PESO 2019 - 089 - GDG

This young man was playing music in the parking lot of the shopping =
center as I arrived at the bicycle shop the other day. The music was =
haunting and beautiful, I stood entranced by his playing for several =
minutes and fished a few dollars out of my wallet. Several other folks =
as I stood there walked up, thanked him, and put money into the jar he =
had at his feet. On the jar was a photo of him with his young wife and =
child, with a very small note that said, "Thank you for helping. We lost =
our home in a fire."=20

  https://flic.kr/p/2gESvpw

As I walked up to put my money into his jar, one of the shop clerks =
across the way strode out and upbraided him for "... annoying people =
with that music! I'm not saying the music is bad, but not everyone is =
going to like it. You're going to cost me business!" He was being quite =
the butthole. The young man said, "I'm sorry, I meant no harm." A half =
dozen people on the sidewalk shouted, "Leave him alone!" It was =
horrible.=20

After the idiot clerk retreated back into the store, I walked up to =
young man and thanked him for his music, "You play beautifully, your =
music is wonderful. All these people love it. Don't let the fools get =
you down." He had a tear in his eye and gave me this quiet little smile =
and the peace sign. I asked if he minded I take a photo, and he nodded. =
I crossed the street to go into a store ... when I looked back, he'd =
left.=20

A few minutes later, in the store that the clerk came out of, I saw the =
clerk standing there talking to his colleagues (and presumably he was =
their manager). "=E2=80=A6 You just have to put a stop to such people, =
they ruin the business if you let them have their way..."=20

I walked up to the group and addressed him. "Sir, I have a complaint."=20=


"About what?" he said in his best smarmy manager voice.

"About the awful music you play in this store. It sounds like I'm =
standing in an smelly elevator. There was some beautiful music as I =
approached the store, I thought it was coming from the speakers in =
here=E2=80=94it's why I came in here!=E2=80=94but I guess not," I said =
back.=20

I turned with my purchase and left. I saw his colleagues snickering as I =
walked away: he stood there open-mouthed and looking foolish.

Enjoy!

G
=E2=80=94
No matter where you go, there you are.