Tom, or so I think

There is a man who lives in the open garage of a multi-story brick-laden house that is a part of "The Co-op"* (better known as the Berkeley Student Cooperatives, doing business as the University Student's Cooperative Association). And there he lived for years and years and probably many more years before.

Sometimes he comes out to play. Sometimes he likes to talk. Or give a hand when he sees someone in need. Always he says "Hello, good day" with a smile.

He is an odd sort of man. His only belongings (as far as I could tell) were the clothes on his back and the old black radio. He listened to that thing all the time, or, at least, all the times I passed by. Music, I believe. It was always music. Sometimes the news or a talk show. It is hard to recall. I have been away for a year and it is hard to recall.

At the first house council**, or maybe it was the second?, during my freshman year of college, after being on my own for an entire week, I was told this story about a man who resides next door, occupying a part of the garage whose doors are never shut. I was assured he was a kindly folk who meant no harm but also warned that a few people have had some issues with said man. Mostly minor scuffles over whose responsibility it was to maintain the trash/recycling area that nestles between Davis and Sherman***, or silly things like a verbal fight. Who knows.

A singular man. His keep at Davis primarily falls on his promise not to interfere with the members of the house and to keep to himself. He is allowed a cup of water and a member may make him a PB&J sandwich upon request. He must humble himself to invisibility, to not be in anyone's way or cause disruption. And yet his occupancy at the old brick house has far surpassed any student, for it is the tendency of students to come and go and -- upon completion of studies -- leave.

It may be his long residence at Davis Hall that explains his sense of place. Why he seems to think it is his job to take care of the trash/recycling area. And general maintenance of the small area that separates Davis and Sherman.

He is a nice sort of man. A very nice sort of man. One who never lets a passerby go without a "Hello" and, more frequently, a "How are you?" Whenever possible, I said I was good. Though, admittedly, sometimes I walked by with not a reply. Shameful. I know.

My very first encounter with this man -- or one that I can recall -- was when I attempted to heave a heavy bag of trash over the side of the large trash receptacle parked outside in the parking lot. Without realizing it, a man had come to my rescue. You see, I was neither tall nor of the physically strong nature (not in my arms, anyway) and I always, always had trouble heaving heavy bags of trash or recycling over the receptacles. Sometimes a shiny golden lock was employed and, though I tried, unsuccessful I was with the unlocking. He was always there to offer advice. More likely he would tell me to leave the trash bags on the ground and, getting up from his chair walking towards me, he'd get to it.

A singular man indeed. An existence, I wonder, if he'd led for a very long time. I should have taken some time to ask him about his life and how he came to live in the open garage of the multi-storied brick-laden house that is Davis Hall, or why he never fails to be kindly and gentlemanly.

Tom is his name, or so I think.

(My memory fails in a most disappointingly way.)


Correction: Merklin is his name. Spelling has not been confirmed. But Merklin is his name.
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* The Co-ops is a mostly student-run non-profit organization that provides low-cost housing to university students in the Berkeley, CA area, though one need not be a student of the University of California at Berkeley.
** House Council is essentially a house meeting for all the members of an individual housing unit (there are apartment complexes in the co-ops too). Generally bi-monthly, these meetings are a place for the members of a house to discuss important issues, resolve conflicts, and discuss any changes, purchases, policies that may affect the entire house.
*** Davis (Hall) and Sherman (Hall) are two of the houses in the co-op. They are neighboring houses. Sherman is all-women. Davis is co-ed.