A Musical Reunion

8/19/13 Diamine Chocolate Brown ink, 100 lb. paper

Strolling through clean and serene Centennial Lakes Park, which has soft music wired in (yes!) among the trees and gardens, we started hearing live music playing in the distance. Eventually we came upon the source: A young woman playing a violin, and a young man playing a guitar as he sang. Although their instrument cases were open at their feet, they somehow didn’t seem like ordinary buskers. For one thing, they faced each other and seemed to be playing for each other more than to an audience (which was nonexistent before our arrival).

They played several tunes, and at the end of each engaged in delighted conversation with each other. When I finished my sketch, I placed a couple bucks in one of the open cases, and they immediately protested and gave the money back, laughing and embarrassed.

It turned out that they weren’t buskers at all – at least not anymore. Six years ago, Kathleen and RJ busked together on a whim and made 65 Euros in a few hours. They pointed to a photo of themselves back then that was still taped to the inside of the guitar case. A few minutes after the photo had been taken, authorities told them busking without a license was prohibited, and their brief career came to an end. But obviously that wasn’t the end of their friendship.

Reunited for the first time in six years, they were thrilled to be making music again together, and I felt privileged capturing it.