Mr. Gumpox

imagined photo

The town's garbage collector.  His first name is 'Jake.'  He borrowed Vic's lodge robe and returned it with a raspberry pie and a thank you card. Married a woman named Josephine via mail-order matrimonial serice; the two moved to West Chestnut Street.  It's very likely this was a short-lived marriageDoesn't wear socksOwned a horse named 'Margaret Evelyn' that diedOwned a horse named 'Cecil' who pulled his garbage wagon until Cecil died.  In the meantime, a horse named 'Vernon' pulled the wagon.  Owns a horse named, 'Howard.' Offered Sade a horse stall to store junk. Once got punched in the nose by Mr. Donahue for blowing kisses at Mis' Donahue. Has a collection of girlie magazine covers on the walls inside Howard's stallHas a brother that owns a shoe store that burned upSells Christmas cards. Hauls around Uncle Fletcher and his junk a lot. Has an automobile horn on his garbage wagonLives at the Bright Kentucky Hotel.  Never misses a motion picture opening at the Bijou. He and the Brick Mush man sometimes argue. He once found Vic's discarded plumme' lodge hat and put it on Howard as a sun hat. He once wore Ike Kneesuffer's old lodge regalia on his garbage route. Wasn't until November of 1945 that he noticed the broken Gook garbage box from July of 1944The citizens of Dwight and Streator dubbed him the Grand Old Man of Garbage (he deemed that an honor.) Gave away awards for prettiest garbage boxLost his dentures that were found by Mr. OverholtWas often awakened by a fast passenger train that would flash by the Bright Kentucky Hotel sixty or seventy miles an hour.  The building would shake from the vibration and he'd ride all around the room in his bed. One time he rode right out the bedroom into the hallway.  He woke up the next morning in the hall by the fire-escape, thirty-five feet from the spot where he'd retired. Spends many of his nights reading at the public library. Some of his close friends call him 'Francis'.