a blue grey man wondered

I sat here this morning listening to the Canadian guy play his banjo. The place was full. Most people standing. Nodding time. Enjoying the smell and the damper and the tea and the plinky sounds. A blue grey man wandered in through the pines and the crowd standing about, begging pardon of two men he settled on a bench in between them facing my way.

I breathed in deeply. Letting the breezey atmosphere down into the still bits inside me.

The Canadian guy forgotten for a moment I played with my camera on my lap. Editing photos from the morning, planning shots for later in the day. I looked up and decided to shoot the Canadian, his banjo and then swung round to include the crowd. The blue grey man was watching me as I'd hoped he might be. He dropped his gaze into his tea. I smiled. My heart lifted its hooded eyes and peaked around the table.





I lowered my camera and returned my gaze back to the entertainment. Aware now I saw the blue grey man's gaze was on me again. My heart shook itself awake in the warmth of the autumn sun. I followed its gaze up in his direction and he looked away. I smiled inside myself again and turned back to the Canadian guy and his banjo.

I'd been introduced to the blue grey man a few days before. He'd been talking guitars with my host and we got talking and as I watched him talk he became beautiful. I snuck into his gig last night, half way through the first song. He has a voice like water. I gathered my courage and looked up quickly and caught his eye, he blinked and stared, so I waved a little. He waved back and we nodded a small hello. My heart stretched and thumped its tail on the walls. I inhaled a lungful of banjo and love songs and woodsmoke. The Canadian guy got my attention again by saying thank you for listening and reminding the audience of the time and place of his next gig.

I rose with the crowd and lined up for a cup of tea. The blue grey man rose too and made his way out, stopping to greet friends here and there. I turned my attention to the boiling billy and the sugar. As I returned to my roo skin seat with my green plastic mug a leggy woman with curly black hair made her way to his side.

My heart yawned and stretched. Turned three times to the left on its blanket and plonked back down to sleep.