Stop the Lie!
I saw him on Saturday. People have been telling me since I first moved to Savannah that I had to see the Stop the Lie guy. I was despairing of ever catching a glimpse of him, but as I was sipping a chai latte outside of Gallery Espresso with Zac and Sandra, he walked up and started talking about The Lie.
A little background is needed here. Savannah is known for many things, most ghosts, heavy drinking, and a quaint historic district are just a couple. What most people don't know is that we also have A LOT of crazy people. "Eccentric" might be a better word, but all of these people are very public about their quirks. They've achieved legendary status. They are celebrities, but people on the street know their names, smile and nod and say hello to them.
For example, the Batman. There's a guy downtown who dresses up like a bat and runs around at night. He doesn't fight crime or even talk to anyone. He just puts on his costume and parades around in the back alleys and dark streets.
And then there's the Harmonica Lady. She works her way up and down Broughton Street, walking through each business she passes, playing her harmonica with no apparent tune in mind. Sometimes she'll stop in front of a restaurant window and shake her bottom at the diners in time with her playing.
But I saw the Stop the Lie Guy, and I'm proud. He's an older gentleman who wears a straw hat, pinstriped slacks, a button-down white shirt, and a leather satchel. He walks around downtown, particularly in Forsyth Park and on River Street, carrying a sign that says "Join the Rebel Force" on one side and "Stop the Lie" on the other. If you ask him what the lie is, he'll say, "God is not a monkey," and hand you a photocopied sheet with miniscule text on it. I didn't ask him, but I heard someone else do it. I can only assume that his beef is with Darwinism.
That's one of the things I find interesting about Savannah. None of these people (and I've just mentioned three out of at least twenty in the downtown area alone) are ostracized or locked up. They're just part of the neighborhood. They're harmless, so people just enjoy the flavor they add to the area. It doesn't hurt that they're all rich either. None of these people have to work, as most of them come from old money. Personally, I think it's fabulous.
A little background is needed here. Savannah is known for many things, most ghosts, heavy drinking, and a quaint historic district are just a couple. What most people don't know is that we also have A LOT of crazy people. "Eccentric" might be a better word, but all of these people are very public about their quirks. They've achieved legendary status. They are celebrities, but people on the street know their names, smile and nod and say hello to them.
For example, the Batman. There's a guy downtown who dresses up like a bat and runs around at night. He doesn't fight crime or even talk to anyone. He just puts on his costume and parades around in the back alleys and dark streets.
And then there's the Harmonica Lady. She works her way up and down Broughton Street, walking through each business she passes, playing her harmonica with no apparent tune in mind. Sometimes she'll stop in front of a restaurant window and shake her bottom at the diners in time with her playing.
But I saw the Stop the Lie Guy, and I'm proud. He's an older gentleman who wears a straw hat, pinstriped slacks, a button-down white shirt, and a leather satchel. He walks around downtown, particularly in Forsyth Park and on River Street, carrying a sign that says "Join the Rebel Force" on one side and "Stop the Lie" on the other. If you ask him what the lie is, he'll say, "God is not a monkey," and hand you a photocopied sheet with miniscule text on it. I didn't ask him, but I heard someone else do it. I can only assume that his beef is with Darwinism.
That's one of the things I find interesting about Savannah. None of these people (and I've just mentioned three out of at least twenty in the downtown area alone) are ostracized or locked up. They're just part of the neighborhood. They're harmless, so people just enjoy the flavor they add to the area. It doesn't hurt that they're all rich either. None of these people have to work, as most of them come from old money. Personally, I think it's fabulous.