Comments on: The Bearded Guy That Hangs Out at Adobe Books

By: Catherine Ratliff

Catherine Ratliff — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:17:46 +0000

That is really mean. I visited my brother a few years ago and we both sat at the 16th St. Bart and fed pigeons and they sat on my head and arms and it was lovely!!

By: Louise

Louise — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 04:15:48 +0000

The red man used to stay in my backyard on Capp and 19th in the 90s, the fence and every bit of concrete in the yard was painted with his letters and symbols. The people who ran The Latin American Club lived downstairs and they let him camp the yard. He used to hang out at the Latin American club too, he was never very social though. I hope Swan lives forever.

By: Deena

Deena — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:52:35 +0000

I saw the Red Man and the White Lady pass each other on Mission Street in the early nineties. They didn’t even notice each other. It was VERY disappointing..

By: Oakland

Oakland — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:37:28 +0000

Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

By: Rocky Leon

Rocky Leon — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 09:45:52 +0000

You just a little internet tough-guy, hiding behind your screen. You won’t and can’t do anything besides ethuggin. Shut your toy mouth.

By: MrEricSir

MrEricSir — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:49:47 +0000

WOW! That’s fantastic.

You always know there’s a sad story behind every homeless person, but how often do you get to see something this detailed?

Thanks for sharing this.

By: Pedro

Pedro — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 01:10:54 +0000

someone did make a documentary: http://www.youtube.com/user/garywolfe99#p/a/u/0/rCbf-pKtkhU

John is an alright guy, and I have to say that I’m especially proud of Andrew and Adobe Books for is existence and support of the art/music community and how it has been kept a safe place for people. Please buy more books from there!

By: Cranky Old Mission Guy

Cranky Old Mission Guy — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:35:57 +0000

You must get up late — he’s out there feeding the damn pigeons at the 16th St. BART plaza every single morning. He’s lucky the cops don’t think it’s worth the trouble to bust him.

By: charity

charity — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:08:32 +0000

I made a three minute video of Swan in his old cubby-hideout at Adobe. He bossed me around the whole time but that’s okay. Though he isn’t too keen on humans I have had some fine conversations with him about poetry and am fond of him.

I remember the Red Man. His concept was very thorough and he would make charming signs that complemented his overall effect quite nicely.

By: John Walker

John Walker — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:21:44 +0000

I assumed the Birdman of 16th and Valencia had passed along with the white lady and the red man. I hadn’t seen him in ages. I was dumbstruck when I saw him a couple of weeks ago. I was trying to do the math (I know math is hard) — I saw him first 20 years ago and he looked 60. I see him now and he looks 60, but he must be 80, unless he was 40 20 years ago so now he’s 60.

By: MrEricSir

MrEricSir — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:51:09 +0000

Someone NEEDS to make a documentary about this guy.

It can be called “The Wild Pigeons of 16th and Mission.”

By: MrEricSir

MrEricSir — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:50:26 +0000

He still hands out his writing on occasion.

By: SCUM

SCUM — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:08:49 +0000

I can’t stand that pigeon feeding piece of crap. One of these days I will knock his ass out, cover him in honey then birdseed and let his filthy minions peck the shit out of him.

By: girlcousin

girlcousin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:05:49 +0000

Or peppermint striped!

By: marcos

marcos — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:42:59 +0000

He used to publish this typewritten xeroxed manifesto of schizophrenia back in the late 1980s called ‘the Kanarkly review’ or something. I’m astounded that he’s survived this long.

That was back when the North Mission characters were plentiful, including the Red Man and the White Lady. He used to paint his exposed skin, mustachio’ed face and hands red and sweep the streets with a broom. She would wear all white and paint her skin white and carry a hat box with her stuff in it. I’d heard she’d died about ten years ago assume that the Red Man is too. Always wondered if they hooked up if they’d have kids who painted their skin pink?