One of my favorites pastimes has always been "People Watching".
Now I need to say that I don't get so carried away with it that I run into large displays at the local discount store. I may have swerved off the road a few times in my life gawking at the local sideshow though.
We used to have a local who dressed in a Superman costume. All through the 70's and 80's he WAS Superman. Superman on a bicycle. Up up and away on Shawnee by-pass on a bicycle. On a good day his cape would flap and fly in the wind. I guess I was secretly jealous that he could get away with it and my parents would probably never consider letting me play superhero all day.
Sometime during the 90's he went through a metamorphosis of sorts and emerged as a very large Leprechaun.
He pierced his nose and ears and and smoked a pipe and wore costume jewelry and clattered and clanged wherever he went. He wore greenish colored clothes with striped suspenders holding up his shorts. Green leotards and very expensive Nikes completed the lower half of the costume. Sometimes he would dangle from his neck a blackboard with the "message of the day" chalked onto it. He evidently had found the pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow.
To his bicycle he added bells and whistles and extra tires that helped him pull a large homemade wooden wagon, also painted to suit his fancy.
He seemed to be very happy as a Large Leprechaun. Of course while shopping he always garnered more than his fair share of points and giggles. Some of those that knew him could be overheard commenting that he was the nicest guy in the world and the way he was, was just that.
"That's how he goes!"
Sometimes I wish that I were as comfortable in my own skin as the Large Leprechaun man is. One of the problems of being a people watcher seems to be that you sense maybe people are watching you a little bit.
I'm also reminded of the saying that everytime you point a finger at someone, you have 4 pointing back at you. That's not completely true though.
Actually you have 3 fingers and a thumb that kind of points down or out a little bit.
Keep that in mind next time YOU get all pointy and stuff. Then again maybe you'll find your pot o' gold and can dress and act like you REALLY want to..........
14 comments:
FIRST!!!
Ha!
I am totally shameless to cheat like this.:o)
I remember Super Large Leprechaun toodling around town on his large leprechaun tricycle. I was a bit scared of him though. He was always talking to himself or singing. I wonder what happened to him?
I just learned from Mark that in the Army they don't point with one finger, but with the whole hand (like giving a karate-chop). That way, you don't have ANY fingers pointing back at yourself.
Leprechaun-Man sounds like a free spirit type guy.
Would our neighbor lady qualify as a free spirit? She goes out in the yard to water the flowers in her nightgown/housecoat and without her teeth.
uncle joe, can you say "MENTALLY ILL'?
and i caught that jab in the first paragraph!!!!!!
running into displays while staring?!!!!! I WILL get you back.
or you could take a notebook, and doodle all their pictures like Jenn does.
people always say those types are harmless, blah blah. well, they are unpredictable. to say the least. i can guarantee he was partaking of some sort of antipsychotic medication. and what if he missed a day? He would end up like the guy up by our town that was in the middle of the road in his cape, brandishing a knife at a police officer, and shot 8 times. yeah. medication is a must.
so don't even think about running around in a cape.
I like Susie's comment, yeah, people always say these types are harmless...
harmless like Michael Jackson.
We thought you already did dress and act like you want to. How can Aunt J remember this guy, and me, her elder cannot? Have you met the woman who answered a ringing banana in Wal-Mart a while back and then chased me down in the parking lot to give me 3 large bobby-pins? I am not making this up.
welcome anonymous. evidently aunt j was just in the right neighborhood. (Price Mart)
Yes, we heard about the ringing banana lady. she had just bought the only ringing banana phone left at walmart. it was real.
yes, it is 3 am and I am awake. tell you why later..
Hi ANP! Glad you are a Non Lurker! :o)
Seeker, Yes she sounds like a free spirit. But when she puts her teeth back in she is just normal again.
ANP, call me on my kiwi fruit after my BIG nap..K?
What, no pics of Mr. Leprechaun???
People watching is fun. I enjoy it because people are so interesting and varied.
I don't point though. That would be rude!
People watching is fun and what is even more fun is people eavesdropping. I am sure there are blogs totally dedicated to eavesdropped conversations. Hmm?
Not that I eavesdrop......I just heard from someone that it is fun.
i wish i could remember having seen the leprechaun guy. all i remember is a guy that stood on the corner of main st. and okmulgee with his tongue lollygagging out...
What a great story, Joe. Thanks for sharing that. As you say, how great would it be to be that comfortable in your own skin? How much more fun could we have with our alotted spans if only we didn't feel like we had to spend so much energy trying to fit in with the standards of the "normal" (read "lacking in imagination") people?
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