To be a bit spooked

[TheShoeBoxDiva]

I'm a very cynical person but I don't know how to explain this.

Today I walked past a very distinct looking homeless man. He was wrapped up in several layers/blankets etc with various bits around him. I don't give beggers money but I did offer to get him some food and a hot drink. I had trouble understanding his very strong scottish accent. We are nowhere near Scotland. He only wanted a tea so I went to the cafe that was almost next to him. It was a teabag thrown in a polystyrene cup job so I was in there literally a minute. I came back out to find he had vanished. As in, no trace he'd even been there. All his bags and blankets etc were all gone.

I felt a bit foolish and cross (and in awe of how quickly he could pack up) but never mind.

When I got home a few hours later I looked on the local news website. It had a picture of him saying he'd moved from Perth a few months ago. It also said he had died... 3 weeks ago.

Why do people make these stories up? Is it for attention?

Do you have a link to the local news story please OP?

What news website?

who knows great

Why would the paper write an article on a man who’d just moved to the area and died?

😱 I’d be spooked too.

Yes - a link to the article would be great! Any chance OP?

Why would the paper write an article on a man who’d just moved to the area and died?

Homelessness is very much a big issue at the moment.

A homeless man died in a town near us recently and the papers have run lots of stories about him and ones that have mentioned him eg about homelessness in the area
(this wasn't thee man in the OP though)

Maybe as interesting as our local newspaper. Once they were going on for days about a local homless man having his flea ridden pigeon taken off him.

Why was his death featured in the local paper?I'm not being cynical but sadly, homeless people pass away, and often their deaths go unnoticed. How did you recognise him as the same man? Presumably the photo was of him prior to him being on the street. It does seem bizarre but there is more likely to be a rational explanation for this.

A homeless man in the next town died and he was in the local paper. He was well known in the town I come from. Sad to think he won’t be around now. Lots of pp were very saddened. He was better when in lived in our town. Everyone looked out for him.

A google search doesn't seem to find any story... are you practicing for April the 1st ?

Why would a man moving away and dying three weeks ago be on the local news website?

@Aprilshowersarecomingsoon eek! What did you do?

@WeareStardustWeareGolden oooh. Goosebumps!

You said he was all wrapped up in layers so maybe you didn't get a good look at his face. Sometimes you just want things to make sense. Why didn't you look around the town for him, he couldn't have gone far and something or someone just made him pick up his stuff and leave - saw a better spot or someone he wanted to talk to?

It would be big news if the famous local homeless not homeless person (he's got a house) from where I'm from died.

He's had several articles written about him, - it even made it on to the BBC website when a rumour went round before that he'd died - and he's had a song written about him, I think he's released one himself and there's like 20-30 Facebook pages for him. God knows what's on YouTube.

Google & FB search him, he's Lenny the Tramp, it's quite unbelievable really.

Was it Sir Chicken Digby Caesar?

Eliza I know Lenny....hes a legend !!!! We're neighbours

He fucking is, isn't he. In my day he used the stand at the bus stop by m&s, apparently now he spends more time at Lancaster rd.

I thought ghosts were normally covered in a long white sheet, not lots of layers

I'm not willing to link to the article. This is my "safe place" so to speak and I like the anonymity. I change my username regularly for that reason.

Our city has a big homeless issue (as I guess many do). This man was apparently well known in the area as a bit of a character. The paper likes to stir up trouble for homeless people eg emphasising the issues some have with spice and the impact that has. I think they've realised this isn't a great idea following some pretty nasty attacks on beggars recently. They try to counter it sometimes by writing about the ones they deem to be socially acceptable. They had a huge thing a few months back about another homeless man who had died. They ran articles for weeks about him.

It wasn't a death notice. I don't know why it's only been in the last couple of days (on the home page on the website) when it happened a few weeks back.

I don't remember seeing the guy today before but of course it doesn't mean I didn't register him somewhere.

I will ask in the cafe about him actually- good idea.

I'm not making this up. Why would I? But if you don't believe me, that's your prerogative. But if you think I'm talking nonsense why are you wasting your time searching for it?

Years ago I had two jobs, one behind the bar in a members club and a day job in a customer service role.
One of the club members was a lovely guy and had a lovely wife. They always seemed really in love and were keen dancers. He had an allotment. Just lovely people.
Anyway, he died suddenly. Was very sudden, everyone liked him. It was a big shock. The week after it happened I was at my other job.
I called a customer to my desk and my blood ran cold. It was him. He smiled then saw the look on my face. He said "you must have known my brother Alf"
It was his twin brother. Had no idea Alf had a twin.

What was the article for OP?

@allsaint do you think the gohost would be willing to move if we extended an invitation? I’m sure it’d have much more fun with us anyway. We are a beefy messy family.