Ok  – so immediately after ‘the incident’ I got myself ‘booked’ for the exact same spot where I’d previously created such a racket or as the ticket stated – “Unreasonable Noise”. MUNY kindly agreed to give me a permit for the same spot. Somehow, I just needed to go back and be ‘legal’ or at least attempt to redeem myself in the sapce.

59th Street, Columbus Circle here I come! I thought to myself as I trudged up and down the four to five flights of stairs it takes to get to the Uptown 1 Platform.

I smiled inside as I saw the expansive ‘stage area’ and all the light and crowds of people. I’m kinda liking this spot as much as the ACE Uptown, Times Square and since the “Officer Halitosis” incident there I think the Uptown 1 may be fast becoming my new ‘favorite’ spot.

I undid the bungees on  my cart, releasing my guitar from the back of the cart. As it fell with gravity into my hands I swung it onto the floor and grabbed the zipper to unzip the large, black guitar case.

“You’re packing up right?” A voice came from my right. I looked up and there was a cop who had just hopped off the Uptown 1 and was staring down at me.

“Nope!” I said, beaming, “I’m just setting up!” I can’t tell you the pleasure it gave me to be in the exact same spot as I’d been hauled in from and have a cop try to ‘evict’ me before I’d even struck a chord. The pleasure came from what happened next.

“Do you have a permit?”

“Yup!” I again gleefully responded, having gone over this exact scene in my head so many times since Saturday that it almost appeared as if the cop and I had rehearsed together prior to this moment. I pulled out the permit and handed it to the cop as I went about the business of setting up, acting on the assumption all was good, and there was no doubt I should be there at that time, in that spot on this day.

“Have a very nice day” the cop said as he handed back the paper after perusing it.

Yes! I grinned as I continued to unpack. Whatever happens from here on out today is just gravy.

I set up and tested my guitar amp and mic in the space. It’s a large space so I often have to fiddle with the levels a bunch to get it just right at Columbus Circle. It’s always worth it though.

I began in and immediately sold a CD and Book together from one of my Twitter followers who had found me and gotten her promised “10%” off by mentioning the Tweet I’d posted. Smart girl.

I played and sang and the case filled up. Teenagers stopped by and danced and individuals collected my business cards.

About an hour and a half into my gig Annette passed by. I’d not seen her in ages and her smiling face was one of the best surprises I could have received – well second only to my little permit ‘scene’ work with the cop of course.

We chatted, she beamed over the book, and was only mildly disappointed when she realized there were no photos of her inside.

“Awe, there aren’t any photos of any musicians in the book, Annette. You’ll see when you get your copy. So hey, where have you been playing?”

“Awe, you know me girl, my favourite spot, the ACE at 8th Avenue.”

“Wow and they don’t bother you there?”

“girl, I been doin’ this so long there are cops that come by and just either move me on, or give me some lip like; ‘Didn’t I tell you to move yesterday. every time I move you you just come on back.’ – Yeah, girl, they move me, but you know I come straight on back.”

“Really? I got ticketed here just a few days ago.