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TristanBuckley New user 45 Posts |
The other day I got a pop quiz.
A friend of mine (hereafter, Bob) invited me to go to the premier of "Get him to the Greek." I don't have a car, so I caught a ride with Bob and his friend (Steve). Steve was driving. It wasn't long after the car started moving that this exchange occurred: Bob: Man, my buzz is wearing off. Steve: Nah, mine's still on. Reminder: Steve is behind the wheel. It gets worse. Steve asks me if I mind whether he smokes weed. I don't really have a problem with weed, but I don't want to be in a car where the driver (or anyone else) is smoking it, and to make matters worse, he runs over one of those barriers that are designed to bend if someone hits them, so he's drawing attention to his driving with marijuana in the car. Then we get on the highway. Steve is in a rush and irritated, and he turns on really loud, angry music. I love metal, but that doesn't seem like the best idea to me. Then he speeds. He pushes 90 mph and TEXTS. I am now in a far worse situation than if the driver were simply drunk out of his mind. When we get to the theater, it turns out they overbooked tickets, and we're too late. I'm not getting in that car again, because I love life. So I say "while I'm here, I'm gonna go walk the mall. I'll take the bus back. You guys go ahead." They let me go without a fuss. This is what I would have done any time, but the problem was I didn't have bus fare. All I had was a deck of cards, a sharpie, and a hat. I walked into Barnes and Noble with the intent of doing some card magic for Café patrons. I made the mistake of asking permission. I explained my situation, and the manager said, "I'm sorry, I can't let you do that." She seemed like the uptight type to me, but oh, well, first impressions. So I nicked a napkin and went over to the mall. I walked around the mostly desolate mall for a while, not finding anyone who seemed approachable, but eventually, I did strike on some luck. I found two guys looking at a hurricane machine. Basically, you put in two bucks, get in, and it blows you (with wind. Behave.). I figured "hey, they've probably got at least two bucks. I just need a dollar fifty." So I took out my cards and struck up a conversation. I explained what the machine does, and told them it was kind of a waste of money. Then I got into my act. "hey, you got a minute? I've got this card trick. Here, you know the drill, pick a card." I did an ambitious card, Dai Vernon's twisting the aces, a sponge ball routine with the balled-up napkin I'd nicked from Barnes and Noble, and a one-coin routine using a borrowed quarter and my sharpie as a wand. Then I delivered my hat lines and made a buck fifty. I felt like it went really well. They laughed quite a few times, and I felt like I really connected with my audience. So I went to the bus stop and headed back to campus. It turns out bus fare was only $1.25, so I came out 25¢ ahead. Far more important to me, though, was the confidence I gained from this experience. I felt like a real busker. I went in with a deck of cards and came out with a deck of cards, bus fare, and a good story. |
HerbLarry Special user Poof! 731 Posts |
Good decisions all around, on your part that is.
You know why don't act naive.
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RiffRaff Special user 671 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-04-23 17:42, TristanBuckley wrote: You can't busk in 'desolate' areas. The last time you were on here I recomended that you try the HUB. I've been there many times and it's always filled with students. Did you take my suggestion? |
TristanBuckley New user 45 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-04-23 19:09, RiffRaff wrote: Not easily, but I was stuck. It was easily the crappiest pitch I've ever worked, or probably ever will. The point was to get out of that area. I managed it, though, so it seems as though it's possible. The HUB actually doesn't seem like a good pitch to me. I don't know why. The concept of working there for tips unnerves me. Besides, it's almost entirely frequented by students, who are almost universally broke. There are a few relatively good spots downtown. I've become friendly with a couple of shopkeepers, and traffic is made up of both students and non-students. The better tips always come from the latter. |
Chance Inner circle 1385 Posts |
Busking or not, you went into a losing situation and came out a winner. Good for you.
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-04-23 17:42, TristanBuckley wrote: There have been days where I've made less, so good on ya!
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-04-23 19:26, TristanBuckley wrote: Students are universally known to be broke, but they're also more likely than most to be willing to throw down a buck to be entertained. (Also, they're used to being told what to do, so "training the audience" to tip you probably isn't as hard as you might think...)
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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The Great Zoobini Elite user Boulder, Colorado 443 Posts |
I was about to leave for europe once when I got into a similar car...only this guy was screaming down the interstate weaving in and out of traffic. I didn't think I was going to make it. Congratz on still being alive.
Meet you in Busker Alley
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okamis New user 22 Posts |
Hello
Im just asking out of curiosity, and I don't know if it's rude to ask but what was your hat line? |
troppobob Veteran user Crescent Head Australia 372 Posts |
G'day Tristan
Great story - and a positive outcome - good on you for having a go - and I am sure the learning will be good for you. Bob Latta (aka Troppo Bob) |
gallagher Inner circle 1168 Posts |
Just goes to prove: threaten enough people with Card Tricks, and they´ll PAY you to leave!
(Insider Tip: Next time take out a handfull of long skinny balloons,... they´ll pay you TWICE as much,.. twice as FAST,... to leave.) ,...what was the name of that town again? having fun,... and wishing y´all the same, gallagher. |
TristanBuckley New user 45 Posts |
Quote:
Im just asking out of curiosity, and I don't know if it's rude to ask but what was your hat line? In this case, my hat lines were quite apologetic. I realized it was a meager show, so my normal line alone ("if you liked the show, a dollar or two in the hat would be very much appreciated," usually. I've been experimenting with different ones.) would have been a little too confident, I think. So I believe my line went along the lines of "okay, here's the not-so-fun part of the show, where I ask for money. And I hate to do this after such a little show. Normally I've got this table, I pull a rabbit out of a hat, just classic stuff. Truth is, I got up here with a friend of a friend who turned out to be a maniac on the road. I wasn't getting back in that car because I like living, so I decided I'd come in here and do some magic to make bus fare back to campus. So, 'if you liked the show, a dollar or two in the hat would be very much appreciated'." I also tried to give them the idea the hat was coming during the middle of the act. When I borrowed a quarter for my coin routine, I pointed to the guy's wallet and said (in a playful tone) "keep your eye on that, you'll need it later!" Just to get that in the back of their minds that I wanted tips so they could mull it over and it wouldn't be a surprise when I got to it. Quote:
(Insider Tip: Next time take out a handfull of long skinny balloons,... they´ll pay you TWICE as much,.. twice as FAST,... to leave.) HAHAHA!!! I'm sure that'd work fantastically. Anyway, it was all in State College, PA. I was trying to get back to campus from the mall. |
okamis New user 22 Posts |
Thanks for helping my curiosity ^^
Interesting story I hope I will have something to share after summer |
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