Its easy to run into strange people. Theyre all over the place. Theres this one that lives on my street. Around the time that i come home shes doing something that sounds like a near impossible feat. See the thing is she makes a lot of noise. The kind of noise you make if youre hauling twice your body weight for six blocks. Or having really weird sex. But she does this when shes just walking too. The first time i encountered it i asked her if she was ok. She was just fine. She just makes a lot of loud noises. I ignore her now. I just hope she never actually needs any help since i dont think anyone would know something was out of the ordinary.
I think I've mentioned this before, but once, while talking a walk in the woods with Blonde American Teacher (and, alas, some students) we came across a man in a leathery looking cowl and robe, standing off the track, with two two large German shepherds on leads, on either side of him.
We decided a brisk walk back to town was a good idea.
I still want to know what was up with that, though. The highest settlement on the mountain was the one we'd left from, and the ski lift to reach the summit was on the other side of town from where we were. The only thing of note along the path we were going was a nice spot where you could look down onto Lake Geneva from. The rest was just trees and extremely steep slopes, both ways.
Yeah id find that a tad unsettling too. Did you ever run into him again?
No. Not dressed like that, anyway. I couldn't really make out his features, and it was summer, in a tourist town. And I was drinking in a lot of bars. I could have easily met him without all that on and not known.
BAT thought it was a great premise for a story. But then, she thinks everything is (then again, that's why her scripts are getting attention from actual television companies).
:lol:
I was sitting next to a cop in traffic the other day, and this guy wanders onto the median a ways ahead, drops his pants, and takes a big steaming crap. I look over, and the cop is killing himself laughing.
Ah, Tucson. How do I love thee?
And the cop didnt do anything? :lulz:
We had a guy go to the library flash and a woman in her 80's. The cops said they'd been looking for him, for flashing women at the Silver Center (which is exactly what it sounds like, an old people hangout). :horrormirth:
I was on the green line once (of course it would be on the green line) and there was this guy sitting across from me. Suddenly he clutched his head like something terrible was happening to him and he flailed his feet around. Then back to normal. And then again. Back to normal. And then again. I was hoping that he wouldnt get off at the same stop as me. I got off to catch a connecting train and so did he. Then he came up to me and politely asked the time. I told him. He thanked me and walked away clutching his head like a man tormented by demons.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on April 05, 2012, 03:18:26 PM
I was sitting next to a cop in traffic the other day, and this guy wanders onto the median a ways ahead, drops his pants, and takes a big steaming crap. I look over, and the cop is killing himself laughing.
Ah, Tucson. How do I love thee?
:lulz:
The other day I was down at the Superfund site with Space Ninja, and a couple of pleasant-looking men with machetes and a big black garbage back with something heavy in it came walking by.
Holy shit.
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 05, 2012, 04:15:20 PM
And the cop didnt do anything? :lulz:
He was stuck in traffic, too...And if he'd gotten out of his car, he'd have snarled up traffic in a hospital zone for 2 hours, which he'd have to undo.
So, balance that against some random freak taking a poop.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on April 05, 2012, 05:06:32 PM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 05, 2012, 04:15:20 PM
And the cop didnt do anything? :lulz:
He was stuck in traffic, too...And if he'd gotten out of his car, he'd have snarled up traffic in a hospital zone for 2 hours, which he'd have to undo.
So, balance that against some random freak taking a poop.
It worked out so he could take it as comic relief and not some pain in the ass job detail.
Which is actually kind of beautiful. The Tao of Poomp. :lulz:
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 05, 2012, 05:10:32 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on April 05, 2012, 05:06:32 PM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 05, 2012, 04:15:20 PM
And the cop didnt do anything? :lulz:
He was stuck in traffic, too...And if he'd gotten out of his car, he'd have snarled up traffic in a hospital zone for 2 hours, which he'd have to undo.
So, balance that against some random freak taking a poop.
It worked out so he could take it as comic relief and not some pain in the ass job detail.
Which is actually kind of beautiful. The Tao of Poomp. :lulz:
Add to that the fact that the entire desert floor is carpeted with coyote poop, and you'll understand why it's not really a big deal.
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 05, 2012, 04:25:18 PM
I was on the green line once (of course it would be on the green line) and there was this guy sitting across from me. Suddenly he clutched his head like something terrible was happening to him and he flailed his feet around. Then back to normal. And then again. Back to normal. And then again. I was hoping that he wouldnt get off at the same stop as me. I got off to catch a connecting train and so did he. Then he came up to me and politely asked the time. I told him. He thanked me and walked away clutching his head like a man tormented by demons.
Now I understand that your situation was probably different and that you got real crazy people walking about that can be really dangerous, but if I were to see that right in front of me when on the bus or something, I'd ask him if he was okay and whether he needed any help. Cause it seems like he was just spasmodic and if I don't, maybe nobody would help the handicapped (or elderly)?
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 05, 2012, 04:15:20 PM
And the cop didnt do anything? :lulz:
What do you do in that situation? I mean, hand him some toilet paper, maybe?
Quote from: Triple Zero on April 06, 2012, 02:20:41 AM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 05, 2012, 04:25:18 PM
I was on the green line once (of course it would be on the green line) and there was this guy sitting across from me. Suddenly he clutched his head like something terrible was happening to him and he flailed his feet around. Then back to normal. And then again. Back to normal. And then again. I was hoping that he wouldnt get off at the same stop as me. I got off to catch a connecting train and so did he. Then he came up to me and politely asked the time. I told him. He thanked me and walked away clutching his head like a man tormented by demons.
Now I understand that your situation was probably different and that you got real crazy people walking about that can be really dangerous, but if I were to see that right in front of me when on the bus or something, I'd ask him if he was okay and whether he needed any help. Cause it seems like he was just spasmodic and if I don't, maybe nobody would help the handicapped (or elderly)?
It's really hard to tell with people on public transit. You get some crazy people there. Like for real crazy. For all I know he was trying to get the voices in his head to stop. It's quite possible it was something harmless but I wouldn't know that, and I don't necessarily trust New Englanders to come to my aid. Our brief conversation was polite and I didn't let on the dude was making me nervous.
There's this guy on Centre St. in Jamaica Plain. I noticed him when I moved here and had cause to walk on Centre St on a regular basis. He's this old white guy with obvious mental issues. I do not know if he is homeless or not. He's often in the area where Blanchards, CVS, and that Dunkin Donuts/Tedeschis is. The thing about him is that he says the same thing over and over. But it's a different thing everyday, like he's got some sort of phrase of the day that he says like some mantra. And he says it with an odd inflection in between "heh." I went to pick up some beers in Blanchards, and he came in at the same time as me to recycle his cans and bottles. Today the mantra was disturbing.
Fifteen year old girl. Heh. Fifteen year old girl. Fifteen year old girl. Heh. Heh.
I wonder what parameters inspire the chant of the day. In this case, I probably don't want to know.
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 11, 2012, 12:54:57 AM
There's this guy on Centre St. in Jamaica Plain. I noticed him when I moved here and had cause to walk on Centre St on a regular basis. He's this old white guy with obvious mental issues. I do not know if he is homeless or not. He's often in the area where Blanchards, CVS, and that Dunkin Donuts/Tedeschis is. The thing about him is that he says the same thing over and over. But it's a different thing everyday, like he's got some sort of phrase of the day that he says like some mantra. And he says it with an odd inflection in between "heh." I went to pick up some beers in Blanchards, and he came in at the same time as me to recycle his cans and bottles. Today the mantra was disturbing.
Fifteen year old girl. Heh. Fifteen year old girl. Fifteen year old girl. Heh. Heh.
I wonder what parameters inspire the chant of the day. In this case, I probably don't want to know.
Ask him next time. Serious. :lol:
There was a guy in Salem who used to yell at trees. I told him one day that the tree wasn't going to answer him back. He said "I know, I just like to yell at them" and laughed like a hyena.
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 11, 2012, 04:25:18 AM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 11, 2012, 12:54:57 AM
There's this guy on Centre St. in Jamaica Plain. I noticed him when I moved here and had cause to walk on Centre St on a regular basis. He's this old white guy with obvious mental issues. I do not know if he is homeless or not. He's often in the area where Blanchards, CVS, and that Dunkin Donuts/Tedeschis is. The thing about him is that he says the same thing over and over. But it's a different thing everyday, like he's got some sort of phrase of the day that he says like some mantra. And he says it with an odd inflection in between "heh." I went to pick up some beers in Blanchards, and he came in at the same time as me to recycle his cans and bottles. Today the mantra was disturbing.
Fifteen year old girl. Heh. Fifteen year old girl. Fifteen year old girl. Heh. Heh.
I wonder what parameters inspire the chant of the day. In this case, I probably don't want to know.
Ask him next time. Serious. :lol:
There was a guy in Salem who used to yell at trees. I told him one day that the tree wasn't going to answer him back. He said "I know, I just like to yell at them" and laughed like a hyena.
Oh, man...
:lulz:
A lot of them are at least marginally not as fried as we think they are. They just decided at some point not to give a fuck. :lol:
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 11, 2012, 05:07:25 AM
A lot of them are at least marginally not as fried as we think they are. They just decided at some point not to give a fuck. :lol:
Fair point.
Many years ago, I used to talk to my girlfriend about the strange people you run into. I referred to them as characters, since you didn't know them personally and added a weird sense that your life is a story and these are background characters.
One day I realized I was someone else's character. Having an unnatural amount of Iron Maiden T-Shirts made me realize that. I was essentially a cartoon character.
ETA: That someone else was no one in particular. Just realizing that I was also a background character.
Though I did realize that I was one of those characters for my boss. He walked by my desk one day in the summer and did a double take because I was wearing a white shirt. He told me as much. I responded "it's hot outside. I'm not wearing black today."
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 11, 2012, 05:11:20 AM
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 11, 2012, 05:07:25 AM
A lot of them are at least marginally not as fried as we think they are. They just decided at some point not to give a fuck. :lol:
Fair point.
Many years ago, I used to talk to my girlfriend about the strange people you run into. I referred to them as characters, since you didn't know them personally and added a weird sense that your life is a story and these are background characters.
One day I realized I was someone else's character. Having an unnatural amount of Iron Maiden T-Shirts made me realize that. I was essentially a cartoon character.
ETA: That someone else was no one in particular. Just realizing that I was also a background character.
Though I did realize that I was one of those characters for my boss. He walked by my desk one day in the summer and did a double take because I was wearing a white shirt. He told me as much. I responded "it's hot outside. I'm not wearing black today."
Iron Maiden are some smart fuckers and the singer is a pilot. He flies the whole band, crew, stage and amps all in one. They travel to places other bands can't go because its almost impossible with overhead.
And yeah, we're all somebody's character. I get people asking me if I still work at the place I used to work at three years ago.
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 11, 2012, 05:24:14 AM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on April 11, 2012, 05:11:20 AM
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 11, 2012, 05:07:25 AM
A lot of them are at least marginally not as fried as we think they are. They just decided at some point not to give a fuck. :lol:
Fair point.
Many years ago, I used to talk to my girlfriend about the strange people you run into. I referred to them as characters, since you didn't know them personally and added a weird sense that your life is a story and these are background characters.
One day I realized I was someone else's character. Having an unnatural amount of Iron Maiden T-Shirts made me realize that. I was essentially a cartoon character.
ETA: That someone else was no one in particular. Just realizing that I was also a background character.
Though I did realize that I was one of those characters for my boss. He walked by my desk one day in the summer and did a double take because I was wearing a white shirt. He told me as much. I responded "it's hot outside. I'm not wearing black today."
Iron Maiden are some smart fuckers and the singer is a pilot. He flies the whole band, crew, stage and amps all in one. They travel to places other bands can't go because its almost impossible with overhead.
And yeah, we're all somebody's character. I get people asking me if I still work at the place I used to work at three years ago.
I think that's one of the things that signals that you can start thinking objectively- when you're someone else's strange person you run into. And not just go, "dur, yep, I'm a weirdo!" which is still subjective thought. It's the thought that, "yes, this person is a complex set of things, and they only see the superficial me." It's like wearing the uniform. Something about you sticks out enough that it's noticed as your primary identity. Even if the person knows you well.
There was once this bus acquaintance I had that I called Brian the Pagan. He was a weird guy.
Several years later, one of my friends told me that when talking about me to his family he calls me Kevin the Pagan.
The humor is not lost on me. Especially because when I went to visit him and his family in the Midwest, the sermon (he's a preacher's kid) set for the denomination was on a passage in the Bible about worshiping false gods. Reverend S. was very tactful about it and used it as a lesson in not pursuing money at the expense of your soul.
That's what I always thought it was supposed to mean, don't sell your soul for a fucking paycheck. Cool that he saw it that way.
Hey, nobody's here now but me and Coyote...and FOURTEEN guests, wtf?
Internet cut out while i was writing a post in okm. :(
And another idea for a rant. Good thing i have paper to write down the gist.
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 11, 2012, 05:24:14 AM
Iron Maiden are some smart fuckers and the singer is a pilot. He flies the whole band, crew, stage and amps all in one. They travel to places other bands can't go because its almost impossible with overhead.
And yeah, we're all somebody's character. I get people asking me if I still work at the place I used to work at three years ago.
I spotted their plane on our stop-over in Reykjavik, it had a big ass Iron Maiden logo over the entire length, or something like that. Later at the CT Meetup Twid confirmed that indeed they fly their own plane (like you said).
It's true, about being someone's character. I occasionally get comments on my Facebook page from people who really only know me from some sliver of my life ten years ago, that reveal that they think of me in a sort of snapshot snapshot of the Nigel-of-2002, or whenever they met me. Sometimes it confuses me... I've long forgotten whatever it was I was into at the time... until I remember the phase of life I was in when I knew them. Then I'm all, oh yeah! Patchwork dresses! That was a thing.
The town I grew up in had an older man with serious schizophrenia who didn't like taking his medications. His family had enough money that they just kept a tab open for him at Barts (the ice cream/coffee/snack store in the middle of town) and paid it off every month. He'd get on the (free) buses and just pick up trash off the floor, occasionally berating other people for leaving messes behind them. Then he'd get off at some random stop and start picking up trash off the sidewalk and the street.
He used to be a professor and a concert pianist.
Have i mentioned ralph yet? He was an interesting one.
Quote from: Nigel on April 28, 2012, 08:34:41 PM
It's true, about being someone's character. I occasionally get comments on my Facebook page from people who really only know me from some sliver of my life ten years ago, that reveal that they think of me in a sort of snapshot snapshot of the Nigel-of-2002, or whenever they met me. Sometimes it confuses me... I've long forgotten whatever it was I was into at the time... until I remember the phase of life I was in when I knew them. Then I'm all, oh yeah! Patchwork dresses! That was a thing.
I had a friend from a long time ago ask me why I don't run around in cutoff shorts and tube tops anymore. I mean, I take care of myself as best I can but I'm NOT 22 ANYMORE FFS.
Some things you just don't do. Even if you LIVE in the goddamn gym.
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 29, 2012, 03:09:44 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 28, 2012, 08:34:41 PM
It's true, about being someone's character. I occasionally get comments on my Facebook page from people who really only know me from some sliver of my life ten years ago, that reveal that they think of me in a sort of snapshot snapshot of the Nigel-of-2002, or whenever they met me. Sometimes it confuses me... I've long forgotten whatever it was I was into at the time... until I remember the phase of life I was in when I knew them. Then I'm all, oh yeah! Patchwork dresses! That was a thing.
I had a friend from a long time ago ask me why I don't run around in cutoff shorts and tube tops anymore. I mean, I take care of myself as best I can but I'm NOT 22 ANYMORE FFS.
Some things you just don't do. Even if you LIVE in the goddamn gym.
Yeah ummmm
It's not 1977 anymore, and just because you LOOK like someone who would be hot in cutoffs and tube tops, it doesn't render them dignified, appropriate, or non-anachronistic.
That said, it might be fun to do it once, just to fuck with everyone's heads.
Quote from: Nigel on April 29, 2012, 07:55:04 AM
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 29, 2012, 03:09:44 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 28, 2012, 08:34:41 PM
It's true, about being someone's character. I occasionally get comments on my Facebook page from people who really only know me from some sliver of my life ten years ago, that reveal that they think of me in a sort of snapshot snapshot of the Nigel-of-2002, or whenever they met me. Sometimes it confuses me... I've long forgotten whatever it was I was into at the time... until I remember the phase of life I was in when I knew them. Then I'm all, oh yeah! Patchwork dresses! That was a thing.
I had a friend from a long time ago ask me why I don't run around in cutoff shorts and tube tops anymore. I mean, I take care of myself as best I can but I'm NOT 22 ANYMORE FFS.
Some things you just don't do. Even if you LIVE in the goddamn gym.
Yeah ummmm
It's not 1977 anymore, and just because you LOOK like someone who would be hot in cutoffs and tube tops, it doesn't render them dignified, appropriate, or non-anachronistic.
That said, it might be fun to do it once, just to fuck with everyone's heads.
Not in Seguin.
They'd think I was trying to
attract them. :horrormirth:
Quote from: Queen Gogira Pennyworth, BSW on April 28, 2012, 09:26:18 PM
The town I grew up in had an older man with serious schizophrenia who didn't like taking his medications. His family had enough money that they just kept a tab open for him at Barts (the ice cream/coffee/snack store in the middle of town) and paid it off every month. He'd get on the (free) buses and just pick up trash off the floor, occasionally berating other people for leaving messes behind them. Then he'd get off at some random stop and start picking up trash off the sidewalk and the street.
He used to be a professor and a concert pianist.
That makes me sad.
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 29, 2012, 09:33:05 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 29, 2012, 07:55:04 AM
Quote from: Anna Mae Bollocks on April 29, 2012, 03:09:44 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 28, 2012, 08:34:41 PM
It's true, about being someone's character. I occasionally get comments on my Facebook page from people who really only know me from some sliver of my life ten years ago, that reveal that they think of me in a sort of snapshot snapshot of the Nigel-of-2002, or whenever they met me. Sometimes it confuses me... I've long forgotten whatever it was I was into at the time... until I remember the phase of life I was in when I knew them. Then I'm all, oh yeah! Patchwork dresses! That was a thing.
I had a friend from a long time ago ask me why I don't run around in cutoff shorts and tube tops anymore. I mean, I take care of myself as best I can but I'm NOT 22 ANYMORE FFS.
Some things you just don't do. Even if you LIVE in the goddamn gym.
Yeah ummmm
It's not 1977 anymore, and just because you LOOK like someone who would be hot in cutoffs and tube tops, it doesn't render them dignified, appropriate, or non-anachronistic.
That said, it might be fun to do it once, just to fuck with everyone's heads.
Not in Seguin.
They'd think I was trying to attract them. :horrormirth:
:horrormirth: Oh, no. NO.