From: Philip St. George, thenorthbaybay.ca staff
NORTH BAY — The Littlest Hobo has been spotted in North Bay.
The Hobo, an intelligent travelling German shepherd, was seen just outside Pinehill Variety on Jane St. yesterday afternoon, where he was helping an elderly woman buy some groceries.
“I’ve never seen a dog as handsome or as smart as that little hobo,” says Pinehill cashier Lena Barton. “Not only did he help that woman carry her groceries out, he also coughed up a fifty to pay.”
“Like, literally. He literally hucked up a Canadian fifty.”
The nomadic dog has been seen elsewhere in the city. Reports coming in detail how the Littlest Hobo has helped clear a man wrongly convicted of murder, saved a kidnapped ballerina, tracked down a missing child, taught a young man the value of friendship, cleared the name of a woman accused of thievery, and tackled Jay Aspin half a dozen times.
“For some reason, he seems to really hate Aspin,” says witness Charlie Hurst. “Every time he’s in sniffing distance of Jay, the Hobo starts growling and tries to knock him over.”
“I think he might be trying to tell us something.”
Maybe Tomorrow
While the appearance of The Littlest Hobo is more than enough to turn heads, Lena Barton says something else caught her attention.
“It was the darnedest thing,” says Barton. “But when that dog and that old lady were leaving, the theme to ‘The Littlest Hobo’ came on the radio.”
Other businesses have reported hearing the theme too, often when the Hobo walks by.
“It was amazing,” says business owner Wanda Kemp, “the first time.”
“By the tenth time it started to wear thin. I’m trying to run a respectable hair salon, but if I have to listen to ‘Maybe Tomorrow‘ one more time I’m going to stab a customer.”
Those looking to see The Littlest Hobo may be out of luck.
ONR foreman Sam Bonnar says he spotted the Hobo hopping a train headed north.
“And before you ask, yes, the theme did come on the radio,” says Bonnar. “That was last night and it hasn’t stopped since. I’m going nuts here. I unplugged the radio but it just keeps playing on a loop.”
“I guess I always knew this would happen. But I don’t blame the hobo. I blame Jay Aspin.”
“That guy is just the worst.”