Keith in Laguna Beach -- Tuesday, 25Aug2015

I got to The Corner at 6 o'clock to be (almost) sure to beat the Tommies, and did. I texted Warren to tell him he could come by and join me after work, but he decided he needed to stay home and practice because he and Jim have a gig at the Sawdust Festival on Thursday. So I played from 6 to 10 by myself again.

Now that school has started around here, the only traffic out is childless locals, families with young children, and foreigners. I had people from each category, but only enough to make a good night, not a great one.

Early on, a middle-aged guy came and sat on the bench eating some ice cream. He listened to two or three songs, nodding appreciatively at the end of each (he couldn't clap 'cuz his hands were full -- a common problem, playing in front of the ice cream store). After a few more, he said, "I'm gonna go home and burn my guitar..."

A few more after that (he was waiting for his companions), he finally succumbed and dug through his pockets for enough paper money and change to buy a CD.

When his three lady friends showed up, they were impressed as well, and requested another dozen songs before having to leave.

A young couple came up wet from the beach and stopped to hear some songs. She requested a few in her cute British accent, so I asked where they were from: London, and Canada. I wonder how that happened...

A family came by with two little girls in strollers. They looked too young to decide, so I handed the Kids' List to the mom, but she gave it right to the older sister. I was expecting some strife, but she leaned right over to show it to her little sister, and they calmly discussed which song they'd request. "How about this Ariel song?" "Well, what about this one?" I was surprised and charmed.