Twirly guy at Spanish Springs
 

Anyone know the story with the man that is at SS square during the entertainment?

He usually wears a bandana on his head and twirls around the square with his arms outspread. Tonight he’s waving a baton around and yelling. He’s harmless, but I wondered who he is/ what his story is.

Anyone? No crude or rude comments, please.

Here's about 80 posts all about him and others. This one is a few weeks old. Enjoy. (there's probably 5 or 6 other threads as well)

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...hlight=bandana

That would be me when I forget to take my meds.........:eek:

Twirling guy
 

Watched him chase everyone out of the square on Thursday. He was much louder than usual. He was also screaming at a guy, I think because the guy didn’t like his screaming. I’m surprised The Villages are allowing him to scream like that. Seems to be driving people out of Spanish Springs town square. Or maybe they like seeing the square empty. Makes it easier to justify apartments.

Yeah. His dancing around is lame but tolerable. But his screaming!!?!! Totally crosses the line.

It’s not unusual for him to startle people. And waving that baton around…I think an injury could happen.

bingo

Is the "Spinning Cowboy" at Brownwood the same one that is being referred to at SS?

Not this again...

My antennae go up when the baton guy is around. He appears to be straddling a thin line between quirky and batsh!te crazy.

We steer clear of him, there are a few others like him around.

Robert Dinero needs to call for Mr. Happy

I think the latter opinion is nearer the mark!

???
 

Twirling around with arms outspread?? Maybe he is a Dervish and this is his form of prayer.
I've never seen him, (if I hit a square it will be Brownwood), so I can't be sure. Others seem to think him crazy. If this is the case, he may have someone that brings him, or he may reside close enough to walk to the square. Also, if he is brandishing a weapon, baton, cane or other form of club, the police may need to get involved for everyone's protection, his included.

It's a conductor's baton. A slim bone reed around 15" long and thinner than the average twig. It can't hurt anyone and would likely break in half if he tried slapping it on a rock. It was a gift from one of the patrons of the town squares, when they saw him pretending to conduct the band without one.

I believe his name is Neil (someone mentioned it in the other thread). He's completely and entirely harmless. He isn't on drugs, and doesn't drink booze at all. He carries a backpack with a 1-gallon jug of water in it, which he drinks from throughout his time there, which averages around 1.5 hours in an entire night. He does screech when he's grokking the music, usually to the beat (THREE TWO ONE!) and sometimes without words, just noise. It's jarring but most people who are regulars there are used to it.

While a few people complain, most people either a) tolerate it, or b) are cheered on by HIS enthusiasm and in awe of the fact that he can maintain all that movement without keeling over.

He's also a nice guy in general, and if you ever attempted to talk to him, he'd usually be happy to have a conversation with you. He also accepts elbow-bumps of greeting, being mindful of social distancing and not masking.

He also sweats profusely after he's been dancing for awhile, so it looks icky but it's really all just sweat.

He says he comes to dance as his primary form of exercise, it keeps him healthy. I think he's terrific. We call him Backpack Man.

Thought the police always around the squares. A visit from them may change his tune. Take video evidence

There's usually a Community Watch or Police presence. The guy isn't doing anything illegal, or even anything wrong. He's just twirling around. He's not homeless, he's not a vagrant, he's not begging anything from anyone, he's not touching anyone (other than the previously-mentioned elbow-bump, which is the current societal equivalent of a handshake or a high-five).

Maybe y'all autta try some scream therapy yourselves, and loosen up a bit.

Hmm?
 

Sounds as if he may not be "wacko", just, ah, enthusiastic?
One thought. I used to have a conductors baton. They can give quite a swat without braking, and with a stabbing motion, intentional or accidentally, could easily take out an eye or penetrate body tissue (think brain or heart or lung). Potentially quite lethal even if not thought of as a weapon.
Enjoy his "dancing", but keep your distance.

Oh, Lord...:ohdear::ohdear::ohdear:

He's enthusiastic, AND he could stand a bit of social filtering skills. But nah he and his baton are harmless. He doesn't point it at anyone or anything like that. He literally pretends to direct the band with it, as any conductor would. He stands in a spot where there aren't any dancers, faces the band, and moves the baton the way a conductor would. And then he continues his dance, with the baton and himself safely away from anyone's body.

I just did a Google search on "Conductor's Baton Injuries" and came up with zippo...

I have to agree with OBB...

He may be annoying, but he's harmless...

Just wondering.
 

My response to OBB seems to have struck a negative cord with you. Because OBB seems to paint twirly guy as harmless if misunderstood, I wanted not sound too judgemental, but still warn of potential serious accidents.
I have seen far too many accidents caused by well meaning or thoughtless adult or children.
So, would you mind explaining your response to me. I'm not wanting to fight, I just want to understand what you were trying to tell me.
Thanks

Because this guy has been discussed (and bashed) ad nauseam...

Have you ever even seen the guy? Those who have say he's not a threat to anyone...

Im sure he is not.
Done with the squares years ago, same pathetic third rate entertainment, done with the 1970s line dancers, done with all the disco queens too.
Bit if you enjoy it..fine...probably never had entertainment in your prior location.

But...the man is enjoying himself and he has every right to be there.

Just like up north...all the Jesus preachers could jump on the subway or railroad car and scream that the lord will be our saviour.

Yes...he can scream his mouth off...but come near me...id consider him a threat. Probably isnt dangerous but who knows

But he enjoys the squares....and the squares at the squares.

No, I haven't.
 

I don't frequent SS, so have not seen him. I have seen special needs individuals who, thru no fault of their own, can, and sometimes will become disruptive and, on occasion, even dangerous to themselves and others.
As to my pointing out the potential dangers of the baton, I never said there were recorded injuries or deaths, just that, if handled inappropriately accidents can happen.
Going back to what I said earlier, enjoy his performance (or not) but keep a safe distance Incase he loses control.
And, thanks for coming back to me on this. Frankly, sometimes emojis confuse me more than enlighten me. Yes, I am pretty dense at times.

So you know nothing about him except what you've read... Cool...

I'd wager you've never seen him, either...

I've been to the Squares for entertainment a grand total of 3 times...

So please, spare me your "insightful analysis" of my life, needs and wants...

And nice to know you think yourself better than those who DO enjoy them... :ohdear:

The audience performers are just part of the charm of the squares.

True.
 

True. With the possible exception of my posts, I saw everything from " he is dangerous", obnoxious, disorderly, screaming at people and chasing them out of the square to he is sweet, gentle, friendly, fun to watch, totally harmless. If I remember my first post here, I was,in a way, trying to find out what gives, who is right and could he be harmful with his baton waving around. In any case my "two cents worth" on this thread is actually worth less than two cents. After all, what is an opinion really worth and who says you have to know anything to have one. At least it kept me out of major trouble for a few hours.
Good luck on figuring out what to do about Twirly Guy.

Jean-Baptiste Lully: the Baroque composer who died of gangrene after stabbing his... - Classic FM

Conductor Stabs Himself As Baton Breaks in Mexico - The New York Times

Odd, I saw none of that... Other than obnoxious...

But if that were a criteria for expulsion... Well... We might BOTH be in trouble! :icon_wink:

Does he annoy the community?

"823.01 Nuisances; penalty.—All nuisances that tend to annoy the community, injure the health of the citizens in general, or corrupt the public morals are misdemeanors of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.083, except that a violation of s. 823.10 is a felony of the third degree.
History.—s. 47, Feb. 10, 1832; RS 2704; GS 3680; RGS 5624; CGL 7817; s. 932, ch. 71-136; s. 32, ch. 73-334; s. 66, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-24; s. 41, ch. 75-298; s. 18, ch. 83-214; s. 3, ch. 2001-57."

From: Chapter 823 - 2018 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate

LOL! I I did see that... But it wasn't exactly a "conductor's baton", it was a large wooden staff, with a metal spike on the bottom, that he pounded on the ground.

He stabbed himself in the foot and died of gangrene... Right up my alley!

You must be in the medical field, LEO, or firefighter, to see “far too many accidents, caused by well meaning or thoughtless adults or children”.
My average can be 1 to 5 trauma per night, sometimes resulting in death, but, after 40 plus years, one sometimes never gets used to it. You seem comfortable with so many injuries on your plate.

Ha!
 

Good grief, you've been watching me.😄😄😄😄

Thanks.
 

Thank you. Just goes to show, things happen.

Service+
 

In service and civilian life, work and recreation I've seen more than enough. And, if I live a little longer I expect I'll see or hear of more. But my bet is that in your 40 years you have seen far more than I. When at some gathering or event and they honor veterans they should always,IMHO, include medical professionals, police, fire and first responders. I never get used to injury or death. But I try not to let it show. But you look at the injuries on your plate. Your plate would look like a buffet compared to my dessert plate, I'm sure. Let me, veteran, thank you for your service in the medical field

Baton man
 

Saw him in Publix shopping today and he seemed completely normal to me.

4 or 5 months ago my wife and I were walking on the sidewalk in SS when this man abruptly spun and flung his arms out. My wife was looking away and would have been struck by him had I not stopped her. That would have resulted in me getting in trouble for assault. Later we heard him screaming over the band music.

Later the man was quietly talking to the police. That showed me he chooses when to flail/ scream and when not to.

I find flailing in a crowd and screaming to be disorderly conduct. I'd like to see him warned and then cited

Totally agree. There is no doubt there is the possibility of him causing injury...over and above his yelling being very annoying.

It all comes back to Caddyshack. Just get Carl the greens keeper to slice the back of his hamstring and his dancing and flaying about days will be over : )