Even though I almost cried a few times walking to the train, out of fear/ #NYPDPTSD (yeah, I’m sure that’s a thing) – Lucky me, I actually got to sing the Uptown A C E! And tonight my ‘regulars’ were so sweet. They kept stopping by & without me even asking, dropped bottles of water in my case along with their donations. Major #SubwayLove <3 During the evening I heard the kindest words from one of my ‘regulars’ tonight: “Where’ve you been? Heidi, you’re the best thing about the NYC Subways, it’s been so quiet down here & we’ve missed you!” And finally, though last time I was on the “F” train headed towards Coney Island & tonight on the platform of the Uptown A C E guess who sat down for a few tunes, this time dressed, not ‘beachy’ but all ‘fancy schmanzty’ in this long beautiful yellow sued coat? Cynthia Nixon….again. And again she donated very nicely into my guitar case. What are the odds? Twice in four days in 2 different boroughs… #areyoufollowingmecynthia ?  🙂 

Nicest comment from a ‘fancy’ woman on bench tonight: “I just came from the Opera & you’re so much better. I can feel your voice”

#Subwaylove 

When I got to the Uptown A C E tonight the bench was filled with homeless guys, first one, then two then three gathered to listen … must have been the cold weather pushing them underground. Honestly they are the most appreciative audience, smiling, dancing, singing along & foot stompin’ – all of which quickly turned into a mini church revival when I sang “People Get Ready’ 

Under cover cop was way too obviously patrolling the #7 train that I was busking today so I had to do a whole lotta darting about to keep working. Finally my friendly subway maintenance worker & I came up with a code system that would alert me when one of the 3 under covers on that line was snooping about – code word ‘UNICORN’  #stealthbusking 

Favourite face of the night: I noticed him with his cup in hand about half way through my tune. His eye’s were so sparkly & calm when I smiled at him. It was as if he was nodding with his eyelids. After my tune I walked the car & went up to him & said: “Where’s your cup?” He pulled it out from beneath his coat where he’d stashed it & I dumped the money I’d made into it. His eye’s smiled again.  #ChristmasEveUnderNY

I wish I had a million dollars so I could, instead of passing the hat for tips while busking at Xmas, I could pass the hat & hand out $100 bills. How amazingly fun would that be? ‪#‎BuskersDream‬

There’s this violin player on the 7 who is always happy & always cheerily fiddlin’ away despite his accompanying sign that pleads for help for his wife who, apparently needs a liver transplant & has for a very long time… He’s there every afternoon as I hop on & off the 7 train while busking. Today he motioned me over as he was counting bills, big bills, $20’s $50’s etc & in English/Italian said; “You know how much I make?”
“Ummm, no” I said
“$300-$500 in 2-3 hours”
“omg!!!” I exclaimed wondering if the sick wife thing was real or merely the ‘lucrative part of the act’ at which point he grabbed my hands and flipped them both over saying; “No ring?”
“Oh no, no, no, no…” I heard myself repeat many times (another story) Then he looked straight at me & pointed to himself & to me & back to himself again & asked: “You? Me? Italia? Marry?”
Well that mystery got solved super fast! And I’ve obviously been workin’ this Subway thing totally wrong  #humanpsychology101

Busking fixes well…almost everything 🙂