Viva la vida

While wandering in San Luis Potosí’s historic center, I saw a musician in an alley. He was playing Coldplay’s Viva La Vida on a violin. Two people walked by and contributed to his violin box, but he seemed too into his performance to notice.

His choice to play in this relatively quiet alley intrigued me. The Plaza de Armas was only two blocks away; he must know the central plaza would offer ten times more traffic.

Yet, he picked the best place for his art, even if that meant less traffic and fewer eyeballs. He decided to play for a smaller audience.

I was captivated as his beautiful music played with the stunning background. When he finished performing his piece, I clapped. Another couple followed. The violinist acknowledged us with a shy but lovely smile. I made my contribution and moved on with my evening.