The Morton Man
Over the past few weeks, I've gotten quite familiar with the route from Roslindale to Columbia Point in Dorchester (for those just tuning in). After the second or third trip, I realized I kept seeing the same guy, over and over again, like that hitchhiker in the Twilight Zone episode with the woman driving cross-country: An older gentleman, with white hair and a white beard, walking in a slow shuffle down Morton Street (sometimes, in Morton Street). And even though he's always moving, he's always near the intersection with Blue Hill Avenue - I've never seen him near, say, Forest Hills Cemetery or Gallivan Boulevard.
Sure, enough, on my way to Dorchester around 9 this morning, there he was, walking down Morton. And on my way back, around 4 this afternoon, there he was again, walking down Morton, although he seemed to have changed his coat. I know if you pinch yourself, and it hurts, you're not asleep. Is there a similar test for being dead?
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Does he have a hook hand?
Does he have a hook hand?
He has been there for years.
He has been there for years. A few months ago the Globe ran a story about him.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/art...
Oh, yeah!
That's him alright. See, I'm just new to the area :-).
Stroke rehabilitation
When I lived down in RI, I used to see the same guy 8AM, noon and 5PM walking down the street. I just assumed he was on some kind of stroke rehabilitation plan. Perhaps not.
I think every area has a guy
I think every area has a guy like this, or several. Theres the South St guy in JP - old, short, white, bearded with a huge tumor like bulge around this groin. He's harmless but his appearance is unsettling. Theres the old black guy "Don Juan" who owns the area outside the Galloway House on Centre St, he's quite vocal and very drunk. Theres the skinny white woman with long matted black hair hawking Spare Change News outside Harvest or hanging around Forest Hills. There are more old Asian canners with shopping carts than I can keep track of. Theres a really haunting guy around the financial district, he shuffles slowly with his head hung low, so low for so long his hair has grown into the strange dreads that sway as he goes.
Years ago, East Dedham had a
Years ago, East Dedham had a little white-haired guy who wore a skirt and a green elf hat.
What happened?
Did someone jack him up for his Lucky Charms?
Roslindale has the Can Guy
Middle-aged white guy with unkempt hair, bare, sunburned chest whenever it's above 50 and a shopping cart loaded with about a gazillion cans (with even more cans in plastic bags hanging off the sides).
Running Guy
Arlingon/Winchester/Medford (and sometimes even up into Burlington) had Running Guy - a youngish guy with a mask-like face who was running running running up Rt. 3 all the time, even in incredibly bad weather.
This wasn't your garden-variety super jogger, either. I tried to talk to him once when I was biking and I offered him water, but he was totally blank - like thorazine blank. He also had a visible sign on him that said "If I am running I am okay ... if I am hurt please call ..."
Life is like a box of chocolates
I never realized they filmed part of "Forrest Gump" in Arlington.