Hobbes the hobo
Hobbes the transit hobo is also known as the memory collector. He spends long days traveling through the transit way to gather stories about the lives of others. At the end of an insightful conversation with the commuter he only asks for a transfer.
After the long journeys through Ottawa, Hobbes sometimes heads to Place d’Orleans station. There lies his sanctuary- he sleeps, recharges and most importantly he reflects on the events of the day. Late at nights Hobbes often looks to the perpetual traffic on the adjacent highway and meditates on the collected stories. After a period of reflection he turns these sometimes mundane daily stories into richly poetic Haikus. These are then inked on the extra transfers overflowing his left trouser pocket. The best stories are kept and collected, the rest he gives away freely. Though he never asks for anything in return, many who are touched by his poems offer him clothing, food and sometimes money. One day he hopes to collect enough haikus to complete a full volume.
When Hobbes decides to sleep at Place d’Orleans he is awaken by the cacophonic chirping of the pigeons. Training birds is actually Hobbes favorite solitary activity. The pigeons tail him as he travels along Ottawa’s transit way.
Studio 2, Fall 2009 