We were seated upstairs at a restaurant when a street performer started singing below us. He was singing James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” and he was quite good. Soon, three little girls gathered around him and started humming along and dancing around him. Those girls’ parents were selling things nearby. Some tourists stopped to take photos and videos, some stopped to listen, but very few tipped. One lady tipped him and the three young backup singers too. We ordered a pizza for takeaway, and I was going to deliver it to them along with a tip.

Suddenly, a woman from one of the stores went over and scolded the singer. The children fell silent. After she left, the guy got really emotional. It was heartbreaking to see him like that. After he composed himself (pun not intended this time), he started singing again. Soon, a policeman on a bicycle came and chased him away. The little girls helped him move, and he was still within earshot. When the pizza finally arrived, we couldn’t hear him anymore. I went down looking for him along the riverfront, but he was gone. The little girls had returned to their mothers.

Please don’t be that woman; the young man was just trying to make a living. She was probably the one who called the police. Also, please support street musicians and performers whenever possible, especially if you enjoy their performance. They’re legitimately trying to make a living.