Alley Violinist - Robert Lax

if you were an alley violinist

and they threw you money
from three windows

and the first note contained
a nickel and said:
when you play, we dance and
sing, signed
a very poor family

and the second one contained
a dime and said:
i like your playing very much,
signed
a sick old lady

and the last one contained
a dollar and said:
beat it,

would you:
stand there and play?

beat it?

walk away playing your fiddle?



In answering Mr. Lax's question, I would stand there and play all the louder knowing that for every person I make unhappy with my playing, I am making two or more joyful.  Even were I of meager means, the dollar telling me to beat it would come once, and the nickels and dimes of joy might come more often.  Even though the people I please would be of equally meager means as I am, assuming I am a busker by trade, I would feel better knowing I was doing good to some who had little good in their lives.

Either that, or the person who threw a dollar is poor and really hates violin.