Odd famous person sighting

[M2]

So I'm in the Fenway today. There's a little sandwich shop there where they do fantastic roll-ups and frozen yogurt and I swung by to get some take out. Anyway, I'm in my car waiting for a long light and I notice this older gentleman is picking up trash in this one grassy area that's part of Boston's Emerald Necklace.

He was a well-dressed fellow. Not overly so, but casual dress slacks and a button up shirt. He was grabbing paper scraps and coffee cups (Dunkin' Donuts is at that intersection) and putting them in a plastic grocery bag. Over the course of 30 seconds he'd spruced the area up quite nicely and I was thinking how nice it was to see someone pay attention to that sort of detail when I noticed who it was - former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis.

He was only about 25 feet away from me when I finally saw his face and there was no mistaking him. It was definitely Dukakis. I can't imagine many former national political figures go around picking up litter.

[remdog]

Maybe he was on work release.

Ran into Michael Milkin a few weeks ago in a restaurant in Sacramento. He's out of prison and seems to have decided to make 'charity' his lifes work.

Rem

[Highlifeman21]

Loved that Pres. campaign commercial with him in the tank.

[vaticanplum]

If you run into him again, I implore you to mention that my best friend has a cat named Kitty Dukakis, and that she weaves when she's walking just like his wife used to. True story.

Very spiffy, M2.

[Chip R]

Hey! Take it to the Peanut Gallery.

[BoxingRed]

Nice story M2.
I went to an informal service in the National Cathedral one Sunday when I was at GWU. It was the kind of thing where people just sat on the steps of a basement room. At one point, they did the old greet your neighbor thing and I turned to my right and was shaking hands with a flannel clad Dukakis.
You run into politicos all the time in DC, but that was a bit unusual.

[RedsBaron]

M2's story is unusual for this day and age. Regardless of party and ideology, in office or retired, our politicians tend to only be seen with an entourage around them. I remember reading how when Harry Truman left office, following Eisenhower's swearing in, Harry and Bess drove home to Independence. Now the outgoing President flies home on a former Air Force One, surrounded by aids and secret service. Just a diffferent time.

[Steve4192]

Loved that Pres. campaign commercial with him in the tank.

[redsmetz]

Some years ago, my family and I were walking across Fountain Square heading back to the Federated Garage between 6th & 7th Sts. As we walked by the restaurant there on the Square, my older daughter and I swear we saw Michael Douglas sitting at a table having dinner. My wife says we're nuts. It was during the time that Traffic was being filmed in Cincinnati though. I've never found anyone who worked there who could confirm that he ate there, but my daughter and I stick to the story.

[Matt700wlw]

Saw Woody Harrelson in an airport in Jamaica...

I wonder what he was doing there?

[JaxRed]

Saw Dukakis in an airport as we waited for planes and we chatted for a few minutes. He was very pleasant. I was suprised by what a small man he was physically.

[OldRightHander]

A few years ago, ok maybe more than just a few, I was walking through the lobby of the Westin and saw Nolan Ryan sitting there reading the paper. That was right after I saw the sign telling people to respect the privacy of their guests, so I left him alone.

[UKFlounder]

A couple years ago, I had to work downtown during the weekend of Octoberfest, and as I headed towards my office building, I saw Jerry Springer crossing 5th street, right across from Fountain Square.

Last year, I went into work early one morning and saw Bob Uecker coming out of the Westin for a morning walk or breakfast run.

I believe I saw Johnny Bench in Fountain Place Mall earlier this year, or perhaps it was just his evil twin. It sure looked like him.

I also think I saw Oscar Robertson at 4th & Vine a couple years ago.

And, I've seen Carl Lindner driving on Vine St a few times. It's kind of funny to see him at a traffic light, knowing he's worth $1 billion or so, and then se all the other "commoners" in traffic. I always wonder if anybody else recognizes him, especially anyone in the cars behind him (though I know he has security follow him, but I don't believe I've ever recognized any car as security)

[Betterread]

So I'm in the Fenway today. There's a little sandwich shop there where they do fantastic roll-ups and frozen yogurt and I swung by to get some take out. Anyway, I'm in my car waiting for a long light and I notice this older gentleman is picking up trash in this one grassy area that's part of Boston's Emerald Necklace.

He was a well-dressed fellow. Not overly so, but casual dress slacks and a button up shirt. He was grabbing paper scraps and coffee cups (Dunkin' Donuts is at that intersection) and putting them in a plastic grocery bag. Over the course of 30 seconds he'd spruced the area up quite nicely and I was thinking how nice it was to see someone pay attention to that sort of detail when I noticed who it was - former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis.

He was only about 25 feet away from me when I finally saw his face and there was no mistaking him. It was definitely Dukakis. I can't imagine many former national political figures go around picking up litter.

Thank you for sharing that first hand story. It speaks to his integrity.

[creek14]

And, I've seen Carl Lindner driving on Vine St a few times. It's kind of funny to see him at a traffic light, knowing he's worth $1 billion or so, and then se all the other "commoners" in traffic. I always wonder if anybody else recognizes him, especially anyone in the cars behind him (though I know he has security follow him, but I don't believe I've ever recognized any car as security)

I recognized him the day he almost hit me in a crosswalk.

Just think, if I hadn't semi-jumped out of the way, I might be the current owner of the Reds...