Back when I was growing up in Memphis (70's & 80'), there was an older gentleman that stood on the corner of Walnut Grove (I think), near East HS. He would stand on the corner for long periods of time and just wave to people. Does anyone else remember that?

I assume he has passed away by now?

(09-28-2011 04:53 PM)oruvoice Wrote:  Back when I was growing up in Memphis (70's & 80'), there was an older gentleman that stood on the corner of Walnut Grove (I think), near East HS. He would stand on the corner for long periods of time and just wave to people. Does anyone else remember that?

I assume he has passed away by now?

I remember him very well. What made you think of him?
I think there was an article in the paper a few years ago when he passed away.

I remember him. There are probably articles online somewhere about him, I did find this....
http://www.commercialappeal.com/photos/2.../04/59415/

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=12...&topic=171

Funny, I was just thinking about him the other day. He was John Martin and he had his dog with him always. When Choo-choo died, or whatever his name was, the Humane Society got him another one. He was on the Johnny Carson show with his dog. He was a retired railroad man, and that is where he learned that wave. He started walking his dog every day and people just started waving at him, so he started waving back.

See? I remembered all that and didn't even look at the article. It always made my day to see him waving, and I always waved back. I think in one of the Best of Memphis Flyer polls, he was voted by some as Best Memphian. We need more people in the world like him, and yes, he passed away some years ago.

(09-28-2011 04:53 PM)oruvoice Wrote:  Back when I was growing up in Memphis (70's & 80'), there was an older gentleman that stood on the corner of Walnut Grove (I think), near East HS. He would stand on the corner for long periods of time and just wave to people. Does anyone else remember that?

I assume he has passed away by now?

Walnut Grove and Holmes on the northwest corner. He also wore a hat and didn't miss waving at many people.

I remember him. Totally forgot him till this thread. I used to see him on the way to school when I was younger and always wondered why he was out there.

I remember him. I think he went out the way he wanted to.

Just west of Walnut Grove and Holmes was also a good place to have an encounter with the infamous Memphis motorcycle patrolman with a mustache that was famous for saying 'he would write his own mother a ticket if she was speeding'.

Yep, Walnut Grove and Holmes. I remember him well.

Every time I pass that intersection I think of him.

I remember seeing him one year at the Greek Festival on Highland with his dog.

(09-29-2011 06:12 AM)oldmangrizz Wrote:  Just west of Walnut Grove and Holmes was also a good place to have an encounter with the infamous Memphis motorcycle patrolman with a mustache that was famous for saying 'he would write his own mother a ticket if she was speeding'.

Selby? He used to pull people over near Highpoint Terrace as well, I believe.

Yeah officer selby.
he's dead now too. killed in the line of duty. drug raid, if I remember correctly.

waving dude was on letterman once too and dave tore him apart, for some reason.
that was the beginning of the end of my relationship with letterman, even tho he helped form my sarcastic sense of humor early on.

wow. I have little, if anything, to add. ha!

(09-28-2011 05:17 PM)Tanyaskees Wrote:  

(09-28-2011 04:53 PM)oruvoice Wrote:  Back when I was growing up in Memphis (70's & 80'), there was an older gentleman that stood on the corner of Walnut Grove (I think), near East HS. He would stand on the corner for long periods of time and just wave to people. Does anyone else remember that?

I assume he has passed away by now?

I remember him very well. What made you think of him?
I think there was an article in the paper a few years ago when he passed away.

Not sure why he came to my mind yesterday. Hadn't thought about that in years. Just a really random/cool memory from my childhood.

I waved at Mr. Martin thousands of times. Officer Selby hung around Galloway Golf Course area. Y'all do remember the famous Doctor ticket incident, holding on to the side of the car.

Yes, it would be nice if there were a statue of Mr. Martin on that corner with his dog, just to remind us all that Memphis is the City of Good Abode.

I didn't know how Officer Selby died, and I am sorry to hear it. He used to sit on Willette at Union and catch all the cars making illegal turns.
And yes, I do remember the doctor incident where he followed the doc to the ER.

I was just thinking about this guy the other day while driving down Walnut Grove. He really made a lot of peoples day just doing something so simplistic.

If I'm not mistaken, didn't have one dog that passed away and someone got him another? They were great!

(09-29-2011 10:49 AM)Willie Becton Wrote:  waving dude was on letterman once too and dave tore him apart, for some reason.

Really? WTF for?

I always heard Officer Selby referenced as the walrus man because of the mustache. He gave me a ticket.

There was also an african american officer that loved to catch speeders on walnut grove as well. He'd hide behind trees and jump out at you.