Granted, there should be more sympathy oozing from this post but the humor of it squashed that reaction. In the fall, for a few weeks, at unscheduled times, a 10 year old boy stationed himself on the same street corner with his recorder*. It is easy instrument to learn, but apparently, not for him. He would play Frere Jacques on repeat and always out of tune. At a short distance from his feet was a hat of sorts, to collect money. One never knew how much to give, because the money was not to reward him, but to pay him to stop. Finally it came to a head. One of the nearby shops, going around the bend after listening to this recital for more than was good for the owner’s mental health, asked him to stop. His father took umbrage, and brought it to the newspaper: https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/07/bell-tolls-for-frere-jacques-after-residents-call-council-on-10-year-old-busker/
Due to this notoriety the boy was offered lessons, a new flute and for a while he was absent. Then as unexpectedly he returned. The Result? Still out of tune. It’s winter now and that keeps him off the streets.
*The recorder is a family of woodwind musical instruments in the group known as internal duct flutes—flutes with a whistle mouthpiece, also known as fipple flutes. A recorder can be distinguished from other duct flutes by the presence of a thumb-hole for the upper hand and seven finger-holes: three for the upper hand and four for the lower. I