davywavy: (Terry reading)
[personal profile] davywavy
As I was wandering through central London the other day, I was surprised to hear the merry tinkling of music from the next street. This isn't normally something out of the ordinary; London is usually crammed with buskers of highly variable abilities, but they usually play something easily portable like a violin, guitar or saxophone. However, this was plainly someone playing the piano - and playing it well, to boot - so being curious I went and investigated.
Wandering round and taking a look I saw, plonked in the middle of the pavement, a brightly painted piano with a cheerful-looking man sat at it playing a jaunty honky-tonk tune. As he played, he smiled brightly at the passers-by and they in their turn smiled back. It was completely charming; just the sort of thing you want to see in the city, and so very unlike the grim-faced insularity which people usually show in these parts. It took me a moment or two to work out what was going on, and then I remembered: the Mayors office has recently bought thirty pianos, given them a quick once-over with a tuning fork and a paintbrush, and released them into the wild on the streets of London so that anyone can stop, sit down, and give the world a bit of a jingle. It's called Street Pianos, predictably enough.
For the reasons outlined above, I think it's an ace idea. If there's one thing I like it's a bit of random cheer, and scientific literature is simply crammed with studies demonstrating how music soothes the fevered brow, calms the savage beast and generally makes the world seem a jollier place to all concerned so I'm all for the London Pianos scheme.

As I stood and watched, an idea came to me and, like most of my ideas, it's brilliant. In a few weeks time the Chap Olympics rolls round again and I really have to go as I have a title to defend. however, it struck me that on the 11th of July London will be full of people rigged out in their finest and I know a number of people in my social circle will probably be amongst them.
So I propose; how about a fully costumed-up descent upon one of the London Pianos on the day of the Olympiad, possibly on the way there? We could have a singsong and a kneesup and generally make the world a better place through the medium of looking damn fine and singing a sprightly number before going on to the park for G&T and cucumber sandwiches.

Anyone interested? It really doesn't matter if you can sing - I can't, I just do it anyway. I was thinking it would be something like this:

Date: 2009-06-25 10:06 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
That song really speaks to me, Jeeves

H

Date: 2009-06-25 10:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
I'm sorry to hear that, sir.

Date: 2009-06-25 10:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
Sounds like it could be cracking fun!
Edited Date: 2009-06-25 10:09 am (UTC)

Date: 2009-06-25 10:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
So you should join in then! Mmm? Mmm?

Date: 2009-06-25 10:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
It would be super spiffing to do so; but I already have two birthdays I'm meant to be attending on that day, alas!

Date: 2009-06-25 10:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
Tsk! Some of us only get one birthday!

Date: 2009-06-25 10:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
It's my dashed schedule; Lately I need at least two months notice before I can be sure I can attend anything.

Date: 2009-06-25 10:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
Oh, look at Mr. popular!

Date: 2009-06-25 10:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
It's so hard these days, barely time to wax my mustache between visiting the Queen and taking the president of Uzbekistan punting...

Date: 2009-06-25 10:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
*Sigh*

I'll jut sit here then. On my own. In the dark. In my underpants.

Date: 2009-06-25 10:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
Reminds me, you should upgrade that webcam to infrared for moments like that.

Date: 2009-06-25 10:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
The terms of my restraining order prevent me from owning a webcam, or being within 50 feet of one.

Date: 2009-06-25 10:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
From that incident with the donkeys, the garlic sauce and the spacehoppers?

Really, your neighbours should learn to be more broadminded...

Date: 2009-06-25 10:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
I've said before, that was three entirely seperate and entirely unrelated incidents. Asking for other offenses to be taken into consideration doesn't mean they all happened at the same time!

Date: 2009-06-25 11:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
It's shocking I tell you and this was after your lawyer had so generously bought the Jury a nice bottle of bubbly each as well.

No gratitude these days!

Date: 2009-06-25 11:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
Alas, my pet barrister is a famous cheapskate and saved the best hooch for himself.

Date: 2009-06-25 01:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com
Ah you get what you pay for, doubly so with those of the legal proffessional.

Least that's I told the policeman.

Date: 2009-06-25 09:18 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
That's what I told him.

D

Date: 2009-06-25 10:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] karohemd.livejournal.com
Why oh why does this always clash with my hometown's festival?

Date: 2009-06-25 10:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
What's your ancestral home compared to tinkling the ivories and getting punched by buxom women in crinolines?

Date: 2009-06-25 10:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] karohemd.livejournal.com
There's also copius amounts of beer.

Date: 2009-06-25 11:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
That does have it's merits!

Date: 2009-06-25 03:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hobbsthepenguin.livejournal.com
I misread that as "Chav Olympics", to start with, and was wondering when you decided to get a pitbull and found the time to stock up on Burbury.

Date: 2009-06-26 12:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] diamondkelt.livejournal.com
Looks damn fun that's for sure. Count me in spirit I suppose!

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