Marcus The Trumpet Man

Marcus The Trumpet Man

Marcus “The Trumpet Man” was a delight to talk to.   He taught himself how to make the sound of a trumpet with just his lips and vocal chord.  And he did sound like a real trumpet too!  Before I saw him, as I was coming around the corner on the sidewalk, I thought someone was playing a trumpet nearby.  He said he was inspired by the movie Beverly Hills Cop, where there was a character who could make all sorts of sounds with just his lips.  He dreams of getting into the entertainment business.  Currently he entertains passersby on the street with his original music.  He uses a styrofoam cup to magnify the sound, which I thought was rather resourceful.   He appreciated how I’d stopped by to talk to him, because, he said, most people would walk in a wide circle around him.  In particular, Asians would openly show their fear of him.  He said he hasn’t been able to hold on to his jobs because he suffers from chronic depression and hasn’t been able to afford the treatment.  He’s been married for 10 years, but his wife has filed divorce after she’s “found someone else”.   He’s desperate to find a place to live because his soon-to-be-former wife said he needs to move out in a month.   All he really hopes for is to earn enough as an entertainer to afford his own place to live and buy his own food.