A tribute

Day in and day out, he stood at the same spot. Graffiti and smeared walls, his companions. Yet, his voice sounded divine, echoing in the deep caverns of the subway tunnels. The rush of the city served as an excellent balance to his calm.

Some stopped by, those not too engrossed with themselves at that moment. A smile here, a clap there, that’s all he needed. The smattering of money thrown into his tattered hat didn’t hurt either.

It was Wednesday, a hump day. A tall lady lost in her phone rushed towards the trains. She halted as if stopped by an invisible wall. Mesmerized. The phone converted from a reader to a writer. She sought approval from the man. He nodded imperceptibly, and she started to capture his voice, her urgency forgotten. She waited for the song to complete, a large bill in her hand.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise and gratitude for the unexpected gift. She nodded and resumed her journey. He stared in disbelief into his hat.

The money was enough for him to call in favors to create his own album. It was a hit. His gig at the subway station continued. He hoped his benefactor would appear again so he could thank her.

Months later, he stood at the same spot and sang his songs. The footsteps gave away the owner before he even looked up. There she was, smiling.

He sang the song she had enjoyed, the one which soared above the rest; his breakaway hit.

She beamed and whispered approvingly– “This is off the record.”