6th of November,'15
Bielefeld, Germany
We'd been sitting on the Baltic Sea,
hoping for,
a couple more kisses, from 'the golden lady of october'.
WHEN she kisses,
she's sweeter then Hersey(!).
When she hisses,.
colder then the dark of the witch's tit.
She was moody,..
One can 'hope' for bread,
and die of hunger,...
we lifted anchor
and headed inland.

In the mid-lands, of Germany presently;
a population shuffle is occuring,...
unlike anything the Buck Brothers could dream of!
800,000 Arabian men,..
18 to 35 years old,...
Nike sport shoes,
Adidas jogging suits,
Plastic golden sunglasses,
Golden plastic neck chains,
Cramped clutched cell-phones,
...with spegetti white cables dangling behind.

When we push our Show into town,...
wwooshhh!
It's like yelling "free beer" at Fort Bragg!

Actually, they're a really respectible, CURIOUS(!), polite Audience!
...but,
they don't understand a work of German, English, French, Italian, or Bostonian.
our German songs,
our American Ragtime,
our Boogie Woogies,....
Our Jokes,..
Humour,...
Monika Tap Dancing,...hmmm,..
bzzzz,..right on by.
After about two and a half songs,...
we have the feeling they're ready to go back home again(!).
,they look pretty dis-illusioned.

Then, our 'Dancing Cane' routine.
Interesting.
They like it,...we think.
But they don't seem to like the fact,
that Monika's fooling them(!).
They snicker,..
look away,..
grumble a bit...
funny.
When "I" manipulate Coins,
(MAN-ipulate)
to start the second Show,..
they love it(!).
Give me nods and winks.
Bottle manipulation also really tickles,..
again,.."I" have to be the 'Manipulator'.

Show wise, we are also finding,
the Germans,
especially the older generations,
are staying out of the townes(!).
As well; when our Shows start,
as the crowds of Refugees gather,..
Germans stay away,...
FAR!
We've found, by singing and dancing three German songs,
as an opener;
we dispurse the Refugees,..
and Germans start gathering(!).
We also are finding,
Germans come, stand, sing,
are laughing louder(!),..
when they become part of the Show;
then before.
We think, they're trying to make a statement.
It's interesting.
,...and,
in all honesty,..
IT'S HARD!

The 'cheap' Café's have up-ed their coffee prices 200%.
Trying to keep "three guys from buying one cup", and sitting all day(!).
Interesting, though,...at noon,...in the late afternoon,..and right before sunset,...
they all vanish!
At first we thought,..."free food" somewhere,...
Nope.
'Dhuhr'. 'Asr'. 'Maghrib'.
They go pray!

Well, there you have it.
Times of agonizing re-appraisal!
Street Performing is a crazy Life!
You constantly struggle to have it ALL under your hat.
You constantly believe,..
you've got it(!),
..or,..
just there abouts...
bing!

Smile,? Laugh,? Worry about it,?
Pack it all in,?
We're going to play the Autumn out.
Let the leaves settle.
Let the snow cover and melt...

{I used to think "Seasoned Performers" were guys,
with lot of experience,..
performed many seasons.
Now, I'm starting to wonder,
if the 'seasoning' hasn't to do with like,..
Salt and Pepper(!),
a tad of Chilli and Garlic,..
and in the end,.
we all get eaten!}

trying to keep smiling(!),
gallagher

p.s.: In hard times, my Mother used to always say,
"In five years, you'll laugh about all of this!"
(,i laugh a lot in Life,)
2020 is going to be a heck of a Year!

Gallagher,
Interesting observations. And amazing utilization of crowd control.
Also, another saying much like your mother's.....
" Tragidy - plus Time - equals Comedy ".
Shooz

I enjoy going along with your journey. What is it about Germany that keeps you coming back?

Part II.
,i'm a bit p*ssed.
i just spent twenty minutes writing,..
and lost everything!
There is an Autumn storm shaking the waggon,
the trees,
..the Internet!

second try.
deep breath.
Patience.

We came back down into central Germany,
because we lost patience with the weather,
in the north.
We had been hoping,
...dreaming(!),
for a golden 'harvest',
through Poland:
Kologrzeg, Slupks, Danzig, Elbing,
over into St. Petersberg.
Mother Nature had other plans,..
we lifted anchor and headed south,..
https://flic.kr/p/zWgzKb
inland.
(the 'Albert Johannes', a beautiful tri-master,..Built in 1924,..
we saw her in Greifswald habour)

With our waggons,
we only drive 30 to 40 kilometers an hour,..
18 to 25 Mph.
,so,..
we don't just pack up and zip down to Sardinen!
We muled two days,
before finding shelter in the mid-lands...


Besides Refugees,
we also found,.
'golden streets'....
https://flic.kr/p/zWgzJu

Peoples(!)...
https://flic.kr/p/zWgzGL

Great seafood(!!)..
https://flic.kr/p/zWgzHs
(Shellfish is in season!)

a breakdown,...but NÖ rain(!),..
sleet, or snow!
(does it qualify?)
https://flic.kr/p/zWgzJQ

,...we plan taking the winter 'off',
sanding and re-varnishing our waggons.
Our workshop in in the north,..
sö,
we're playing the weather out.
Our pain-zone, is 6*+,...C.
We're smiling in 16*C, right now!

,..but,
thousands of refugees(!).
Yesterday, we had huge crowds,..
half of which,
had absolutely NÖ idea what in the world was going on!
Really.
It's hard, when you turn around,
face your audience,..
and two thirds look like they waiting for a bus.
The other third,..
looks like they MISSED the bus!
It's crazy.

At the beginning of the year,
we were learning Polish phrases.
Seven months later,..
"'atamanna lak nharaan seydaan."
....."have a nice day",... in Arabic.

It's amazing, really amazing,
how a large group of 'confused',
can shake your confidence(!).

Anyways,...
onwards and upwards...
smiles and hopes,
gallagher

p.s.: shooz,..welcome to the Sidewalk Shuffle.
I love your name,..
Zelienople,...
111 W Grand Avenue,..
the best whole-grain malt flapjacks I've ever tasted,..
on the other end of the gridle handle,
one of the best story-tellers
I've ever listened to.
Ask for John.
(he was my first rambling pal)
The 'Harmony Utopia Community'...
they gave a young boy dreams,..
despite 'their' dream of celebacy(!).
Slippery Rock University,..the Quad,..
maybe my first pitch.
There's a lot of really fine folks in them flatlands..
The Strand Theater,..
used to have a sweet little fest,.
an open door..
welcome to the Café,..
I hope you stay,.
and share some stories.
,...maybe a tragedy, or two!
smiles.

p.p.s.:
“Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.”
― Mel Brooks

Hey, I like the last write-up and photos!
Gives a better idea of what's going on in your life.