TIM PLAYS IN TAMPICO

A side trip by Tim, written by Tim Zahniser

I’ve played my accordion on the streets of many places, so I couldn’t resist

the opportunity to play in this major metropolis (this would classify me as

an “international street musician!”) So out I went to the car, to fetch the

“Countess” as I call her, a Lux Fisa 11/5 squeeze box, one of my favorite

piano accordions, and the one I brought for this trip. (losing her would be

bad, but if this accordion was destroyed, stolen, or otherwise lost, I would

not be destitute, as I have another accordion (or two) which would fill her

place.

I found a somewhat quiet corner right by our hotel, with a closed shop on

the corner, perfect for a street musician. (The whole local was filled with

busy traffic, with taxi drivers who seem to honk their horns whether they

have a reason to honk or not)

During my very first song, a woman, catty-corner from me, gestured wildly

for me to come over to her corner where she and two friends (family?) were

working a street cart filled with candies and snacks. I trotted over to her

corner, and started playing. I had my beat-up dark green Stetson Fedora to

use for tips, which I tossed down and threw in the few Mexican coins I had.

The woman who had invited me over, promptly picked up my hat and started

assertively soliciting tips for my music. She knew the “look,” when folks

were likely to tip, but needed a little prompting. She would put my hat

back beside me, and tend to her cart with her compadres, but always scooped

it up whenever she saw the “look” in someone who would listen to me for a

moment. The amused look of two cops back at my original spot convinced me I

was not breaking any local ordinances.

The folks in Tampico were friendly. Only a few actually tipped me, but many

others smiled and listened, and many just looked wide-eyed, as a

brightly-dressed Anglo played unfamiliar songs on this street corner. Buses

passed by and stopped, and folks would stare out the windows. My new

friends at the cart would clap heartily after most songs, and Tampicans,

young and old, would listen for a moment or two. I took pleasure in the

fact that no one knew me, or what I was singing, and I would often thank

them in German, or French, and even sang a few songs in German, and Cajun,

just for fun!

After about 80 minutes or so, my patron and her compadres packed up the

snacks, and prepared to leave. I tried to convince my patrona to come over

to my hotel, so I could buy her a drink in the bar, but she refused, giving

an excuse I could not understand. She urged me to come back the following

night, but my travels would not allow that. I thanked her and started

towards my room.

I felt somewhat guilty, for my friend at the cart (she told me her name, but

I still can’t pronounce it!) had garnered most of my tips through her

assertiveness. I didn’t want to just split my tips with her. After a few

yards, I set down my accordion on a doorstep, jogged back to where she was,

and gave her a vintage cigarette lighter I had saved for an “emergency”

(i.e. when I needed a bribe/gift for a “special” occasion. The lighter

dated from the 50’s from the Military Police in Hawaii). She thanked me,

and I ran back to my squeeze box and trudged back to the room, where Dad was

snoring noisily.

Tampico is a wonderful city, and the dwellers therein are as kind as most

everyone else here in Mexico. I’ll play on any corner in this country!

Tim Z. 

Click here for the next Chronicle. 

This page and all pages on this website are Copyright, CASELab, Inc. 1989-1999, 2000, Sr_Ric 2001-2008. See Copyright Details.  All rights reserved.