Characters from the streets of Calgary [Archive] - Beyond.ca - Car Forums

LollerBrader

10-09-2011, 09:42 PM

I've always been fascinated by the oddball characters one sees around downtown... I'd make up little nicknames for them in my head. There days there's so many transients and nuts downtown that individual freaks aren't so memorable.

I remember one dude... He was a chinese guy with a scraggly pseudo-mustache, around 2001 or so... He would always be wearing a trenchcoat, and constantly walking, with a wide, dramatic gait.... Walking walking.... Given that he was chinese, and always walking, I dubbed him "The wokker". Something reminded me of him today, and I realized I've not seen him in almost a decade.

One of the more famous contemporary ones is the "Spaaare chaaange" guy. He has tourets or something... poor dude..... Then there's another one I call "Weird Al" - He's batshit crazy.... always running into traffic and talking to himself frantically...

The earliest one I can remember, was in the 1980's, an old man that would walk around downtown going doing some sort of cowboy yell. Very distinctive: "eeeeeeeee Yoop!"... Think rising tone for the first word, falling for the second, and so loud you could hear him from blocks away.

Do you recall any freaky street people that stand out in your mind, past or present? Stories?

rx7boi

10-09-2011, 10:06 PM

in b4 handicap scooter woman

Type_S1

10-09-2011, 10:30 PM

the homeless native dude with one leg in a wheelchair that occasionally rolls into traffic.

The lady that walks down stephen ave at lunch hour and comes up to patio's and asks for money...dumb cunt I nicknamed her

The guy that has music playing and makes a little wooden doll dance and wants you to throw money in a hat

darthVWader

10-09-2011, 10:35 PM

Originally posted by LollerBrader
Then there's another one I call "Weird Al" - He's batshit crazy.... always running into traffic and talking to himself frantically...

This guy also checks every paper box for left over change. If you get in front of him a guess what way he is going place some loose change in the coin return. He goes fucking nuts when he finds change LOL
I call him Herald Boxshaker.

Then there was that fuckerthat played the recorder near Bow Valley. I could here his crappy playing in my office on 21.

gt2871r

10-09-2011, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by LollerBrader
I've always been fascinated by the oddball characters one sees around downtown... I'd make up little nicknames for them in my head. There days there's so many transients and nuts downtown that individual freaks aren't so memorable.

I remember one dude... He was a chinese guy with a scraggly pseudo-mustache, around 2001 or so... He would always be wearing a trenchcoat, and constantly walking, with a wide, dramatic gait.... Walking walking.... Given that he was chinese, and always walking, I dubbed him "The wokker". Something reminded me of him today, and I realized I've not seen him in almost a decade.

One of the more famous contemporary ones is the "Spaaare chaaange" guy. He has tourets or something... poor dude..... Then there's another one I call "Weird Al" - He's batshit crazy.... always running into traffic and talking to himself frantically...

The earliest one I can remember, was in the 1980's, an old man that would walk around downtown going doing some sort of cowboy yell. Very distinctive: "eeeeeeeee Yoop!"... Think rising tone for the first word, falling for the second, and so loud you could hear him from blocks away.

Do you recall any freaky street people that stand out in your mind, past or present? Stories?

Some homeless dude smoked the back of my head with his shitty backpack and was mad that I confronted him and asked him if he could be more careful with his things. Then he called me a cock sucker and ran off the train.

I'll always remember him as that dude that is going to die alone in a ditch somewhere.

Sentry

10-09-2011, 10:45 PM

http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/savatage/streets.html#2

finboy

10-09-2011, 10:53 PM

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/6074/n24046288173099fw7.jpg

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/174018/vagrants-in-the-plus15/

LollerBrader

10-09-2011, 11:58 PM

Originally posted by finboy
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/6074/n24046288173099fw7.jpg

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/174018/vagrants-in-the-plus15/

I remember that dude... A regular in the +15s a few years ago.... my nickname for him was "Jesus". He smelled bad. Pretty textbook Schizo case, AFAICT. Completely bonkers.

Update: I Read the linked thread and learned that he peaked about 4 years ago and died shortly after. I had no idea he was so famous. My memory doesn't place him quite so long ago... which just underscores how memory can fudge things.

jdmXSI

10-10-2011, 12:59 AM

I remember a lady dubbed as the "pilot" about 10 years ago who wore those archaic aviator goggles. Rumor had it that she was a very successful real estate agent who just snapped one day and we always seen her picking bottles downtown. There sure are some interesting folk in our society we don't see everyday.

J-hop

10-10-2011, 01:04 AM

Originally posted by Type_S1
the homeless native dude with one leg in a wheelchair that occasionally rolls into traffic.

stay away from that guy, I have a friend that works security in a building he frequents. He is HIV positive and has thrown his colostomy bag at police who have tried to remove him from the area.

StreetRacerX

10-10-2011, 01:07 AM

^Whatever happened to that contest? Did he win?

s dime

10-10-2011, 05:50 AM

Not a street person, but there was the market mall rubiks cube guy. Interesting character for sure...

ExtraSlow

10-10-2011, 08:57 AM

Smilin' Bob who used to sell Street Talk outside Bow Valley Square. Formerly a successful Electrical Engineer, now locked in a loop of endless head bobs.

kvg

10-10-2011, 09:07 AM

This guy Pete sits in front of a corner store on 17th all day sellin papers. Hes a super nice guy, so when ever I go down there I buy a paper for 5-10 buck and chat for a while.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5075/5881784032_732f1e6e55_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellygibbonsemail/5881784032/)
HERE I AM (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellygibbonsemail/5881784032/) by Kelly Vincent Gibbons (http://www.flickr.com/people/kellygibbonsemail/), on Flickr

LollerBrader

10-10-2011, 09:12 AM

Originally posted by s dime
Not a street person, but there was the market mall rubiks cube guy. Interesting character for sure...

Explain... I'm up there fairly frquently, but never seen this...

D'z Nutz

10-10-2011, 09:15 AM

I used to see a short Asian guy with a trench coat all over the place. Hair was shoulder length and slicked back. Sort of looked like a pseudo mullet.

Also that Asian guy that looks like an accountant with the really big noggin.

Of course, that homeless guy with nothing below the knees. Usually hangs around Crack Mac's panhandling, but I see him all over the place downtown.

s dime

10-10-2011, 09:52 AM

Originally posted by LollerBrader

Explain... I'm up there fairly frquently, but never seen this...

Havent seen him Around for about a year, but he used to hang out in the food court asking people to mess up his rubiks cube. He would solve it and throw it up in the air. he would solve it no matter how bad you messed it up. It seemed apparent to me he wasnt all there, but super nice guy.

Jason Lange

10-10-2011, 09:53 AM

Anyone ever see 'Beavertail'? He was always at the mcdonalds on 8th & 8th? Had a single dreadlock with all of his hair and it was flattened like a beavers tail. He stunk pretty bad.

Kritafo

10-10-2011, 10:01 AM

Originally posted by darthVWader

This guy also checks every paper box for left over change. If you get in front of him a guess what way he is going place some loose change in the coin return. He goes fucking nuts when he finds change LOL
I call him Herald Boxshaker.

Then there was that fuckerthat played the recorder near Bow Valley. I could here his crappy playing in my office on 21.

this guy got dark curly hair? if it's the same guy he has been doing that since the early 90's. We called him squiggy seen him all over downtown checking phones and newspaper boxes sort of twitchy and talks to himself. Better dressed, not sure he his homeless but he is definitely a character!

Luke 96 T/A

10-10-2011, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by J-hop

stay away from that guy, I have a friend that works security in a building he frequents. He is HIV positive and has thrown his colostomy bag at police who have tried to remove him from the area.

Woah.. Good info, I see him *all* the time..

J-hop

10-10-2011, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by s dime

Havent seen him Around for about a year, but he used to hang out in the food court asking people to mess up his rubiks cube. He would solve it and throw it up in the air. he would solve it no matter how bad you messed it up. It seemed apparent to me he wasnt all there, but super nice guy.

I believe that guy is autistic, generally they have well above average skills in picking out patterns(among other things) which is the essence of solving a rubik's cube.

drtoohotty1

10-10-2011, 10:44 AM

here is a book that the wife and i bought its a really cool look into the lives of some of these people.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/cents-photographic-journey-through-lives-Joey-Podlubny/9780973688603-item.html?ikwid=83+cents&ikwsec=Home

all proceeds go to the mustard seed.

Thomas Gabriel

10-10-2011, 11:18 AM

How about the bleach blonde cracked out looking chick. Her sign says "Need money for various".

2007RS4

10-10-2011, 11:26 AM

GorG

10-10-2011, 11:38 AM

Originally posted by s dime
Not a street person, but there was the market mall rubiks cube guy. Interesting character for sure...

I remember that guy, he would always sit in the food court and finish a rubiks cube as fast as he could and when he finished he would look around to see if anyone had seen him complete it.

I remember when cowboys was at its eight ave location there would be a lady that would walk around asking for pennies; i dubbed her "penny lady". She was super nice but wouldn't take any change or bills other than pennies.

KrisYYC

10-10-2011, 02:47 PM

This goes back to the 90's but does anybody remember the guy that was always doing push-ups/chin-ups on the C-train and staring everybody down?

rage2

10-10-2011, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
Also that Asian guy that looks like an accountant with the really big noggin.
The Asian Alien? I haven't seen him in a few yrs. Wonder what happened to him.

wintonyk

10-10-2011, 03:03 PM

What about the saxophone guy outside of flames games. With the tin foil hand warmer thing when its cold out?

01RedDX

10-10-2011, 03:18 PM

ExtraSlow

10-10-2011, 03:37 PM

Originally posted by wintonyk
What about the saxophone guy outside of flames games. With the tin foil hand warmer thing when its cold out? I always called him Venus Flytrap.

Gainsbarre

10-10-2011, 07:47 PM

I haven't come up with any nicknames for this guy, but I've seen him frequently over the past several years. He's somewhat tall (say 6 ft 1 to 6 ft 3), has a short white beard, looks to be in his late 40s/early 50s, and doesn't seem to do much other than stiffly wander around (he'd never slouch his shoulders) and constantly tremble while talking to himself, although what he's saying is never audible. I'd always see him either on Stephen Avenue (almost always between 1st and 3rd street SW) or in the ground floor of Scotia Centre. He'd often wear a toque and winter jacket, even in the middle of summer.

The thing is, I'm pretty certain he isn't homeless, because his beard is always neatly trimmed (never long or scraggly), he changes outfits frequently, and I only ever see him during the day. Every time I have seen him though, he just seems to be wandering around aimlessly...

Afrodeziak

10-10-2011, 09:00 PM

Pretty certain he's not homeless. He's just a jazzy dude that plays for change.

How about the overly tanned, 6/10 cracked out white chick with her sign? Seen here around 14th street and downtown fairly often as of late.

Originally posted by wintonyk
What about the saxophone guy outside of flames games. With the tin foil hand warmer thing when its cold out?

LollerBrader

10-10-2011, 10:45 PM

Originally posted by 01RedDX

I remember this guy. Really short and stocky right? Did magic tricks? He was actually Mongolian.

Different dude. You're thinking of Dave the Magician. Dave's been around DT for at least 20 years. Used to make the rounds of pubs and bars where he'd do tricks for beers. Always meeting girls on the streets with the tricks...

He's also obsessed with people's ethnic backgrounds. I think he spins a lot of tall tales, too... don't know about being Mongolian. Certainly doesn't look it to me.

colsankey

10-10-2011, 10:45 PM

"Randy" long blonde mullet, looks kinda like dog the bounty hunters, usually wearing dark pants and a olive green jacket.

LollerBrader

10-10-2011, 10:46 PM

Originally posted by Gainsbarre
I haven't come up with any nicknames for this guy, but I've seen him frequently over the past several years. He's somewhat tall (say 6 ft 1 to 6 ft 3), has a short white beard, looks to be in his late 40s/early 50s, and doesn't seem to do much other than stiffly wander around (he'd never slouch his shoulders) and constantly tremble while talking to himself, although what he's saying is never audible. I'd always see him either on Stephen Avenue (almost always between 1st and 3rd street SW) or in the ground floor of Scotia Centre. He'd often wear a toque and winter jacket, even in the middle of summer.

The thing is, I'm pretty certain he isn't homeless, because his beard is always neatly trimmed (never long or scraggly), he changes outfits frequently, and I only ever see him during the day. Every time I have seen him though, he just seems to be wandering around aimlessly...

"Cancer Santa". Hes' been around for around 15 years or so. I think he's got some sort of neurological disorder. I've never seen him acting crazy in any way, but he's always had those tremors. Usually not far from the rotating group of AISHers that congregate downtown.

LollerBrader

10-10-2011, 10:47 PM

Originally posted by rage2

The Asian Alien? I haven't seen him in a few yrs. Wonder what happened to him.

"Hector Hammond"... pretty sure I've seen him in the last year.

calgarygts

10-10-2011, 11:04 PM

what about the rollerskating dreadlock guy? He's a tall skinny black guy who listens to music and rollerskates, but he's pretty much dancing whenever he's skating. It's awesome.

There was always the downtown cowboy, when I went for runs at lunch I'd always see him walking around in his wranglers, cowboy boots, cowboy hat and no shirt (usually at lunch when it's busy). Haven't seen him in a long time though.

LollerBrader

10-10-2011, 11:09 PM

Originally posted by Afrodeziak
Pretty certain he's not homeless. He's just a jazzy dude that plays for change.

I just smacked my forehead and realized who you're talking about... he's an acquaintance of mine. I worked with him at a local dot com. Also knew him from Ducky's where he frequents. He's a bright fellow, and a pleasure to chat with. Very personable, and quite charming, I'd say.

LollerBrader

10-10-2011, 11:13 PM

Originally posted by calgarygts
what about the rollerskating dreadlock guy? He's a tall skinny black guy who listens to music and rollerskates, but he's pretty much dancing whenever he's skating. It's awesome.

I absolutely know who you mean.

I've only seen this one a 3 times over the last two decades, but he's a memorable one.

I seem to recall something about Skulls somewhere in his costume... but can't remember what it was..

Boat

10-10-2011, 11:23 PM

I remember the 1 legged native guy with the cowboy hat everyone is taking about. He sits on 8th ave 4th street around 5:00pm ish trying to get change off business people heading home.

I was gonna flip him some money the next time i had change :dunno:

Gainsbarre

10-11-2011, 08:12 AM

"really big noggin" -- is there a medical term for that? I've tried searching on google/wikipedia with no luck.

I'm not sure I've seen the Asian guy downtown, but I think there's a white guy who works (or worked) for Com-Media at the U of C with the same condition (really, REALLY big head)? I saw him taking laptops to/from classrooms, mostly in the vicinity of the Social Science building on the U of C campus when I hung around there fulltime from 2001 to 2005. He was balding at the front (biggest forehead I've ever seen), wore glasses, and had a tiny pony tail at the back. I didn’t look to close, but I think his limbs were underdeveloped too...

Back on topic, has anybody seen/noticed this Englishman in his 70s promoting the Baha'i Faith downtown? His name is Dennis, he'd always wear a suit and a ballcap (that read "Baha'i Faith" on it) and I used to see him and his small display on the south side of Stephen Avenue, just east of 2nd street SW. I used to see him all the time and he once mentioned in passing that he had been hanging around with his display downtown for decades. I haven't seen him in about 2 years now and the times he was there, I never saw anybody else chatting with him. I'm not particularly religious and I only chatted with him because of my interest in Persian history (the Baha'i Faith was founded in 19th century Persia).

Billy_Billions

10-11-2011, 08:31 AM

An old co-worker of mine talked about this chick:

DhqDEOQkpn8

Apparently she continuously walks around "pretend" talking on her cellphone. Always yelling at someone, lawyer, boyfriend, husband, friends, boss.

I saw her onetime and was able to get my phone out before she left the train.

AndyL

10-11-2011, 08:59 AM

Originally posted by rage2

The Asian Alien? I haven't seen him in a few yrs. Wonder what happened to him.

Christ, you called him that too? :rofl: I always seemed to run into him on the #3 going to school (yeah that's going back a ways...)

Thought I saw him last year...

Anyone seen the elf? Guy couldn't have been more than 5' - beard, usually wore an elf hat too... Sold that spare change mag around 5ave and 3st forever...

dexlargo

10-11-2011, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by Gainsbarre
"really big noggin" -- is there a medical term for that? I've tried searching on google/wikipedia with no luck. Macrocephaly. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrocephaly)

Years ago I saw the asian guy working at the Bay downtown.

I'm not sure what the reason is for his head shape, but maybe Sotos syndrome? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotos_syndrome) - Total guess, but looks kind of similar.

JVR1

10-11-2011, 09:40 AM

Originally posted by AndyL

Christ, you called him that too? :rofl: I always seemed to run into him on the #3 going to school (yeah that's going back a ways...)

Thought I saw him last year...

i think this is the dude we used to call super dave back in the day - cuz he had a giant helmet head.

always saw him around anderson station?

03ozwhip

10-11-2011, 01:21 PM

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
I used to see a short Asian guy with a trench coat all over the place. Also that Asian guy that looks like an accountant with the really big noggin.

thats the guy i remember on the c-train when i was in high school in the 90's.... man im old. for obvious reasons, i used to call him BRAIN.

sdevils15

10-11-2011, 01:39 PM

I dont think this guy is a bum but he is an older guy that power walks the +15, listening to his walkman and just sweats like crazy.

There is also the indian with either Calgary Flames or Hockey Canada legs that sits on 1st in the am.

nismodrifter

10-15-2011, 02:25 PM

Shawnessy bottle lady with the shopping cart. Always wears a mask/scarf. This lady has the hood on LOCK for the bottles.

drtoohotty1

10-15-2011, 02:37 PM

Originally posted by calgarygts
what about the rollerskating dreadlock guy? He's a tall skinny black guy who listens to music and rollerskates, but he's pretty much dancing whenever he's skating. It's awesome.

He lives somewhere in Inglewood, i see him every time im at the wifes parents place just down from Lou's auto body he cuts across the park and i lose sight of him.

03ozwhip

10-15-2011, 02:50 PM

Originally posted by drtoohotty1

He lives somewhere in Inglewood, i see him every time im at the wifes parents place just down from Lou's auto body he cuts across the park and i lose sight of him.

back in the day i used to rollerskate at rollerland and that guy would ALWAYS be there on tuesdays so he would get the next tuesday skate for free. anyone else remember that? oh man, 1993 those were the days.