Calling the Tune

My second attempt this week at catching a man in a kilt. You have to admit I'm doing my bit to provide plenty of cultural stereotypes.

Gordon had finished playing his pipes for the crowd, and was keen to chat. He told me about the informal system of allocating pitches and time slots between the various street entertainers. It sounds as if it's mostly good natured, but there's also a core of hardmen who guard their territory, and aren't averse to resorting to the threat of violence to protect their economic power.

I felt quite chuffed that he'd shared his stories with me. Until one of the other street musicians burst my bubble by saying, "See that Gordon? He'll talk to anybody."

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