussy, Rhett!”) and I leaned toward the front door of the place and before I knew it I was looking at two young women at the desk. I asked if I could sit outside on the steps and play my guitar for a bit, and they said sure. “As long as you’re good”. I smiled and walked outside, emboldened with a merchant’s blessing to play on Haight street.

I kinda laughed at myself as I nervously set up my plastic-wrapped onesheet, arranged the CD’s, stickers and stuff like that. I started playing “Everyday Superman” and it was the first note that was like cool water on my fiery cheeks. At the end of the second song, a friend I’d met years ago and have had sporatic contact with walked by.

The experience of playing on the sidewalk with a ton of people just walking by was pretty amazing. It was an interesting view of Human Being that one doesn’t normally encounter. All the times I’ve been people watching, it’s been a more or less passive activity. But interacting with people as a street performer is pretty interesting.

It was totally amusing to pass out Generate Kindness stickers, too. At one point I stopped playing and offered stickers to every person that walked by. By now, it was after sunset and the traffic on the sidewalk had reduced considerably. Clusters of people passed every several seconds instead of the earlier steady stream. Some people refused. It was funny –

“Generate Kindness?”

“Harumph!”

I dunno. Guess you had to be there.

I talked to the inkeeper who gave me her schedule and said it would be cool for me to come back, so I’m gonna. Should be good.