I am reminded of my first trip to Paris. My roommate was from Paraguay so I hung out with her friends, one of whom, in English once asked me amongst the Metro platforms, “Is this where everybody goes to practice?”

Back to Asheville, I don’t get to go downtown much anymore, but apparently the talent the streets are attracting is of the same caliber. The city’s Public Safety Committee, as I write, is trying to determine how to sort out the buskers who don’t contribute to the vibrancy.

City Councilman Jan Davis indicates the city is not going to invest in a huge gong. Instead, he says the problem concerns behavior, as in aggressive panhandling.