"WHY IS IT SO QUIET? AIN'T NO GODDAMN SOUND IN THIS TOWN!"

[asthmaticeog]

That's what the homeless guy who hangs out in front of the building I work in was shouting at the top of his lungs when I left the office today.

"WHY IS IT SO QUIET? AIN'T NO GODDAMN SOUND IN THIS TOWN!"

He stood up from the window stoop he sits on and made his way east on West Saint Clair, shouting that, over and over.

"WHY IS IT SO GODDAMN QUIET? AIN'T NO SOUND IN THIS MUTHAFUCKIN' TOWN!"

He turned north on West 6th Street, still shouting it, over and over. I had to go south on that street, but I could still hear him clearly, his words splitting the afternoon like a fucking air raid siren.

"WHY IS IT SO GODDAMN QUIET? AIN'T NO SOUND IN THIS MUTHAFUCKIN' TOWN!"

I'm four blocks away from the guy, almost at my bus stop, still hearing him, wondering if I'm the only one who finds this amazing, thrilling, and poetic.

"WHY IS IT SO GODDAMN QUIET? AIN'T NO SOUND IN THIS MUTHAFUCKIN' TOWN!"

I certainly don't envy the homeless, and I don't buy into any "noble savage" bullshit, but I wish all the suits who got annoyed by the man's chant had the balls to do it, because I think that somewhere in the core, they agreed with him.

"WHY IS IT SO GODDAMN QUIET? AIN'T NO SOUND IN THIS MUTHAFUCKIN' TOWN!"

More people should yell. People should just yell shit all the time.

[Sugar Smack]

1. I really like that. My father's been known to burst into song

at utterly RANDOM times in public. He was the distinguished professor-chairman of the German Dept. for 16 years, also taught Icelandic & Norwegian for 8 years. And there he would be, suddenly belting out "Paint it Black" in his own patented whine. My brother & I got over our embarrassment at an early age, especially when we saw complete strangers clapping. I love your story!

[asthmaticeog]

3. Your dad sounds like a hoot!

Glad you dig the story. I was so amazed by what this guy was doing I just wanted to take his loud, public I-don't-give-a-fuck proclammation with me forever, 'cuz I'll probably never grow the grapes to act up like that myself.

[skipos]

5. What movie is the left picture in your

signature from? I am going nutz trying to place it.

[asthmaticeog]

10. The Shining n/t

[no name no slogan]

4. Oh, man, what a visual...

Do you think if I brought him another "Uff Da" shirt he'd do it next time I see him? ;)

[redqueen]

2. Beauty!

:D

[Zuni]

6. I was infront of the building I work at once

and a dude came stumbling down the street yelling "I am the drunkest black man in Annapolis."

I thought that was awesome

[WCGreen]

7. He's right..... I was driving through Downtown Cleveland

today and there wasn't any sound....

There was no traffic, it was 4:30, no pedestrians, nothing....

There is no life to speak of in Downtown Cleveland anymore....

There was a guy playing a mean rendition of rollin on the river with a snare drum and a cymbal down by the Rock-n-Roll Hall of fame...

But there was no noise anywhere that I went....

Even the Banana Republic had Split...

Five years ago, you couldn't drive for all the traffic....

Twenty years ago, there were theaters in Downtown Cleveland, even Burlesque...

Now...

Not so much any more...

No Character, no vitality, just there.....

[cssmall]

9. And, that, Chris, is pathetic.

[WCGreen]

11. It is and they can;t seem to do anything about it....

They have tried, real hard....

But the lure of the suburbs keeps growing....

In Cleveland, it use to be special to go downtown...

Now....

It's a chore....

If they really want to do something good for downtown, they need to try and remake Cleveland State into a resident college and not a commuter one....

[JimmyJazz]

8. I've only been to Cleveland once. It was rather quiet for a big city.

But really, so is DC.

[Beware the Beast Man]

12. He's right. Downtown Cleveland is eerily quiet.

I wish I was there with a sampler. That would have made a great sound bite. :)

[WCGreen]

14. Even during the day

[asthmaticeog]

15. And since it was in Warehouse District, it had FANTASTIC natural reverb

off of all those cool old buildings. I wish I'd taped it, too - his voice is tenor, real nice.

[tuvor]

13. That should be in a song.

Hmmm...