COLORFUL CHARACTERS

As a Colorful Character myself, I deeply appreciate how much these anomalytic individuals add to the qauality of life. Sadly, I have no pictures.

MR. BAUM- He was our grade school Gym teacher, and achieved legendary status by insisting that we children perform feats of athletic skill that he couldn't do with the assistance of Industrial Light and Magic...4-X, while demonstrating a forward somersault, he got stuck halfway over.

MISS SUSIE- An enormous black lady who lived next door to us, a bottomless reserve of stories, laughter, and change for running to the store for her, generally to buy a can of Buttercup Snuff. The snuff was fifteen cents, so you could count on making a dime from the transaction.

MAW LEWIS- She and her husband lived in front of us, and had a loud, joyous voice, and Oreo cookies for days.

MRS. BULL- She told us to call her "Mrs. Bollweevil", for some reason, and was a true eccentric...her apartment looked like an archealogical dig.

CLAUDIE WILLIAMS- aka "Doc Savage", was a neighborhood drunk, universal supervisor of street repair, and raconteur; Richard Pryor's wino could've been based on him. I remember Claudie telling stories of his actions during WWII, none of which I believed...thus, I was truly suprised by the honor guard and 21-gun salute at his funeral...BTW, Claudie died on my 20th birthday, 23 Dec 75.

BROADWAY TRACY- A transexual, and unusual even for such, a real force of nature. Tracy once told me "her" real name, but I promised not to reveal it.

BROADWAY NANCY- A bag lady, but with her wits about her; I remember many long conversations with her.

I wish them well.