Angry Mike sighting last night in Powderhouse Park

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

I had my first encounter with the Yelling Guy last night, crossing through Powderhouse Park. Someone had warned me about him by name sometime recently, but I couldn't remember it, though now I see from previous comm posts (thank you, tag "local characters"!) that it is Mike.

I didn't see or hear him until I rounded the corner on the path and came up behind him. He turned around, saw me, and that's when the yelling started. Mostly alternating sequences of "Get [the fuck] outta here!", mumble mumble, "... Whore!"

(Maybe it was the motorcycle jacket.)

... I understand that he's sometimes been physically aggressive with passersby, but in a sad way I got almost the opposite vibe: like I could walk right through where he was standing. Like there was no substance to him, no resistance, no personality, only a rogue burst of discorporated sound and fury fading into the night. Is this what it's like to see ghosts?

His nose was running. I felt sad. I passed him and walked on.

I will have to try addressing him by name next time. I hear that gives the user power over angry spirits.

Comments

[frankmcs.livejournal.com]

I walk a 4 mile loop around Somerville almost daily and have encountered Mike frequently at Powderhouse. It usually alternates between us tossing each other the peace sign or him yelling obscenities at me. When he tries to talk with me, I take off my headphones and try to figure out what he is saying. I think he might be deaf, because of the way he talks. He is really hard to understand and he gets very agitated if you don't know what he is saying. He has never got physical with me, just yells obscenities. I think he is mostly harmless. I'd really like to learn more about him.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

he's not deaf. my husband and i have both had actual conversations with him. if you catch him in the right mood and are polite yourself, he's fine to talk with, though he does seem to have some pretty bad speech impediments.

sometimes he yells obscenities at me too. i usually say something like "take care, mike" and go on my way.