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Colourful characters from the past

Wow ... I hadn't thought of the "Slow Twins" in years. I loved hearing them talk ... er, drawl to one another.

Has anyone ever had run-ins with the 'Psychic Homeless Guy' who seems to be around Bloor-Spadina generally. I've had three encounters where I've walked by the guy and he seems to be spouting random gibberish but when you listen, he seems to be saying very specific things about your life. The first time it happened, I just shrugged it off as co-incidence but when it happened again it kinda freaked me out. Maybe I'm just really paranoid.
 
One character I've been mulling is that homeless woman at College subway station who's sounding more and more like a Simpsons Bill Cosby parody each time I encounter her...
 
Humpday said:
Sorry to resurrect such an old thread but I just remembered another colourful character. There was a guy named Handy Andy who owned a dry cleaner at Dundas and Logan. The window of his shop was filled with political slogans and his beat up old station wagon was plastered with Radiation, Biohazard and Keep Back stickers. Does anyone else remember this guy?
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I totally remember his shop. He was pissed at the Globe and Mail too, if memory serves, and had the signs to prove it. Always struck me as a grade-A wackjob, but folks like him make up the motley patchwork that is a city and I was oddly grateful for his presence. His car was something else, too. I'm a frequenter of Mimi's for a good spicey pho (just up the street), and now that you mention it, I hadn't noticed that all his signage is gone. How long has it been?
 
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.
 
She seems happy enough in her own way. Sometimes I see her in the PATH system, further downtown. Maybe she has a corner office in one of the towers.

Has anyone else seen The Man Who Walks Backwards? He's got long grey hair, looks like he's in his 40s or 50s and ... well ... walks backwards. I spot him on the Ryerson campus sometimes. Is he a faculty member?
 
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.
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She is often around Dundas and Sherbourne and I am glad that in recent years she seems to have acquired a mobile walking frame/seat thing. She seems quite harmless and, as you say, never seems to beg but I am always saddened to see her (but glad she is still around).
 
DSC said:
She is often around Dundas and Sherbourne and I am glad that in recent years she seems to have acquired a mobile walking frame/seat thing. She seems quite harmless and, as you say, never seems to beg but I am always saddened to see her (but glad she is still around).
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This was a 2012 comment about:

The hunch back lady who hangs around Dundas 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.

I saw her last week - on Jarvis - so she is still around. Sad.
 
DSC said:
This was a 2012 comment about:

The hunch back lady who hangs around Dundas 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.

I saw her last week - on Jarvis - so she is still around. Sad.
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I see her almost daily around 7:30AM at FCP when I come in for work.. She's always in the hallway between FCP and Exchange Tower.

And ditto, I'm always sad when I see her.
 
Filip said:
I see her almost daily around 7:30AM at FCP when I come in for work.. She's always in the hallway between FCP and Exchange Tower.

And ditto, I'm always sad when I see her.
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I believe she lives in one of the co-ops or TCHC buildings in the Regent Park area. I work in one of the buildings in that area and see her often. Someone (who lives in the area and knows her) told me she actually is retired (disability?) and has some sort of real (non-ODSP) pension and despite her disability she's a lot better off than most people would think.
 
I see her sleeping on the benches in that corridor most times I see her so I do find that somewhat hard to believe. Don't get me wrong I hope what you said is true!
 
Filip said:
I see her sleeping on the benches in that corridor most times I see her so I do find that somewhat hard to believe. Don't get me wrong I hope what you said is true!
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I used to see her all hours of the day and night. I always wondered if she was homeless or not? Last time i saw her was last summer on a hot humid day, she had on the long black heavy coat. She has been around for a long time. i don't think she is as old as she looks.
 
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