My subway performing partner was ready to break someone's arm during our show [Flashback]

[about two months ago from today]

It was a Thursday night and with my weapon drawn (guitar) I was hunting for a spot in the New York City Transit Subway to entertain commuters and earn their donations. I found myself at my favorite spot, union Sq on the L line, only it was already taken by my fellow subway performer Elijah. With no delaying we decided we should team up and divide our earnings at the end.

My funk rhythms combined with his lightening speed Latin guitar soloing were definitely winning this thin audience. The money was coming slow from this miniature crowd, but it was coming in big chunks--$5 and $20 bills were the popular ones in our money bin. After about two or three hours, we decided we made enough to stop playing and start celebrating a night's work well done. But we are musicians--the only way we know how to celebrate is to play more music. So after splitting the dead presidents, we decided to play yet another set, and this decision invited the gloomy event that will make today's story.

We got a fresh new audience and decided to get our last song in, but Elijah noticed a young 20 something man in the audience recording our performance with his fancy little credit card sized camcorder.

See, Elijah has a huge pet peeve when it comes to cameras--he wants never to be in anyone's recording without an official copyright agreement and a nicely sized check. So Elijah made his usual response: he walked out of the camera's line of sight and in a kind voice, he says, "Uh, sir, no recording."

This perplexes most people (usually greatly disappoints the camera man), but I and the audience are usually kindly to his preference enough to let it pass. On the contrary, this particular pocket camera vidoegrapher was a bit pissed enough to make his tiny tantrums noticeable from the bench he was sitting on.

We ended our song strumming the E minor chord and got a wonderful applause. So I follow with my usual end-of-song speech, "If you enjoyed that, please don't be afraid to come up and show us how much. And if your credit is bad, cash is also accepted."

But this time Elijah decided my speech was two short, so he held up two fists and said, "And if you're recording with attitude, I got two presents for you right here." He was obviously intending to comically tease our uninvited camera man.

This upset the man enough to return threats to Elijah that were a little more serious, to which Elijah replied with the same comical tone, "Boy, please. I will fart on you and kill you."

Immediately the L train arrived, which made timing perfect for our Mr. Camera to walk and talk tough in front of Elijah with a solid back up plan to run for the train if the situation got ugly. But his first move was to march toward Elijah, and that's when tension rose beyond repair

Elijah firmly planting his feet and fixing his bare muscular arms to his side at a slight angle, forsaking all humor saying "Boy, don't you come over here like you're gonna swing on me."

That was my cue to walk away, far away from this senseless quarrel.

Mr. Camerman reached for his pocket, proclaiming, "In one second you'll be dead!"

Elijah continually dared him, "Pull your weapon. Pull your weapon. I guarantee you'll regret it.

With the same threats being repeated, Mr. Cam inched more and more towards the train doors with Elijah following him and maintaining a steady 3 foot distance from Mr. Camera, ready to intercept any attack Mr. Cam had to offer.

Mr. Cam made it inside the train continuing to this repetitive exchange through the open train doors while Elijah was on the platform, for about another 30 seconds. The train door operator who had a clear view of this cold war was not closing the doors, and the volume between the contenders only escalated, their distance closing in closer and closer to each other.

Suddenly, two plain clothes men, one short and bulky, one tall and slender, rushed into the scene flashing NYPD badges and gripping the pistols on their waste. Without drawing weapons they immediately cuffed the ranty photographer.

Finally, the situation calmed down totally and verbal sparring was over. Elijah reassured me that he is a trained guard and a gold belt in Karate, and the attack would have been over before it began. The cops with Mr. Cam in cuffs gave the men a lecture on keeping peace, and told us our music was great.

Mr. Cam was set free and with summons to pay to pay later for his offense. And if you were curious, no, he had no weapons.