People of Boston: Part 3

This morning I wandered through the city for 40 minutes or so, and since it was Sunday there were a lot of tourists. I happened across a man playing an instrument I had never seen before, outside the old statehouse. I sat down on a bench across the street and started drawing him. After 20 or so minutes I had done a few drawings and I decided to walk over and put 2 dollars in a hat by his feet. I gave him the last drawing after he took a picture of me holding it. He told me the instrument is a hurdy gurdy and that this particular one had been made for him in France thirty-two years ago “almost to the day.” It is based on a model from the 17th century. I later found out that the man is named Donald Heller. You can learn about him here and here and here.

In the afternoon I met various students who are pushing through the mires of job-hunting and student-loans. They were all either chemistry, pre-med, or physics majors. I got to meet another Iranian woman, although I didn’t really get to ask her anything interesting.

It was a very hot day. The sunburns have been kept at bay, at least for now.

People of Boston: Part 2

On Thursday I met two Syrian Christians in Copley Square who were very active volunteers for charity and often donated blood and platelets. Apparently their brother was having his college orientation that day so I talked to them for a few minutes.

On Tuesday I met a guy who used to donate to various animal charities, but stopped giving to PETA after finding out that they kill most of the cats they take in (which I had discovered myself a few months ago). He wants to start his own organization which he wants to call “Feline Foundation” and focus on helping cats rather than spending money on legal issues.

Also on Tuesday I met a guy who skateboards around and sells his artwork on the street. There are a few of these guys here and there. His paintings put cartoons from pop culture into famous images. For example, DaVinci’s Vitruvian Man replaced by Doug Funnie.

I got to speak some German and French to tourists yesterday (if I knew Spanish it would really help), including a dad and his son who didn’t know any English.

 

People of Boston: Part 1

Today I met a man from Eritrea. He was sitting on a bench. I couldn’t understand him too well, but the basics are that he fled Eritrea to avoid violence. He went to Sudan and flew from there to the United States. Apparently he has half-Italian cousins.

I met a tall Colombian man who was visiting for a few weeks. I met a Chinese woman who studies urban planning at MIT. I asked her if she was at least 21. She was actually 31.

I saw a car crash near that bench I mentioned earlier. A little “fender-bender” as some might say. I met a man who saw this crash and had just seen a bicycle collision “three steps” prior. He now believes that he causes crashes by his mere presence, and that he can profit off of this by talking to people when they crash and deciding whose fault it was. He shook my hand multiple times.

On a different bench I met a guy who thinks that “Black Sabbath and some bud” are they keys to a great day. He is homeless and owns a motorcycle. He was wearing a leather jacket, which he said he found in a thrift store. “I just went in and put it on”. The thing is, his (now ex) girlfriend brought it there just to spite him apparently. All his other stuff too. After I left he laid down and went to sleep.

Today I learned that if people are going somewhere, they’re usually late for it.