After the random glimpse of spring on Monday, winter set in again... Though I might have been willing to stand outside in the cold, no one wanted to stay and watch. As a result, I had to stay inside for a couple of days.
I used these past few days to clean up the house, practice some magic, and start my construction of a busking table. I bought a restaurant tray jack from a restaurant supply store in town. Went out to Home Depot and got myself a nice slab of wood... and I even got a friend to drill in two metal brackets in which I can set the table in. I still need to figure out how to hold everything together... and I need to figure out how to put everything up on my shoulder so I can transport it around.
Anyway- today.
Today I was restless.
Maybe it was because of my dreams from the previous night. I dreamt of my students. In my sleep, I imagined that I had driven to my school for breakfast duty - out of habit... because I had forgotten that I don't work there anymore - and some of my students attacked me with hugs. I woke up restless. I needed to see them.
So, regardless of whether or not I was allowed to, I decided I would drive to the school and see my former students during their recess time. And after all that, I decided - good weather or bad weather - I was going to go out and busk.
With my decisions made, I dressed up in my busking outfit, hopped into my car, and drove directly to Omni Prep Academy. As soon as I walked in, the familiar cries of young children reached my ears. Those voices... followed by that name of mine - "Ms. Ling! Ms. Ling is back!"
A stampede of children, hugs, and tears followed that cry.
It was... a sweet moment. I said hello to my friends and former colleagues, said goodbye to my kids, and did what I could to ignore the pity of the school's administrators. Unlike those who are still stuck in that school, I am happy. And I am free.
That sense of freedom struck me more today than it ever did since I left that school.
After I drove off from Omni Prep, I went to the University of Memphis campus. Once again, I walked straight to the student center. This time, instead of setting up outside, I walked into the center and performed in the lobby. I got two shows in - approximately one hour in length, making the same amount that I did before - before a man walked up to me and asked me to leave.
As he spoke to me, he brought up that he was a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He said that, since I wasn't a student there, I would not be allowed to come back and perform again, unless a student group hired me to be on campus. He warned me, he said, because he did not want campus police to hold me for trespassing.
He proceeded to give me his card, and he suggested that I come to his friend's show later that night. He also pointed me in the direction of a local magic shop. After talking with a student that I had performed for and getting the contact information for the university's student activities committee, I went straight to that magic shop.
Talked shop with the magician in there for a quite a while.
Left.
Went to a friend's house to borrow a drill. This is for that table I mentioned working on earlier.
Went home to grab some food.
Then out again to watch the magic show Nathan (the guy who stopped me from performing at the U of M campus) introduced me to. This show is called Larry! It's a magic/juggling act. I watched from 8-10pm (it was a pretty great show, with a good mixture of magic, juggling, and comedy), and spoke with Larry afterwards. Had a long conversation with him, Nathan, and Joey (a mentalist who was at the show).
I stayed to watch the midnight improv group.
I didn't get home until 2:15am. All I can say is - wow. Thanks to my job teaching at a charter school, I forgot how much fun life can be. I also made some great contacts tonight, and I got some suggestions on where and how I can busk. The biggest upset, though, is that I won't be able to perform at University of Memphis anymore.
I don't know.
The ask forgiveness, not permission, mantra seems to work great for me. The guy who asked me to leave is a magician who doesn't actually have the authority to kick me off campus... but his warnings about the police holding me for trespassing are scary. I don't know..
That pitch was so... perfect. I could perform outside on nice days, inside on bad days, and... there are always people there wandering around. I'll try and fight to stay there. In the meantime, I guess I'll look into performing downtown or somewhere else.
All in all, I had a wonderful day. I may be joining the IBM soon. Not sure... but I will see if I can keep on working as a busker. I'm not going to give up on that just yet.
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