The only superhero

This evening… I was walking through the subway, the tunnel, ready to catch a train home. I was holding my large photo paper and trying to carry my drink bottle, holding two newspapers that threatened to fly down the street any minute; I was fumbling in my pocket while struggling to balance the load in my hands, attempting to find my train ticket.

A busker was peering at a notebook as I scurried towards him. His guitar strap was tightened so that he looked somewhat uncomfortable, but just as he disappeared from my peripheral vision as I walked right past him, he played a song that was so, so familiar to my ears.

“I’m so happy, ’cause today I found my friends… they’re in my head…”

I wanted to run back. I wanted to go and drop a few coins by him, but I had none. I’d emptied my coin purse completely. Tomorrow is pay day and for nearly a whole week I’ve been looking forward to it, because I tossed a lot of my money in the bank and had to spend a great deal on photo paper and film. I wanted to go back and listen, ask the man to play another of Nirvana’s – maybe play the eerie Something in the Way, or hear him imitate Cobain’s deep vocals on Polly, or replicate their version of Dumb at their unplugged show in New York that took place in late 1993. But my feet kept making me walk, and the man’s voice eventually echoed away into the jarring blur of sounds of busy people making their way home after a long day at work.

Somewhere, something dared to tell me that that man wasn’t ever going to be good as Cobain, but what mattered was that he took something so magnificent and paid tribute to it. That, in all, was what inspired me. He wasn’t the greatest singer and his guitar was tuned unusually high, and he wasn’t really showing much soul in what he did. But that was him, paying tribute to one of the most famous singer/songwriters of all time.

And just like that, I forgot how shit I had been feeling today. I forgot that I had been having stomach pains and that I had been crying and felt so upset about my digestive system being horrid. I had been feeling really ill and just felt like my attempts to lower my cholesterol were not doing well for my colon in turn. I guess I felt like my problems were coming back somehow. It’s been making me upset lately, I don’t feel like doing anything and I just can’t concentrate on a lot of things.

I think, you know – that we all have a hero. Some of us admire so greatly the musicians who were alive and dead before our time. Some of us look at glamourous pin-up beauties or hotties. Some of us dream of a prince charming who doesn’t exist in real life. Some of us look up to environmentalists, politicians, or people who do such a great job but aren’t expected to be anyone’s hero. Some of us love our older brothers or older sisters, or our grandfathers who might have died in war.

I think that we all have someone who we greatly admire who we never knew, never will know – just a public figure. Someone who inspires us with what they did, or what they do. And somewhere we’ll always have someone we know, someone who is close to us, related, or a friend, or a partner… who we see every day or see more often than not… who just inspire us.

Well, it doesn’t really matter who.

It also doesn’t matter how they inspire you. Inspiration doesn’t mean that they do something talented and it makes you do the same. It can also mean that what they do keeps you going. Or they, just in pure existence, are the reason you keep going on.

If it weren’t for James, I think… I honestly think that somewhere along the line I would have felt all the more miserable. I often say, that he helped pull me out of that emotional pit I was in, but I was the one who grabbed his hand. If I hadn’t mustered all the strength, then I’d still be there. Sometimes I think that we live up to those people who inspire us. Maybe they don’t really keep us going. We choose to live up to them.

Comments on this post

Heroes. I don’t know if I have one. Maybe I do, just subconsciousness.
That’s really nice that after you heard a guy play a song you liked you forgot about all your stomach pains. :) It’s the little things that matter.
Little things make the biggest difference. Who would’ve thought?
I really love it when unexpected little things drop by in life. It’s such a nice surprise, especially after a horrid day.

I’m sorry this comment is a bit short. I don’t know what else to add.

awww. that is sweet. glad it made you forget your bad day, it’s really sweet, i hope i can meet one and so he or she can be my hero too…. 😳

That is so sweet. It is funny how music can really spark so much emotion and memories and remind us of people or thoughts or places and events and bring us back to other times.

I am glad that the stranger was able to brighten your day. I’ve had similar experiences in the strangest and unexpected of places and it’s such a wonderful thing.

What a wonderful post. I agree we all have heroes and we can even find them in complete strangers. That’s why I always peel my eyes whenever I’m out because you might meet your inspirational hero or a muse that would spark ones creativity.

I find it fascinating that so many of us are inspired by people we’ve never met, people we’ve never exchanged words with, yet they can have such a huge impact on our lives. Music can really make us think about things in a different light, just hearing certain lyrics can put a positive outlook on things.

It’s nice that the stranger managed to brighten up your day. I often see people playing guitars and singing in random places, I’d love to drop some money for them but I end up carrying on walking, IDK why. You can inspiration wherever you go, if you’re looking for it.

This was a brilliant post, I just didn’t have much else to add, hence why this comment is short.

ngaww /love
but you are Superwuggs! /frog

I’m glad you found a good busker; the one after the basement book store frankly sucks ass.
I don’t really have many heroes because I haven’t really been in a situation where someone rose up to save the day /um
but I’m sure there’s someone who will inspire Me! /bounce

but I’m glad to help Georgies. :)
cute wugs!

(Y)

This blog was very well written. As usual, Georgia. (Y) (H)
Hm… speaking about heroes eh…. maybe not heroes, but rather an inspiration. Great writers like Lewis Carroll really inspire me to learn and dwell more into the writing world, to understand the beauty of words, poems, etc. I guess I call those awesome writers that inspire me as my inspirations instead of heroes.
It’s amazing how simple things can really change situations, even if that simple thing isn’t very “wow” to begin with. Sadly, though, sometimes people tend to forget about “little things can make changes” even for a second ✌️

Oh I can sort of understand your load balancing act…I have been in similar situations before with different things XD. I rarely find a street performer playing something that I know off but if I do I am like you too except a little more introvert lol.

I am glad you were able to shed your worries in that moment…stomach problems really suck T_T.

I agree with you…all of us have/need a hero. Unless we have someone to look up to or be motivated by it is difficult to make progress or survive through difficult times. In a way these heros end up being our anti-drug :D

I like how you mention living up to your heros or inspirations. I think it does greatly depend on the person! I am glad you have people in your life that help you keep going ^_^

You know what, I bet if the busker ever found out about he changed your day he’d be happier than if you did have some coins to give him. This was a really powerful post, it’s really made me think. I’m glad he made you forget the bad things that had happened to you in the day, and I hope you’re feeling better and everything. I think if we all have someone to aspire to, to be inspired by and who we want to make proud we’ll achieve anything,

I really want to listen to Nirvana now!
Take care.

Hi Georgina. That’s a really nice story. :)

I love how to buskers music had some positive impact on you! I always walk past buskers but don’t always know what songs they’re playing. Which makes it boring for me to listen to. :P

Maybe the busker might come across your blog and you might brighten up his day. /eee

Michael. /eee

Aww…that was so sweet, what you said about James. I also really enjoyed your post, it’s very nice. :)

As for heroes? If there’s anyone I admire, it’d probably be Harper Lee. Although she’s only written one classic, she’s influenced my writing style permanently now, and I’m glad for that.

Ultimately, mankind probably couldn’t survive on its own as individual people. We were meant to be in some sort of civilization and not living by ourselves. We’re all dependent on lots of people, including the street musicians that make our lives just a bit more pleasant while we’re walking down the street. Life would surely be lonely otherwise.

From my perspective, you and James seem to have a near-perfect, if not already perfect, relationship going on. If you two keep pulling each other up like that, then you both are awesome people.