Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2026466)

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.

Originally Posted by spd2918 (Post 2028725)

Maybe my earlier post was missed. He was on the sidewalk in Spanish Springs on the perimeter of the square in a congested space. He went from no movement to a fast spin with his long arms fully outstretched. He nearly struck my wife who was walking beside me, holding my hand, and looking sideways at the band. That is nothing like grandchildren running around (poor parenting if they are banging into people).

This is not acceptable inside a crowd.

He has control over himself and he chooses to act out for attention.
He cannot use a supposed mental condition as an excuse to act this way or scream in public.

Originally Posted by JSR22 (Post 2028738)

give him a break. If he knocked into me I would get over it. If my husband assaulted him I would be furious at my husband. My husband knows better then to assault people.

Originally Posted by spd2918 (Post 2028761)

If he spun and hit you in the mouth or dropped you to the ground, I very much doubt you'd just get over it.

Your husband knows not to assault people? So does the man wildly swinging his arms into crowds.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2026466)

It's a conductor's baton…It can't hurt anyone...

Originally Posted by JSR22 (Post 2028738)

give him a break. If he knocked into me I would get over it. If my husband assaulted him I would be furious at my husband. My husband knows better then to assault people.

Originally Posted by spd2918 (Post 2028761)

If he spun and hit you in the mouth or dropped you to the ground, I very much doubt you'd just get over it.

Your husband knows not to assault people? So does the man wildly swinging his arms into crowds.

Originally Posted by manaboutown (Post 2028771)

OK, how many people who behave like him should be tolerated at the squares? 10? 100?

Just imagine what that would be like..

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2028766)

Try and keep up here. I'll type it one word per line for ya:

He
does
not
wildly
swing
his
arms
and
he
has
not
hit
anyone
in
the
mouth
or
dropped
anyone
to
the
ground.


It's a nothingberder. As for people whining about disturbing the peace: he does this while the band is playing. You're talking about a nightly event where crowds of people block out entire portions of the dance area with their group line dancing, paying no never-mind to anyone who might want to be trying to find a space where they can dance as well. You're talking about high-decibel sound coming from electric instruments and amplified voices through big speakers. You're talking about a bunch of drunken old people "stealing" each others' chairs the second the occupant gets up to dance. What "peace" are you even talking about?

Originally Posted by spd2918 (Post 2028820)

I was there and he did.

Originally Posted by JSR22 (Post 2028821)

He is harmless just walk away. Why look for a confrontation?

Originally Posted by manaboutown (Post 2028824)

He is a nuisance and should not be tolerated.

Originally Posted by JSR22 (Post 2028825)

Stop he is harmless. Being mean is unkind.

Originally Posted by spd2918 (Post 2028761)

If he spun and hit you in the mouth or dropped you to the ground, I very much doubt you'd just get over it.

Your husband knows not to assault people? So does the man wildly swinging his arms into crowds.

Originally Posted by spd2918 (Post 2028725)

Maybe my earlier post was missed. He was on the sidewalk in Spanish Springs on the perimeter of the square in a congested space. He went from no movement to a fast spin with his long arms fully outstretched. He nearly struck my wife who was walking beside me, holding my hand, and looking sideways at the band. That is nothing like grandchildren running around (poor parenting if they are banging into people).

This is not acceptable inside a crowd.

He has control over himself and he chooses to act out for attention.
He cannot use a supposed mental condition as an excuse to act this way or scream in public.