This fellow was across the alleyway from the juggler, standing on a little platform. Like the Egyptian person sitting on the bench, he remained stock-still until someone put a contribution in his basket. Then he would very, very slowly bring his right hand up into a salute, then lower it just as slowly. Really mesmerizing to watch.Unlike the Egyptian, this guy had a personality. You could see his eyes shifting, working the crowd. At one point he spied a little tourist girl of about eight years of age. With his trademark slowness, he extended his hand in her direction...the movement was so slow it took a while for her to catch on to what he was doing. Then, when she was hooked in, she just as slowly and, very trepidatiously in front of all the people, approached and extended her own hand. After a full minute their hands clasped, and at that moment a magic happened and the crowd burst into applause. Then, still very slowly, he withdrew his hand. The man's expression remained as you see it here the entire time.
I didn't even know until returning to Houston that he was supposed to look like Charles DeGaulle.
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