Ka Malinalli performed in Blue Box 14 which is on the corner of East Central Boulevard and South Garland Avenue with the I-4 looming nearby. There are 27 Blue Boxes painted on the sidewalks of downtown Orlando. They are the only places where begging, or busking is allowed. Street performers have been told that they must use the blue boxes. Very few people know where the boxes are, and the boxes are located in areas with very little foot traffic. It is a Machiavellian concept to box in artists. I am documenting each box by having Orlando’s most talented performers utilize each box while I sketch.
It was a windy day. Very windy. Kay braced herself and sang facing the wind. At times she was blown backwards and had to lean in to stand up straight. My baseball cap blew off my head, and I chased it before it landed in a puddle. Two gentlemen caught it just in time and gave it to me. The cap to my water bottle also blew away and landed in the puddle.I left it there until the sketch was completed.
Ka sang lyrical Spanish songs she wrote herself. The wind blew her voice away. Even being just a few feet away, I couldn’t hear her clearly. Her skirt fluttered like a flag. A few cars honked their approval, but I’m certain that no one heard the performance. The two guys who helped retrieve my hat were the only people who walked by. Simply put, this is not an ideal place for a performer to showcase their talents. Of course there were no tips for her wonderful performance. When each song was complete, I would clap and make a gentle sound in my throat like the roar of a huge audience. That roar couldn’t be heard over the wind. Ka bowed to the imagined throngs.