This might be a little off the charts, for sure, but considering that Niagara Falls is such an international destination, I'd like to input some output here. When I'm on a long distance bike-hike around the Niagara Peninsula, I like to make it to Niagara Falls first, and decide to head left or right along the river from there. It's always a challenging and an enchanting destination, considering how I like to river-walk across the top of the Falls.
Another one of the most enjoyable aspects of my passing through is going by the new casino. All summer I've seen an elderly gentleman sitting on the sidewalk in front of the first storefront beside it, with a one-stringed instrument. I like to walk past him, nodding as he nods back, and sit across the casino roadway, listening to him in front of me, and catching a nice echo too. I always leave a toonie in his case, some serious hydration money. A couple of times, talking to people waiting to cross, I talk about him, getting others to listen and drop big tips. You know gamblers, using money any way they can, even to impress people on the street, especially if their girlfriend is with them. This gentle player noticed. Now we say hello.
He sits there, staring ahead, looking down at the gourd, playing his one string. It sounds plaintive at first, slow notes, drawn out notes, bowing and plucking, until he looks up, and his hands soar, moving up and down, the bow flying, and I think I'm hearing Paganini on violin, incredible and moving, a real treat. I wait until it starts to get quiet, as he starts to rest, and then I get up to go over and make my donation. One overcast day, all alone after hearing comments and a request from a very boisterous group of men and women I conducted his way, talking about how I tip him and how good he is, I asked him if he knew the song those guys were talking about. He said no, so I sang some, and he could hear the reference, smiling. And then I continued singing, trying to imitate him. We both got laughing when I cacked out. Yeah, the only time I've ever cacked out in public. And that's not counting the one time I fell asleep onstage, standing up playing guitar in a band, waking up before the song was over. I wouldn't have known if others hadn't told me. I know my mother could knit while she snoozed. Yeah, she snoozed but she didn't lose.