Getting by on handouts [Open]

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

It seemed weird to think about it, but ever since arriving on the Meatship, Will hadn't really spent any time just...working. He'd taken the time to walk around, he'd met people, given some good advice (and lots of bad), tried to do well by people, but he hadn't taken the time to do what he did best; relax.

It was odd that even with the threat of dreams looming over them all, people were still...functioning; their worlds were dead, they were being driven into a war, and they had next to nothing, but they kept going. They weren't in the best moods, their tension had all gone through the roof, but they were surviving. And it was time for him to do his big as well.

He found a nice spot in the middle of the city park and sat down with his back against a large fountain with his guitar across his legs. He'd played a little, but not enough. This was who he was more than his powers. He may have been told he had a destiny in the celestial war, and he'd also been told he was to fight for all the multiverse against...whatever they were, but this was his real calling; busking.

It was a quick few minutes tuning up Ria, his old sixstring, before he set his hat down in front of him (habit more than anything, that) and began to pluck out a tune he'd known for years and always found appealing. After a minute or two to warm up, he began to sing a bit as well, lost in his own little world.

"Travailler c'est trop dur
et voler c'est pas beau
d'mander la charité
c'est qu'que chose j'peux pas faire
chaque jour que moi je vis
on m' demande de quoi je vis
j' dis que j' vis sur l'amour
et j'espère de viv' vieux.

Work's too bloody hard,
stealing isn't pretty.
Getting by on handouts
means getting by on pity.
Every day of my life
someone asks how I'll get by,
I say I'll live on love
and I hope to never die.

I’ll pick up this old box
run my fingers down the row.
I’ll play a tune or two
let the dancers come and go.
For this life’s too sweet and short
to leave it sad my friend
There’s no time for tears and sorrow,
let’s go dancing to our end.

Work's too bloody hard,
stealing isn't pretty.
Getting by on handouts
means getting by on pity.
Every day of my life
someone asks how I'll get by,
I say I'll live on love
and I hope to never die.

If I end up playing gigs
every night and every day,
any pub or any club
that will let me sing away.
I might think to myself
is this what i want to do
but I think I know the answer
when I sing and I look at you.

Work's too bloody hard,
stealing isn't pretty.
Getting by on handouts
means getting by on pity.
Every day of my life
someone asks how I'll get by,
I say I'll live on love
and I hope to never die."


He stopped playing after the song and took a long sigh. He smiled, his mind back where it belonged, and began to play again.

Comments

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

Blin smiled at the woman. "I've got no problems sharin' with an appreciative audience. Beats playing fer police any day."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

"S'posin' it does," Kaylee laughed, all agreement. "One thing you gotta worry 'bout a bit less here, thankfully."

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

"Aye. Although, to tell ye the truth, I'd rather be worryin' about cops haulin' me off fer solicitin' in a park than be here with everything we've got ahead of us. All sign point te this bein' a long road, and not a very friendly one at that."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

"Got what we got." Not that she didn't mind Stacy all that much now, but the ship was uncomfortable at times, and she missed home something terrible. Still kept smiling, though. "Just gotta make the best of it, s'all. How long you been playin'?"

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

"Honestly? I don't remember a point when I wasn't playin', so it's been at least ten years now. Everything before that's a wee bit fuzzy. Probably been playin' since I was a kid, seein' as I don't remember learnin'." He shrugged. "Like ye said, we work with what we've got."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

"You got a natural tick for it." The complete and honest truth. It was nice, just sitting down to listen. "And if you've been goin' at it that long, it's no wonder. I could listen to it all day, really."

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

"Well, normally, I'd charge for that/ Gotta make a living, after all. But, seein' as this ship takes care of our bsic needs, and I'm not one for extravagance, I'll consider it payment fer that lovely hullabaloo ye started earlier. Nicest party I've been to in a good while."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

"Wouldn't blame ya at all if ya did, under normal circumstances." That was one thing Kaylee had to say for Stacy. No currency to worry over. "And I can't take all the credit for that, no matter how much I'd like to, since half of it was Claudia. But it's nice to hear that we did somebody some good with it."

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

"Aye, it was a nice little break. Break from what, I couldn't tell ye; I haven't exactly been productive, as ye can see. But a break it was. I did meet Claudia there, actually. Something about batgirl," he shook his head. "I can't say as I recall much more than that. I was drinking, ye see."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

Productive or not, Kaylee and Claudia had organized the whole thing to help relieve some of the pressure this Nightmare King business had been putting on folks. She wasn't about to bring that up in such a pleasant conversation, though. "Yeah, not so sure I understand the Batgirl part myself, and I hardly had anythin' to drink. Different people, different places. It's an interestin' mash of cultures, that's for sure."

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I know who Batgirl is. Old television show back on Earth. What that had to do with anything, I couldn't really tell ye; can't say as I watched the show. Can't say as I watched much of anything. I'm more a listener than a watcher, after all." He tapped his blackout glasses as he said it. If you couldn't pole fun at your own handicaps, what right did you have to poke fun at others?

"Having all these cultures here.. it makes for a nice melting pot. Reminds me of New York, actually. I did a stint there what I was wee; every other street seemed to have a whole different nationality. Spectacular learning experience, that."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

"Well, even if it's only the sound of it, you're one step ahead of me on knowin' it." It made Kaylee a little happier, too, that he could get on without feeling sorry for himself. There were too many folks in the 'Verse who did enough of that for everyone.

More Earth-That-Was business, but Kaylee didn't mind. It was nice to hear about the different places, the different people. "Bet it must'a been somethin'. Some of these places I keep hearin' 'bout seem absolutely shiny."

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

"In my experience, just like anywhere, it used to be better. Maybe it's because of pure nostaliga, but we all look on the past as a better place to be. I've got more than a few songs of the old days if ye'd like to hear 'em."

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

With a grin, Kaylee settled down into the bench. "I'd be more'n happy to hear some, if you're willin' to share."

[billy-blin.livejournal.com]

Will nodded silently and played a cord to be sure he was in tune. After clearing his throat, he took a deep breath and began.

"In the merry month of May, From my home I started,
Left the girls of Tuam, Nearly broken hearted,
Saluted father dear, Kissed my darlin' mother,
Drank a pint of beer, My grief and tears to smother,
Then off to reap the corn, And leave where I was born,
I cut a stout blackthorn, To banish ghost and goblin,
In a brand new pair of brogues, I rattled o'er the bogs,
And frightened all the dogs,On the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.

In Mullingar that night, I rested limbs so weary,
Started by daylight, Next mornin' light and airy,
Took a drop of the pure, To keep my heart from sinkin',
That's an Irishman's cure, Whene'er he's on for drinking.
To see the lasses smile, Laughing all the while,
At my curious style, 'Twould set your heart a-bubblin'.
They ax'd if I was hired, The wages I required,
Till I was almost tired, Of the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-riddli-diddle-a.

In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity,
To be so soon deprived, A view of that fine city.
Then I took a stroll, All among the quality,
My bundle it was stole, In a neat locality;
Something crossed my mind, Then I looked behind;
No bundle could I find, Upon my stick a wobblin'.
Enquirin' for the rogue, They said my Connacht brogue,
Wasn't much in vogue, On the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-di-a.

From there I got away, My spirits never failin'
Landed on the quay As the ship was sailin';
Captain at me roared, Said that no room had he,
When I jumped aboard, A cabin found for Paddy,
Down among the pigs I played some funny rigs,
Danced some hearty jigs, The water round me bubblin',
When off Holyhead, I wished myself was dead,
Or better far instead, On the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.

The boys of Liverpool, When we safely landed,
Called myself a fool; I could no longer stand it;
Blood began to boil, Temper I was losin',
Poor ould Erin's isle They began abusin',
"Hurrah my soul," sez I, My shillelagh I let fly;
Some Galway boys were by, Saw I was a hobble in,
Then with a loud hurray, They joined in the affray.
We quickly cleared the way, For the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra!"

[voiceofserenity.livejournal.com]

However sad the lyrics seemed to grow in places, the song itself had a nice, upbeat feel to it. Kaylee closed her eyes and tapped her foot along, a pleased smile on her face. As he finished, she applauded again. "Very nicely done. If you've got more like that, there's no doubt in my mind that you shoulda been doin' very well for yourself."