The Man and the Mousetrap
He sat down on the bus seat right in front of me, while I was trying to read about how each of us individually creates meaning from the complex tapestry of the American city. I was sitting there with my nose in the book when all of a sudden this young kid (there was a whole, loud group of them in the back of the bus, where the cool kids sit) … this kid plunks down next to me on the seat.
The bus was not even close to full, so that was kind of weird. But, being a non-confrontational Minnesotan, I ignored my new neighbor.
Soon he left, but not long after that another, different kid sat down next to me. Was this some sort of practical joke, I asked myself, and I wondered ignoringly until the kid turned back to her friends and shouted, “It’s Real!” A sea of giggles bubbled up from the audience.
That got me thinking, and noticing. What’s real? What’s so funny?
Then I noticed the guy in front of me. He had a mousetrap on his ear.
Now, granted, this was no punk making a point. This was a typical working-class, mesh-hat octogenerian, sitting and riding the bus because he was too old or too poor to drive. He was your everyday bus companion — except that he had a mousetrap on his ear.
I took some invasive pictures, and the kids kept giggling, but either the old man didn’t notice, or he was too proud to acknowledge us. And, as I sat there in wonder, I just had to start laughing. I busted a gut — it was so utterly foreign, so abnormal, so crazy.
A while later a lady who apparently was acquainted with the guy boarded the bus, saw him, and sat down next to him. “Art. How’ve you been?”
Art mumbled something.
“Say, Art. You’ve got a mousetrap on your ear,” the lady stated, her jaw hitting the dirty bus floor. “You know you’ve got a mousetrap on your ear?”
Again, Art mumbled… something about the mousetrap. I couldn’t make it out. The only thing I heard was the word “yesterday.”
“You’re crazy,” the lady said, and she quickly moved to another seat.
Maybe he was crazy. Though, apart from the mousetrap, he didn’t seem particularly loony to me. But this guy has been making me laugh for going on eight hours now. It’s made me think about all the ways in which the world don’t move to the beat of just one drum.
See pictures yourself:
Apr 25th, 2007 at 11:37 am
I’ve ridden the bus several times with him and I have no clue what is up with the mousetrap.
Apr 25th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
His name is Gary. He’s an expert mechanic, and a very smart guy…among other things. I’ve known him since I worked with him in 1980. When none of the other mechanics could figure out the problem and fix the machines in the factory, Gary got the call and figured it out. Once he asked the plant foreman what to do about a particular injection molding press. Foreman said “piss on it”…Gary climbed on top of press and did just that. He got suspended for a few days for that one. Gary is also often seen wearing Batman earrings. The first time my wife to be met him she said “turn around and look at what’s coming down the street.” I turned around and said hi Gary. Gary was wearing bright yellow, vinyl pants with a sort of lattice pattern on the sides exposing bare skin from belt line to ankle. Along with this he was wearing a bright purple vinyl shirt, along with his Batman earrings. I saw him on the 3 route today on the way home, wearing same hat and coat. That’s good old Gary for ya!
Apr 25th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Wow! Thanks for explaining the mousetrap for me. I just called him Art because its seemed fitting somehow.
Apr 25th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Never a dull day on the buses heh:)
Apr 26th, 2007 at 6:45 am
Also, once in the factory, Gary again asked plant manager what to do with an injection mold. Plant manager said “that thing is a piece of S…you should throw it out. Gary got the forklift and did just that. Trash company brought the mold back and asked if we really wanted to throw it out… Gary used to have knives, forks and spoons hanging from the ceiling of his kitchen from from fishing line. Good ol’ Gary!