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17 October 2006

ChatFilter: Who are your favourite "recognised strangers?" These are the people you pass on the way to work and recognise but never greet. Mine are:→[More:]

a young slim man, tie and short brown hair, blue eyes, messenger bag. Olive green army coat

Hijabi, round middle aged Pakistani lady, colourful Eastern pant suits, usually with a gaggle of animatedly chatting co-workers enroute to the Uni, sometimes barreling towards the bus stop

Supermodel beautiful willowy blond catwalking, upmarket hippie clothes

post by: By the Grace of God at: 12:57 | 35 comments

Me: Brown hair, black glasses, nerdwear, denim jacket with badges.

posted by By the Grace of God 17 October | 12:58

I used to see this girl all the time around my college campus- long dyed red hair, short, and always dressed to show off her huge boobs. I called her Boob Girl.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 17 October | 13:02

there's a whole troop of outer-borough chicks (read: big hair, cheap jewelery, the whole shebang) who apply their makeup on a speeding bumpy subway, which must require a Zen level of concentration.

There's also the two beleagured looking Asian guys who are always sitting in the nook outside my work building (usually eating something out of an alumminum take-out pan) right as a leave the deli with my coffee. I never see them anywhere or anytime else.

In the neighborhood, there's the guy I call Decaying Man: this incredibly frail looking old guy who sings stuff like "Tell me why, tell me why do the stars in your eyes..." as his clothes literally rot off him. He never asks for money though. There's also Alvy, the local homeless drunk, who does odd jobs at my corner bar. He's pretty harmless, but he looks like an octogenarian Buddy Bradley with jailhouse tats. One time this drunken junkie chick stood on the sidewalk clutching her pocketbook and bellowed "Whaddaya want Alvy? My purse or my pussy?!" while grabbing her crotch.

I love New York.

posted by jonmc 17 October | 13:05

50-ish man who's usually walking his border collie dog at about the time I'm nearing the station.

The local street cleaner, who's always working at 6am, about my age, short guy, hippie type with kind eyes, smokes roll-ups. He started saying Hi to me about 6 years ago, and I say Hi back, but that's it.

A man on the train, typical Essex Man, 30s, well-dressed, on his way to a job in the City, but he surprises me because he is always reading The Bible.

A short but enormously obese woman who gets off the DLR train as I get on it. When I first began to see her over 6 years ago, we were more or less the same weight. I lost 65 pounds, she gained at least that over the years, probably much more.

A Russian woman I see on the way home from work, about 19 or 20, utterly beautiful, like a china doll, blonde, blue eyes, delicate features, gorgeous complexion and utterly Russian, you know it before she even answers her phone that she's not an East End girl.

posted by essexjan 17 October | 13:09

I frequently see Gene Weingarten on my way to work.

posted by mrmoonpie 17 October | 13:12

There's a young guy, really well dressed who walks by our house every weekday morning. But he's dressed kind of 1960's London, makes me think of how Brian Epstein or someone like that would dress. Curly hair pulled into a groomed side part, thick framed glasses, dark striped tailored suit, shiny pointy-ish black shoes, newspaper rolled up under one arm, briefcase. My wife instantly knew who I meant when I mentioned him as we were discussing this very topic recently.

I saw him on the weekend one time and he was wearing khaki shorts or cargo pants or something, and I was so disappointed.

There's also a guy who wears a different colour Chuck Taylor on each foot. I always remark to myself that he has another pair exactly like it at home.

posted by chococat 17 October | 13:22

I don't see anyone on my way to work.

posted by Skrik 17 October | 13:24

There's also a guy who wears a different colour Chuck Taylor on each foot.

I used to know a guy who did the same thing with contact lenses. Of course, he was turned away from our 5 year high school reunion because his date was underage.

posted by jonmc 17 October | 13:25

Vegetable stall sitter. He sits to the left of my greengrocers' stall in a chair, every day. As far as I can tell, he has nothing to do with them, or any other of the small shops there (bread guy, candy and nuts place, soap and spices place, taverna). We nod at each other now.

African pirated-dvd hawker. Happy round face, always smiling, always selling pirated dvds. We say "hello" to each other, in English.

What do you call those people who stand out in front of shops/restaurants and try to get people off the street to go there? One of them. Tall, woman with bleached blonde hair and dark roots, lots of makeup, big boobs, and always tight tops cut down to "there". These seem to be pretty much her only asset, as far as I can tell. Though that sounds really mean, I'm pretty sure it's true.

Guy who sells lottery tickets on the corner. He has a table set up, with an umbrella over it. Usually drinking a coffee and he never, ever seems to have friends or people to talk to. That's weird for Greece. We don't nod or speak. He doesn't seem to make any kind of eye contact with anyone.

Shoe repair shop guy. White hair, usually busy working, but when not stares wistfully out the window:

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by taz 17 October | 13:26

Pensive, young Polish (?) guy with an hourglass neck-tattoo. Wary-looking but still vulnerable. Several times a week at the Court Square transfer, gets off at my stop. *crave*

Also, I see the same parents walking the same kids to school every morning. Makes me feel self-conscious of being tall and scary-looking.

posted by Hermitosis 17 October | 13:40

Pensive, young Polish (?) guy with an hourglass neck-tattoo.

do you get the occasional urge to turn him upside down?

posted by jonmc 17 October | 13:42

There's this tallish, really beautiful girl who gets on the bus one stop after me. She's kind of bigger in overall shape, but in a way that makes me ache to put an arm around her. She has kind, intelligent eyes, and I wish I had a reason to talk to her. She looks about my age, with short dark hair and olive skin.

posted by pieisexactlythree 17 October | 13:50

do you get the occasional urge to turn him upside down?

That does fall squarely within NYC subway ettiquette.

Though I'd rather knock him out and drag him back to my cave before doing so.

posted by Hermitosis 17 October | 14:03

There's a girl on my bus to work who is generally on at the same time as me - short bobbed brown hair, stunningly beautiful. When I caught a different bus a few years ago there was someone who was the spit of Liv Tyler, too. I think she worked in publishing as she always had manuscript copies of books she was leafing through. I think my girlfriend would be cross if I had ever said hello to either, though...

There's also a tramp near Victoria Station who I see lots who wears sandals displaying the most gnarled feet I've ever seen. They are like hobbit feet, the poor man. Less danger of me approaching him, though.

Finally, the guy in south Battersea near Clapham Junction with long hair and a leather jacket who rides along on a long handle-barred push bike fitted with some sort of bullhorn - it makes both "na-na-na-na-naaaaaaah" noises and also does a sample of Tarzan. Couldn't afford a Harley, obviously.

posted by greycap 17 October | 14:06

Dapper gay black man who loves my dog and looks like he is always about to burst into tears or poetry.

Crazy old Mr. Shoutsalot who sits on his stoop in a folding chair and a blanket and shouts goobledygook at my wife.

The hotdog cart dude with the pet pigeon (I don't encourage you to get a hotdog from him.)

The woman who will go to great lengths to let everyone know that she has spectacular breasts.

Madame I took so much prozac that I froze my face.

The guy from DHL who seems a little autistic and shouts "HEY HOWYA DOIN'" 5 timed in a row when you see him and has a head shaped like a canned ham.

There are more.

posted by Divine_Wino 17 October | 14:23

I'm too new here to have any folks like these, yet.

But today I was having a coffee at our local haunt, and the local Old Men with Opinions were out in force outside, remarking about the new copper casing on the North Church spire. One of 'em piped up about "how it shoulda been treated coppah to preven' the green sheen onnit", and another local said "well den, why don'tcha jus go over theah and pay ferrit yaself?"

This went on for awhile and it was glorious.

I'm starting to really love New England.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 17 October | 14:36

Old Men with Opinions

Yet another great band name. I also think that 'Kansas City Faggots,' would be a great name for a neo-country oufit.

posted by jonmc 17 October | 14:40

I wish my band was called "the Kansas City Faggots" so bad right now!

posted by Divine_Wino 17 October | 14:47

I'm too new here to have any folks like these, yet.

I've missed something, haven't I?

posted by danostuporstar 17 October | 14:50

so much.

posted by taz 17 October | 15:06

I also think that 'Kansas City Faggots,' would be a great name for a neo-country oufit.

When it comes to neo-country, Texas usually has the answer.

posted by ufez 17 October | 15:16

Ah, shit. Forgot the link.

posted by ufez 17 October | 15:17

What dano said. I missed something?

Anyway, here in Asheville, since it's a tourist town, we get two types of people: more or less interchangeable tourists and buskers, who range from Really Bad Guitar Playing Guy to Completely Insane One Man Band Man in Red Pantaloons to Annoying Girl Covered With Silver Paint Who Acts Like a Statue And Takes Up Too Much Sidewalk. And then, there's beer delivery guy, who I pass a couple of times a week. I like beer delivery guy.

posted by mygothlaundry 17 October | 15:24

- slightly overweight business suit dude who lives across the hall from me, but strangely I only see him once a week or so, even though I leave at the same time every day. He gives me dirty looks when I get to wear jeans to work.

- On the way home from work, I see a blind woman with her seeing eye dog. Once, she had amazon.com packages. 5'6", shoulder-length straight brown hair. Generally wearing purple sweat pants.

posted by muddgirl 17 October | 16:38

Miracle Man - needs a motorized wheelchair to get around, but mostly I see it parked outside of a local saloon. Sometimes I see him in it, smoking, but usually it's empty. Every now and then someone else is sitting in it, also smoking.

Bottle and Can Man - either pushing a shopping cart filled to overflowing with bottles and cans to a local supermarket or pushing empty in the other direction.

posted by tommasz 17 October | 16:51

Dano, Mygothlaundry, in case no one else fills you in...Lipstick Thespian has made a bold move and given up the sunsets on the west coast for snuggly sunrises on the east coast...with....wait for it....Miko!!!!
A new, glorious bunnie love affair begins!!!!

and as i understand it, not suddenly decided, but carefully thought out. and again, hooray for them!

posted by redvixen 17 October | 17:00

Oh, and to get back to the thread...I've been seeing a young girl on a push scooter early in the morning on my way to work. I used to be appalled, as I'd see her around 6am, and I wondered who on earth would let their child out at that time. But on further sightings, I think she may actually be in her late teens, and "special".
I see another man who is walking to the commuter bus stop nearly two miles from where I see him. I'm always worried as he usually wears a dark suit, and walks on the edge of a busy road with no sidewalks.

posted by redvixen 17 October | 17:04

Muddgirl's story reminded me of one of my favorite fellow commuters, a blind woman who lived in my neighborhood. Over the six months that she and I rode the same bus, I gradually learned quite a bit about her and her guide dog(s). Her older dog retired a couple months into my commute with her. She, the woman, disappeared for a couple weeks and I wondered what happened to her. Figured maybe she got a new job. Then she reappeared with a new dog -- she had been training with him, which is why she'd been gone.

Anyway, I'd also see her around town and learn little bits about her life. Her husband was a firefighter. She was taking classes in database management. Her new dog was being a "snot."

This has been five years or more. But a few weeks ago, I saw her at the farmer's market with her husband, her dog, and a BABY. I was so happy for her!

There was something admittedly guilt-inducing about following her life like that without ever talking to her. But at the same time, it was kind of exciting -- sort of like reading a book, but much more immediate.

posted by mudpuppie 17 October | 17:51

for snuggly sunrises on the east coast...with....wait for it....Miko!!!!
A new, glorious bunnie love affair begins!!!!

No shit?

Way to go, you two. Couldn't happen to two nicer people.

posted by jonmc 17 October | 17:53

Some bunnies lack read between the lines skills! But yeah, good on you LT and Miko. Glad you are getting an ear for the accent LT.

posted by rainbaby 17 October | 18:57

I don't commute now, but when I did:

I used to take the bus from the tunnel in Seattle to get home to Edmonds. There was a woman that shared the same ride - petite, 45ish, long dark hair with silver streaks in all the right places, well dressed. I used to wonder how I could get her and the mister (when he was still the boyfriend) to meet because she was obviously much more suited for him than I was. Yeah, this was before I started taking anti-depressants.

posted by deborah 17 October | 21:04

oh! my god! I missed this thread!? How can I have missed this thread?! The hell with work tomorrow...

There is this guy I always pass by on the street, I mean every single day. He is like the twin brother of the (much much much hated) (by me) owner of the richest most annoying soccer club in Greece (Olympiakos). However, unlike his "twin brother" abroad, this one looks run down and impoverised. A nice fellow. The other one, oh! that other one, who buys all the expensive players that beat my favorite team, he is some loaded stinking SOB. I can't help smiling when I see him. I hope he hasn't noticed. But then again he might think I am cuckoo, which is ok too.

posted by carmina 17 October | 22:43

Nice, LT and Miko!

posted by danostuporstar 18 October | 10:29

The guy with the Bernese Mountain Dog. He's kind of granola-y, always out somewhere buying a sandwich, sipping a coffee, reading a book, sitting on the grass in the park, his faithful dog in tow.

The first time I asked him what sort of dog it was (they look like diminutive border collies), I heard "Burmese Mountain Dog" and dutifully went home and Googled it. But in fact there are no such dog-riddled mountains in Myanmar.

Now I always ask him what kind of dog it is and he always patiently answers me. Frequently while I'm petting the dog someone else will ask him what kind of dog it is; he must get that all the time. He has no clue I'm having him on yet; it hasn't registered, and I've asked him 5 times.

posted by ikkyu2 18 October | 18:48

Hey, wow, nice wishes in this thread! Shoulda looked at it a while ago. Thanks.

As to strangers -- I wonder if redvixen remembers any of the same ones from our hometown that I do. One was a blind guy with big dark glasses. He was always very friendly. Creeped me out a bit, but he was probably just being social. Bucky the mailman was pretty cool, too.

In my town now, there are quite a few people I recognize regularly. There's a guy with a shorn head who wears a Utilikilt daily, and delivers the Gazette. There's a guy who does Tai Chi on the little town green on nice days. There's an old man in army fatigues who looks very poor, missing some teeth.

posted by Miko 19 October | 14:25

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