Child Labor

This past Saturday, Eric and the kids and I were walking around downtown Stone Harbor after dinner. We decided to get ice cream, and as we walked across the street to the ice cream parlor, we saw some street musicians sitting on a bench playing guitars and singing. It was two guys, both with guitars, and they were playing Jason Mraz type songs. They had an open guitar case on the ground in front of them, filled with coins and dollars.

Colson was mesmerized. We decided to go in and get our ice cream, then come back out to sit on the benches in front of the street performers and listen for awhile.

After we sat down and had been listening to the guys for about 5 minutes, Colson called me over. I sat next to him and he whispered in my ear.

"Mom, when we get back home, can we put our piano in the back of Dad's truck, and drive it up into town in East Greenville? And then Dad can put it on the sidewalk and I can play music and get money? When we do it, I want to play all day, and I can put a bucket on the ground in front of me."

I whispered back that considering our piano is a baby grand, that might not work. I told him if he had a keyboard he could do it. He was satisfied and went back to listening. We sat there for a good 30 minutes. I told the guys that my son wanted to become a street musician when we got home, thanks to them. Colson asked me for money to give to them, and then we left.

Driving home the next night, Colson was discussing what songs he would play when he did his street musician gig. He said to Ava, "I know Faith of our Fathers by memory, but it's not long enough..." I told him he could play it twice, or play it really slowly. He wasn't so sure. He said he thought he needed to learn a lot more songs really quickly, and some longer ones, so he could play all day and make a lot of money.

I don't know whether to be excited that Colson wants to work to earn money, or depressed about his wanting to be a musician.

I need to find some street open heart surgery performers real fast.....