News   Dec 20, 2024
UrbanToronto Year-End Poll: Vote on the Best Buildings of 2024, presented by Sapphire Balconies
 1K     5 
News   Dec 20, 2024
UrbanToronto's Social Media Presence Skyrocketed in 2024
 803     2 
News   Dec 20, 2024
Mattamy Homes Records A Year of Accomplishments
 1.5K     0 

Colourful characters from the past

I just recalled another character going back to mid to late '80s on Yonge Street. He was a large fellow, who always wore hot pants and a crop top t-shirt and was never seen without a huge boom box on his shoulder. Wonder where he is now?
BTW, I had a Raoul "The World's Greatest Dancer" sighting about a year ago across from Honest Ed's.
 
I remember him, he used to be quite startling. He's forsaken the wig, rounded out a bit and still walks young street. Dont make eye contact, he will remember.
 
gabe said:
The hunch back lady who hangs around Dundass Sq. she wears all black with lots of bags, she walks for a bit, then waves her hand in her face really fast. She has been around for years. I don't know if she is homeless or not, but one night i was cutting through Trinity Square around 1 am and she came out of shadows waving her hand at me, scaring me half to death. I feel bad for this poor women, she never begs for food or money.
Click to expand...

Every step seems to be a challenge for her, but she never stops. I've exchanged the odd smile with her in the path under FCP. Yes, she gets around the CBD too.
 
Torontovibe said:
There is also a very serious-looking black guy, about 24 yo, who walks around in a ratty blond wig and white makeup. I usually see him on Yonge street anywhere from The Eaton Centre to Bloor Street. I wouldn't really call him a drag queen, since I've never seen him in a dress or full makeup. Maybe he's slowly working his way into it. I'd drop the white face paint and maybe get a new wig but who am I too be giving out beauty tips to drag dolls. lol
Click to expand...

I remember him, he used to be quite startling. He's forsaken the wig, rounded out a bit and still walks young street. Dont make eye contact, he will remember.
 
a) Identical twin Japanese brothers in their 50s. Anglophiles who only wear suits, hats, tweed.
b) Tourette Preacher @ Yonge & Dundas: "Be-lievveee!!"
c) Mountain man a 6'5" bearded cro-magnon who used to wear shorts & boots, with a little blond wife. They were in their 50-60s haven't seen them in 2 decades.
d) Ethiopian King - full cut cream suit, cream hat, cream shoes, gold chain, white walking stick
e) Shirt-less, push-up guy (police banned him from downtown because he did push-ups in intersections)
f) Autistic blind fellow: "doyouhaveanickeladimeoraquarter...doyouhaveanickela..."
g) Fake blind guy (I think). Dark glasses and a walking stick all over town and in the path for 30 years. Sometimes he even recruits a helpful young girl to assist, taking her arm. I think he can see because I once saw him crashing a hotel conference we were hosting to help himself to the buffet, while looking around guiltily.
 
Last edited:
That's a great list. I can almost hear the Yonge Dundas preacher and his catch phrase.
I'm guessing that e) is known as Zanta Claus. Haven't seen him for a while.
 
buildup said:
Every step seems to be a challenge for her, but she never stops. I've exchanged the odd smile with her in the path under FCP. Yes, she gets around the CBD too.
Click to expand...

One of my best friends and I are obsessed with her, to the point where we have to contact each other if we spot her. I've seen her as far north as Bloor Street. She always seems to have a lot of bottles of Coke in the basket of her walker now.
 
AndreaPalladio said:
One of my best friends and I are obsessed with her, to the point where we have to contact each other if we spot her. I've seen her as far north as Bloor Street. She always seems to have a lot of bottles of Coke in the basket of her walker now.
Click to expand...
Yes, I saw her on Sherbourne at Dundas a couple of weeks ago and last year in Kensington Market. She waves one hand as though swatting a wasp. I was pleased a couple of years ago to see that she had got a walker.
 
DSC said:
Yes, I saw her on Sherbourne at Dundas a couple of weeks ago and last year in Kensington Market. She waves one hand as though swatting a wasp. I was pleased a couple of years ago to see that she had got a walker.
Click to expand...

I've seen the hunchback lady walking around downtown going on 20 years now. She must have some safe place to stay to have that kind of longevity.

Another 1980s-era person was the armless and legless man that used to be around the north-west corner of Yonge & Gerrard. There were a couple of other people around with him usually. I don't recall him ever asking for money, he just used to sort of mill around with the other people.
 
The pie man. He was always seen showing his butt crack and eating one of those cheap apple pies from the Annex Dominions. He often hung out around Bloor and St George.

Then there was the "elp the ohmless" woman with her child who owned the NW corner of Bloor and Spadina in the '90s--wonder what happened to her?

And that other Annex character--an older man with a ball cap who would always be seated in an entrance to a storefront apartment near Bloor and Brunswick--btw I used to see him get in and out of his car nearby.
 
AlbertHWagstaff said:
I've seen the hunchback lady walking around downtown going on 20 years now. She must have some safe place to stay to have that kind of longevity.

Another 1980s-era person was the armless and legless man that used to be around the north-west corner of Yonge & Gerrard. There were a couple of other people around with him usually. I don't recall him ever asking for money, he just used to sort of mill around with the other people.
Click to expand...

Saw the hunchbacked hand-waving lady on Bay at Dundas on Wednesday - her walker basket was laden with bottles of Coke - I fear that her diet leaves much to be desired.
 
DSC said:
Saw the hunchbacked hand-waving lady on Bay at Dundas on Wednesday - her walker basket was laden with bottles of Coke - I fear that her diet leaves much to be desired.
Click to expand...

Except that she seems indestructible.
 
Worth noting that I saw her at the Pride parade (no, not as *part* of the Pride parade, silly)
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top