If you’ve hung around Allston, MA during the past few years, or visited Kenmore Square in the decades before that, you’ve probably seen a dreadlocked man playing music, asking for change or sometimes asking if you have any weed. If he knew you he’d usually just give a head nod and know if you were someone who gave him some spare cash or not, one of the more mellow panhandlers you’d ever want to meet. I remember first seeing Mr. Butch back in 1986 or so, hanging around outside of The Rat on an early visit to Boston. If memory serves, myself and friends took him behind the building and smoked a bit of weed with him. If we didn’t that first visit I can guarantee we did the next, when I made The Rat a regular visiting spot, I would see Mr. Butch pretty regularly. He was a strange dude, but one of the friendliest guys around. I’ve talked to him literally hundreds of times since then and he always made me laugh. Sadly, Mr. Butch died in a scooter accident today. I don’t think anyone would add Mr. Butch + Vespa Scooter without coming out with a “this is going to end badly”, but it’s still a shock. R.I.P. Mr. Butch, you were one crazy but nice guy.

Read a brief obit at the Bostonist. Visit the Mr. Butch Show website here. The Allston/Brighton TAB and Boston Globe also have articles online now.