Dec 08 2008
Human Robot
We have a wide variety of street performers here in San Francisco. Many perform around the Fisherman’s Wharf area and others just set up shop downtown and anywhere tourists can be found.
Years ago, right after September 11th I was working in Ghirardelli Square. Our store was located right on the West plaza near the fountain. After 911 things were very slow and quiet. No one was really traveling so the square was basically a ghost town. It was in the afternoon when we happened to see some guy with his face and arms painted silver with a duffel bag on the bench across from the store. He opened the bag, took out silver clothing with wires attached to the attire and began getting dressed. Now remember this was right after 911 so we were scared of anything unusual. Seeing wires attached to this guy dressed all in silver was definitely unusual and something we hadn’t seen before. So, panicking, we alerted security who threw him out of the square and told us that he was merely one of the street performers who regularly works the wharf. Of course we didn’t know this and thought he was there to blow up the square. Street performers are allowed to entertain along the wharf but if they want to perform in the squares such as Ghirardelli, Pier 39 etc… they need permission to do so.
Anyway, Mr. Silver man you can find any day of the week along the wharf. He’s out there with his boom-box and his tip cup and for a buck will do a little dance for you. The tourists love him, the locals are tired of him but he does entertain. I found a video of him doing what he does best - asking for money which the tourists love to provide.
Enjoy!
I see him all the time in fact I wrote a post about him recently on this blog - the bush man.