27 Blue Boxes are painted on sidewalks in Downtown Orlando. These boxes
are for panhandlers and buskers. Although set up for panhandlers, police have insisted that street
performers must use the blue boxes. Performing outside the boxes can
result in 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Since I sit outside the blue box as I sketch, I risk a possible fine and jail time.
Blue Box 8 sits near the corner of Livingston Street and Magnolia Avenue near the Orange County Courthouse. Being so close to the courthouse, we were guaranteed to have police stopping by once in a while since they circle the area using Segways. Lillian Koontz was dressed as a Living Bride Statue. Her face was painted ghostly white and she had a veil that blew in the breeze. Her mom, Dela Morte and sister joined her by sitting in the grass while she stood perfectly still for close to two hours. She had a small glass container for tips with “Love” printed on it. She held a red cross and kept her eyes closed.
It was a very cold day so I felt bad for her as she stood silent and still. Her family could at least move around to stay warm. Police did stop, but they enjoyed the silent performance and didn’t question our presence. A few people walked past in their rush to get to the courthouse or work. Lillian is the only performer to make money in my blue box initiative so far. A passerby was looking at her as he walked by and he tripped on the Love tip jar. It clattered loudly in the pavement and, feeling guilty he put money in the jar as he set it back up.