Today's Urban Adventure - Corpses and Berries

[Oh Shoot]

So, on today's walk to the downtown Y, I take one of my shortcuts which takes ya well down below the interstate median for several hundred yards, and what do I behold but a whole line of blackberry territory in prime bloom. Noted it for trip back.

 

Then about 3/4 of the way there, damn if I don't find a corpse, not more than 15 feet off the street I'm walking, can actually see it from the street. (Dale Ave. before the downtown overpass and Valarium for you Knox folks). Black guy, hard to say, maybe 45-55, no obvious cause of death, but I didn't do much of a forensic, was already getting a bit ripe (first noticed the smell, matter of fact). Pretty much looked like homeless guy, but not for sure, didn't look as rough as many I see.

 

Called it in and waited for the troops, pretty quick, fire engine, ambulance, couple squad cars. Gave 'em my info and took off, only about 15 min late to the Y.

 

Oddest thing in retrospect was one cop holding my DL asked me "where are you staying"? I indicated the address on the license. It's a CDL, so maybe he thought I was on the road or something, or then again, maybe figgered I was a street person myself, what with my backpack and the fact I'm grimy with sweat and of course don't dress too much better than many urban outdoorsmen on these treks either.

 

So, at the Y, now that I have officially entered Full Geezerhood via a Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plan, it also gives me the exalted Silver Sneakers status, and was able to switch over from my normal membership, which means instead of costing me 51 clams a month, it's free! Meaning, thanks guys for helping pay for it!

 

So I particularly enjoyed the water aerobics with all the (mostly) fat babes, my harem.

 

And though I don't usually walk the same route both ways, the blackberries summoned. Body of course gone, and nobody poking around the vacant field or anything. So I carry on to the berry lode and pick maybe two quarts of berries, and probably could have done 10, may well go back tomorrow. First time I've walked that route this July or could have been picking them since first of the month I reckon. Just absolutely as sweet as any I've ever gathered, el primo.

 

So anyway, 2 outta 3 ain't bad all in all for a more unusual than most tramp. And before you rip me for the mild rather than wild workout at the Y, I've got a crummy back, an elbow I dislocated (again) about a month ago, and the walk is 8 miles roundtrip, okay? :)

 

- OS

Edited July 17, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[rugerla1]

Woe, quite a trip. Not a story most can tell about a walk to the gym.

[Garufa]

Dang. 

 

Reckon any of those berries are left?

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Bet that don't get lost in the cranial memory banks.

 

And that reminds me....I found some berries down by the fishin' hole, last trip there. Need to see if there's enough for munchin' on, soon, before the birds get'm all.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Bonedaddy

[Reaper]

You didn't by chance see my watch around or under the corpse did you? er nevermind.... good find on the berries and I'd say the leo probably thought you were from the shelter on Broadway. :taunt:

[Raoul]

Some kinda weird karma, both the berries and the body were ripe.

[mikegideon]

Recon somebody profiled and killed that guy using the stand your ground law? You should have emailed killwhitey.gov instead of calling the local fuzz. :) 

[hipower]

Some kinda weird karma, both the berries and the body were ripe.

EWWWW!

[mikegideon]

Some kinda weird karma, both the berries and the body were ripe.

 

You been outside lately? Ripe happens fast right now.

Edited July 17, 2013 by mikegideon

[Reaper]

I'm surprised he could tell the difference between dead ripe and hobo ripe this time of year, there isn't much.

[monkeylizard]

You know how we sometimes say " Pics, or it didn't happen" ? This time we'll just take your word for it.

[mikegideon]

You know how we sometimes say " Pics, or it didn't happen" ? This time we'll just take your word for it.

 

You know the deal right now... you gotta throw down some Skittles and Arizona Iced tea before you snap the pic.

[Oh Shoot]

Dang. 

 

Reckon any of those berries are left?

 

You know how we sometimes say " Pics, or it didn't happen" ? This time we'll just take your word for it.

 

Yeah, I went into ghoul-think briefly, thought about taking some while I was waiting on the troops, but just didn't seem quite palatable or "right" somehow, so bagged the idea.

 

However, here is what I have left of the berries after eating about half of them. And yeah, there are plenty more on the vine over there, might need a dang ladder to get most of them, very tall bushes growing alongside an abandoned Rohm & Haas parking lot.

 

 

- OS

Edited July 17, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[Oh Shoot]

Recon somebody profiled and killed that guy using the stand your ground law? You should have emailed killwhitey.gov instead of calling the local fuzz. :)

 

Didn't see any sign of blood, and not shot in the head from what I could see, but was laying on his side and couldn't see everything --  but figure this happened at least 24 hours ago, and maybe about 36 if it happened at night. Don't think in this heat would have been much earlier than that, and of course possibly less. Trying to remember if it rained since then, we've had so much seems every day for a month, but I'm thinking not for the last 36-48 hours, at least nothing heavy.

 

I'm surprised he could tell the difference between dead ripe and hobo ripe this time of year, there isn't much.

 

Pretty good, but you know the dead mammal smell. I'd cuddle up under the bridge with the worst wino in Knoxville before I'd do it with a ripe corpse.

 

I haven't smelled human rot that much, like some of you may have with military experience, but what I have, it just smells like any other animal to me. I often hear folks say there's nothing else like the smell of human decomposition, or maybe they say that about burning, but anyway, from my experience I disagree as far as the rotting. I've photographed at the Body Farm some back when too, where the corpses were really ripe, and it just smelled same as decomposing dog or cow or whatever to me.

 

- OS

Edited July 17, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Freaking gross.. ..But cool beans ..lol,,Ewwwhhhh

 

I smelled a corpse before.. its something you just cant un-smell for a while..

 

 

My mom always warned me about picking fruit and such close by autobahns and stuff.. to much exhaust and fumes does something to the fruits... But when you consider what they spray on commercial fruit nowadays to keep  them from getting eaten up by  animals and make them bigger and stuff.. I don't know what would be worse..

 

But you found a dead person.. how cool is that?..:) Not good for the dead person but.. ya know..:)

[JWC]

Good score on the berries. Reckon that guy stumbled up on someone elses berry turf too?

I'd have never seen the body, nor gone to the Y. I'd have just stopped there and picked berries all day.

[Oh Shoot]

I smelled a corpse before.. its something you just cant un-smell for a while..

 
Well, still, any dead mammal smells same to me. When I was a little kid a nearby farmer let a dead horse just rot in a field. And of course I made nearly a daily trek over there to check on the progress of the decomposition, fascinating. But the smell was 'bout same as all the other ripe mammals I've smelled since, including Bass's human stiffs over at the Body Farm, or that poor feller today.
 

My mom always warned me about picking fruit and such close by autobahns and stuff.. to much exhaust and fumes does something to the fruits... But when you consider what they spray on commercial fruit nowadays to keep  them from getting eaten up by  animals and make them bigger and stuff.. I don't know what would be worse..

 

Yeah, and not to mention that it's right next to Rohm & Haas, or Dow, whatever it's called now, that has made killer stuff for 75 years or whatever. But, and not meaning to be flippant about any enviro risk with anything, when you get to be my age after growing up playing with mercury and carbon tet, getting noxious stuff all over you, a few teaspoons of which would kill the biggest hardwood in the forest, and etc, you tend to not worry much about minor stuff like the berries.

 

Btw, I was just putting the rest of them in the fridge and there were two Japanese beetles in there I picked along with them. :)

 

They were sooo sweet, I put some milk over them, and they even made the milk taste like it had been laced with sugar.

 

- OS

Edited July 18, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[Guest TankerHC]

WOW! Corpses, Blackberries, old age, the Y, a heads up on what were going to get turning from older to geezers, the police, the fire department, a stop and questioning.....all in one post.

 

Bestest post ever!

[Oh Shoot]

Here ya go, first report (I woke up too early, going back to bed :)):

 

Just a little blurb:

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jul/16/body-discovered-in-vacant-lot-near-downtown/

 

KnoxNews links change a lot, so:

 

"KNOXVILLE — No obvious signs of foul play were found in the death of a homeless man discovered in a vacant lot near downtown Knoxville on Tuesday.

A passer-by happened upon the body in the overgrown lot shortly after 5 p.m. while walking along Dale Avenue near Cowen Street, according to Knoxville Police Department Sgt. Sean Hejna.

“Right now, it appears to be natural,” Hejna said.

It was not immediately clear how long the victim had been dead, he added.

An autopsy is expected to determine the cause of death.

More details as they develop online and in Wednesday’s News Sentinel."

 

- OS

[npgunner]

I smelled a corpse before.. its something you just cant un-smell for a while..

Well, still, any dead mammal smells same to me. When I was a little kid a nearby farmer let a dead horse just rot in a field. And of course I made nearly a daily trek over there to check on the progress of the composition, fascinating. But the smell was 'bout same as all the other ripe mammals I've smelled since, including Bass's human stiffs over at the Body Farm, or that poor feller today.

My mom always warned me about picking fruit and such close by autobahns and stuff.. to much exhaust and fumes does something to the fruits... But when you consider what they spray on commercial fruit nowadays to keep them from getting eaten up by animals and make them bigger and stuff.. I don't know what would be worse..

Btw, I was just putting the rest of them in the fridge and there were two Japanese beetles in there I picked along with them. :)

They were sooo sweet, I put some milk over them, and they even made the milk taste like it had been laced with sugar.

- OS

What was sweet? The berries or the beetles?

[Oh Shoot]

What was sweet? The berries or the beetles?

 

They were actually June bugs come to think of it, but are too small to fool with.

 

 

- OS

Edited July 18, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That was a heck of a trip to visit the babes, Mac. The berries look delicious. Now that you've had your fifteen

minutes of fame, go back and pick more. You do know how to make cobbler, don't you? :D

[Oh Shoot]

That was a heck of a trip to visit the babes, Mac. The berries look delicious. Now that you've had your fifteen

minutes of fame, go back and pick more. You do know how to make cobbler, don't you? :D

 

Granny used to, and one of my exes, but I've never mastered pastries.

 

I went back over there today and grabbed another two or three quarts, gave some to a neighbor. I mainly just pour some cream over them and scarf.

 

- OS

[peejman]

That was a heck of a trip to visit the babes, Mac. The berries look delicious. Now that you've had your fifteen

minutes of fame, go back and pick more. You do know how to make cobbler, don't you? :D

 

 

mmmmmm.... blackberry cobbler with heaping portion of vanilla ice cream...  mmmmmmm.....

[ttocswob]

So I guess you're now a certified "passer-by" - and bonus points for going back for the berrial.