whinny-cluck-howl

People singing on the Subway is a very common occurrence. I’ve heard a mariachi style person or group about six times so far. I’ve seen a few different guys that can sing with a lot of soul, pretty good. Then there is the annoying “comedian” that has been on my car on a couple of occasions. Oh, and there is the magician dude who freaked out this kid and then scared a lady with one of those bird-out-of-a-hat trick. She seriously jumped out of her seat and screamed. It was hilarious.

All of those pale in comparison to the oddness of what I saw yesterday. Actually, “endured” would be a more appropriate description of what I did in this mans presence. I was trying to read my book, actually a book I was loaned, when this guy started his “performance.”

He was on the other end of the car when I first heard him. He was “talking to” the group of people on that end, asking for money, shaking his money cup. Now, if you’ve never seen one of these guys, the money cup is what they collect change in. Usually there is a rattle in the cup from what they have collected so far if they are somewhat decent at whatever performance they do. This cup had no rattle.

Anyway, he started “singing.” (I am using quotes around his actions because there are no verbs in my vocabulary to adequately describe what he was doing). He was off any key, and he was speaking in tongues without and interpreter (OK, it was Spanishish and Englishish and Gibberishish). But mixed in with his “words” were “animal” sounds. The “animal” sounds sounded like what would be produced if you were able to breed a chicken with a horse-howler monkey. Yeah it sounded like that. If you think that is creepy, imagine him doing it while looking at you. (he looked kinda like the old witch in Snow White, just less hunched-back). How would you like her looking at you and letting loose with one of those whinny-cluck-howls?

I wish I had recorded it like I think one guy on the train was.