The Conjurer

PROLOGUE TO MAY 15, 2010:

I knew it was going to be one of those days when the shop owner TOLD me to move from in front of his store and I sensed attitude from him and I felt mine rising up in me when I said no. He said he was going to call the cops and I told him to go ahead. I played for 2 hours there, no cops. Unfortunately it ended up that I would see a lot more cops than I had thought I would later in the evening....and all around me.

MAY 15, 2010:

So glad to be on the street instead of the cafe! First incident: Homeless family on the corner got involved with a personality-challenged drunk person who smashed his wine cooler bottle in the street. 3 bicycled cops responded. The guy was right in front of me when they showed up. At first they approached the guy I was having a friendly conversation with and told him to "step away from me" as they wanted to talk to him. Then they realized he was NOT the person, and went for the person who had started yelling to the trees. They penned him off with their bikes and questioned him extensively and he was quite animated, going from bowing and bestowing prayers on them to questioning their authority, and then bowing some more. He really had to put on a show, complete with Nazi salutes. He was dangerously insane. They asked him to put his stuff back in his backpack. When he finally picked up the last piece, a candle, and then decided to chuck it into the street, that was the last straw. I knew it was trouble when ALL put on their rubber gloves. He did not "go gentle into that good night."

Homeless family later came over and apologized, as it cut considerably into my playing time and they felt responsible. No harm no foul I told them, but thanked them for their concern. Apparently homeless father got into it and had to grab homeless girl child as homeless pit bull puppy was useless in dealing with crazed personality/mentally challenged drunk person.

Second instance involved a car with 2 suspects, 6 bicycle cops, 1 motorcycle cop, 2 mounted horseman and eventually a paddy wagon. Again, this happened in front of where I was playing. Bicycle cops had hand on guns and immediately took the passenger and driver to the ground and cuffed them. Stripped the car right there on the street. Again, all of this right in front of me.

Polka anyone?