Who's on First?

This picture has nothing at all to do with this post. I just loved her very yellow hair.

Every artist on the line as well as all Market Security staff, busker and I'm sure anyone that looks like a Seattleite gets THE market question. Sometimes in a hushed reverent tone. "Where is the first Starbucks?"  The question is asked many times each and every day.  A visitor suggested once that I should put up a sign  directing people to the most holy coffee site.  "No", I said.  "I prefer it this way."

The way that it played out a few days ago was quite unique for me and went something like this:

"Where's the first Starbucks?" - Right over there. (pointing across the street).

"I'm meeting someone at the one on 1st Avenue" - Then go to the end of the market and you'll see it on the corner of 1st and Pike.

"Pike. Pike Place?" - No Pike Street.

"But is that the first one?" - No. The first one is across the street.

"Now I'm not sure if they wanted me to meet them at the first one or the one on 1st". - uh huh.

"You know, I'm really just looking for a good cup of coffee.  Where's that first one again?" - Well.  The first Starbucks is across the street and the good cup of coffee is at Local Color over on that corner.

 

Has Anybody Seen My Old Friend Abraham

 My office. The view from under my sunflower umbrella.

I think that most of us have a soundtrack that plays in the back of our minds as we go through our day.  While at the market I find that quite often the soundtrack is the noise and chaos of the market itself.   Setting up on the sidewalk puts me in close contact with the street.  Cars, trucks, ambulances, fire trucks, dogs whining and barking, babies crying,  homeless men hawking newspapers shouting out "Real Change to help the homeless".  You hear the firetrucks from at least 5 blocks away, the siren getting louder and louder then they start blowing the horn.  It makes your head hurt.  I've gotten so that I don't even lift my eyes to watch it as it careens through the intersection.  Never slowing, it races through with people jumping out of the way grabbing children, pets and parcels as they go flying in it's wake.

Or we have the dreaded SongWorm.  You know the one.  "Oh I wish I was an Oscar Mayer Wiener".  The Urban Dictionary cites Beyonce's "to the left, to the left, everything you own in a box to the left".  You get my drift.

So, while setting up my booth the other day and the song "Abraham, Martin and John" popped into my head I was pleasantly surprised.  Now it was just a matter of trying to remember all of the words.  Interruptions to my thoughts, well, they are ongoing.  I'm at the market to sell my art and make money.  But sometimes I just can't wait to get back to what I was thinking.  Like dreams that we're woken from and we can't wait to get back to hoping to pick up where we left off.

Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham?  Can you tell me where he's gone?

"Where's Ivan's?" - you must mean Ivar's. "No. Ivan's.  It used to be up here next to Peet's Coffee". - sure.  Well, Ivar's is on the waterfront.  Peet's Coffee or Ivan's?  I dunno.

He freed a lot of people but it seems the good they die young.  You know, I just looked around and he's gone.

"Where are all of your Christian pieces?" - well, over here we have a Byzantine Orthodox design of the cross.  "I'm a Catholic. I know all there is about the cross." - alright then. We're selling this one for $25.  "Listen honey. I've been married for 50 years and I don't have room for anything more". - ok then.

Has anybody here seen my old friend John? Can you tell me where he's gone.  He freed a lot of people but the good they seem to die young.  I just looked around and he's gone.

"Is that your bike?" Referring to the snazzy Harley parked butt up against my booth display. - yup. That's my sweet ride. (not!)

Anybody here seen my old friend Martin? Can you tell me where he's gone.  He freed a lot of people but the good they seem to die young.  I just looked around and he's gone.

Husband "Geez these are beautiful!"  Wife "Where would you put it? If you get something you need to know where you're going to put it".  - come on man. you can do it.  They walk away down the sidewalk.  Girlfriends, wives, husbands, sisters - can all be such downers when it comes to making a sale.

Didn't you love the things they stood for?  Didn't they try to find some good for you and me? And we'll be free..

"I'll take 2 of your Hamsas.  Here's the cash" - I do so love the 'walk up and buyers'.

Someday soon and it's gonna be some day.....