Convenience Stores

From my point of view

There’s a small shopping centre just up the road from where I’m staying while in college.  I’d been in Limerick for a couple of weeks when I first came across it and, as I was on the way back from busking somewhere else, I just pulled in to have a look at it to see if it looked like it would be a potential busking site.

I called into the butcher shop - butchers usually know everything about everything and I asked if anybody busked there.  They said they’d never seen anybody - just in the city centre.  I asked if they’d mind if I tried playing outside their shop some evening after college and they said they’d be delighted if I did, ‘It’d bring a bit of life to the place’

A few days later, I went there again, with my guitar and, of course my friendly dog.  It was just before six in the evening and on a Wednesday so probably not the busiest day of the week.

At first, I felt a little self conscious about singing where apparently no man had sung before and I noticed several people registering surprise.  The butcher came out with a bone for the dog and a couple of euro for my case and after a while, I felt more comfortable, made the space my own and people responded in a generous way.  I noticed too that some of the donations came from the owners and workers from the shops - there was even an entire chicken breast dropped in front of Clara by the chip shop man.

From their point of view. (spot the dog)

Over a couple more weeks and a couple more busking sessions there, I was even beginning to get my ‘regulars’ and as it was so close to home, it was a real ‘convenience’ spot.  No parking fees and not long walk for the dog who, like Leonard Cohen, now aches in the places were she used to play.

On the Monday before I left for Krakow, I decided to go up for an hour or two and, after I’d been playing for about 40 minutes, a car pulled in and the driver, a fairly elderly man approached me and explained that he was the caretaker for the centre and that he’d been told by the shops that they weren’t happy with having busking there.

I don’t go busking to have arguments and so I folded up my case but did express some surprise and pointed out that most of the shopkeepers had indicated that I was indeed ‘bringing a bit of life to the place’.  He was really apologetic about asking me to leave but did concede - even giving a subtle not in the direction of it - that it was only one shop that had contacted him and that he was just passing it on.

I’ve spoken to several local since who have been shocked though all mentioned that the proprietor of that shop was a difficult individual.  It’s been suggested to me too that I write a letter to all shops and ask if they object and go with the majority.  I may will do this but, for now at least, I’ll let is go.

What do YOU think?  Should I fight or forget it?