Tut Tut

Zdepski's illustration of Tut-Tut, the local drunk.

Tut-Tut would wave to every school bus. The kids loved him. He put his beer in the stream to keep it cold. Our Neighbor said his real name was Schmackerbreiner...

Tut-tut would push his bike everywhere he went, often too drunk to ride, or loaded down with Thunderbird, Malt Liquor, or Ripple from the local liquor store. When he died, his entire shed was filled with empty bottles, floor to ceiling.

My brother Mark writes:

"In my memory he wears a baseball cap, has flags on the handle bars, sometimes crepe paper in the spokes. At that time his bike had saddle baskets on the rear wheel, it keeps the center of gravity lower when you are hauling a heavy load. His real name was Mac_______. He was a relative of our neighbors, the kids called him "Smacker-briner" because he smacked his lips in addition to saying "Tut Tut". Our neighbor Roger got in trouble with his grandmother for yelling out of the car window “Hey Smacker-briner!” as they passed him one time. The grandmother came close to tears, evidently he was a disappointment to the extended family. I have more about lewd conduct that was reported in the public press, but it takes too long to type."

My brother Joel adds:

"He had a dirty flag on a bamboo cane, too. I think there was a time that he could, and did, actually ride that bike. Not very well, but he did ride."

and brother James writes:

"In my memory he was more filthy than Pig Pen (from Charlie Brown). A few times in the market we were close enough to tell that his clothes were so dirty that his pants could probably stand in the corner on their own. I think his bathing amounted to reaching into the stream for a cold one.

Alan T____ used to tell him it was his birthday, Tut Tut would give him a dime. He could tell him the same story everyday for a dime."

finally, sister Jean says:

"yup...every kid would tell him it was his/her birthday and got a dime.. then the kid would spend it on Bowker's (Pharmacy) penny candy...lotsa kids had numerous birthdays each year."

Comments

Terry said…
I love your illustration. Your picture and memories preserve a little bit of a sad soul who struggled, the best he could, through life. It sounds like he maybe had some happy times along with the hard times, and I'm glad. You are a true artist with a kind heart.
Chris H said…
It was always a high point in your day if you were going somewhere in your parents' car and saw him on the road up ahead and wondered if he'd wave, although you knew he always would. It was sad when older kids who could drive would mess with him while he was walking his bike.
Joey said…
He doesn't seem like a very good roll model! :/
gsmith said…
I remember old tut tut, found one of his sixpacks in the creek next to Jimmy's, and i lived behind Jimmy's on a street that had tut tut's surname. i enjoyed this post and your illustration.
fyzycyst said…
Beer in the stream... I seem to recall that being the stream by Jimmy's?
zillustration said…
Yes - The stream that runs through the Spring Mills region of Holland Twp, down into Milford along 519. Tut-tut lived on the bend before the hollow going into Milford. Whoever bought his house fixed it up nicely.
zillustration said…
@Joey - Perhaps Tut-tut wasn't a "role model", not everyone is. The kids and community loved him and accepted him. I think the community is a role model for how to treat those less fortunate or mentally ill.
Maureen said…
What a great memory! I always loved going by Tut Tut's house. Your illustration is great! Thank you!
Diana Vogt Gootee said…
He came to Frenchtown, too. I had forgotten all about him but once I began reading many memories came back to me.

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