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| Proof banks are crooked.. |
Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?
I think when I take photographs of places, buildings, or people that I want to convey my perception of something and the way that I possibly see things in the world. One must treat all mankind in a respectful way. So many times we are rushing so fast that we cannot see the forest for the trees and we quite often put off the important for the urgent. All of these things are regarding our priorities and what shapes them and our perception of something.
So many times in my life I have seen this and I have had it done to me. In 1982 in Newcastle NSW, I went to a car dealership with a pocket full of cash to buy a car but I wore no shoes. No one came near me to help me or swarm me with offers I could not refuse. After and about 30 minutes of being on this large car dealership lot an older man limping came out to greet me. I asked him could I test drive a particular car and I came back and paid cash for it.
The looks on the faces of all of the other salesmen who were then mulling around then in the office while the paperwork was being organised was priceless.
This is a lesson I personally have never forgot! Because I wore no shoes I was treated like I didn't have 2 bob to bless my self with ( ie. like as if I was homeless) and I was treated accordingly. They could not see that in my pocket was several thousand dollars.
Image by Mezza - Another grand above bank residence Bellingen NSW.
It was I believe the Commercial Bank at one stage of its original life!
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