Princeton Junction Train Station

The Princeton Junction Train Station was my 14th performance to date, and my perfect performance outside of a senior/assisted living center. The purpose of coming here was not only to expand into a different audience, but also to promote the Om Foundation's annual run/walk event that they host every year. Going into this, I was nervous as performing here would be a completely different experience compared to normal. The first setback came when I realized that I would have to wake up at 5:00 AM to get there quickly. Not only was I drowsy and exhausted, but I would be performing in front of a younger audience, one that would pay much more attention to my music. When we arrived there, the station was mostly empty with a few people waiting for their trains. I went to the corner of a room and set up my music stand, nervously waiting for people to come in. It only took around 5 minutes or so for people to start flooding in; that was my cue to start talking and playing. However, my nerves got the best of me, and I struggled to start talking to the audience. My dad was confused about my hesitation, and I told him that this was a completely different experience with people coming in and out. Due to this, we compromised and all I would do I play my instrument, while my dad went around the station and passed our flyers to people.

Fortunately, some good things did occur because around 10 minutes into my performance, a middle-aged African American woman came up to me and handed me a $2 bill. She whispered into my ear, "I want you to take this two-dollar bill, and remember me when you change the world". I thanked her and didn't think much of what she said at first. While I was performing, I noticed that support for the Om Foundation was positive, with many people showing interest and signing up in front of my dad. Compared to my previous order of songs, I just kept playing the most melodious songs I had and disregarded the overly complicated ones. After an hour, my dad ran out of flyers, and we went back home, talking about the success of this performance. Later that night, I found out that many people gave $50 donations to the foundation and that many people signed up. Additionally, I got the time to look at the two-dollar bill, and I noticed that she signed her name on it, "Chiste Obe, 2025". I promised to cherish the dollar for the rest of my journey because it showed that even people I've never met believed in me.