The Flying Dutchman of Washington Square

The Seventies was a great time for street musicians in the Village. Some were awful; some were fantastic, but most were good-natured, harmless folks.

The Flying Dutchman was both awful and bad-natured. He played an upright piano which was mounted on wheels, and would often be found on weekends beneath the grand arch in Washington Square Park. Sitting atop the piano was a full-sized mannequin of woman with long blonde hair.

The FD played loud, heavily-chorded music that reeked of anger. I never recall him playing a tune that I recognized. It was just BANG, BANG BADABANG BANG BANG. A scraggly, unkept fellow, he made for quite a sight. He never talked to people, as I can recall, except for one instance when a listener dared to try and sit atop the rolling platform on which his piano was mounted. "Get offa my peeyana!," he yelled.