Quarter Guy | normalbob.com

A few days ago Amazing Strangers got a shout-out on Buzzfeed for my coverage on some “Celebs who’re only famous in NYC,” including Wendell & Quarter Guy. As far as I know this is the first time Quarter Guy has gotten any kind of press coverage outside of my site.

Now, Quarter Guy is easily one of the most mysterious & evasive characters I’ve come across in my Amazing Stranger hunts. No one knows him, he hangs completely alone, and seems genuinely unable to have any sort of normal conversation with anybody. Certainly one of the most obsessive & bizarre characters NYC has to offer. Unlike Wendell for instance, Quarter Guy does none of what he does for show. Nor does he do it for sexual fulfillment like other non-socials I’ve followed, ie: Earth Angel or the Peepers. Quarter Guy seems to stand alone. In Shaggy’s own words, “Quarter Guy is the most authentic New Yorker there is.” – Yet, no one knows anything about him. Until now.

Earlier today I received an email from someone who once knew the Quarter Guy.
Here is what she had to tell.

Normal Bob,
Came across a post on Facebook that included the Quarter Guy. Link took me to your page. I know this guy. Or should I say I knew him when I was younger. His name is Kim Williams. He graduated the H.S. of Art and Design between 1983-85. I believe he was a year ahead of me. Was friends with him back then, we where even in a band after H.S. very briefly. He played drums. Lost touch with him shortly after that. We all did stuff back in the day, but everyone pretty much knew their limits. Kim just kinda faded away, then I started hearing stories about him or a guy that looked like him around Union Square. I lived uptown in the 90s, and then briefly in the LES around 2000. I remember seeing him, but he didn’t recognize me. The guy I knew was pretty much gone.Not sure why I’m writing this, maybe just to put a name to the face and just to say he wasn’t always like this. The guy I remembered was funny, a good drummer, and a decent person. Maybe it was drugs, maybe mental issues, maybe somewhere in between, or maybe he said fuck all this rat race bullshit, and mentally checked out on his own terms.
Anon.

Whoa. This is not at all what I was expecting. When you see the videos of him, is there any of that personality in the guy you once knew?When you say you “did stuff” back in the day, I’m not sure if you’re talking drugs, or just regular things like you went out for pizza and movies stuff. Can you clarify?If you had to estimate about when he started going around for quarters when would you guess?
Thank you for contacting me.
Normal Bob

Recreational drugs. No needles or anything crazy. Don’t want to start rumors. I just watched a videos, sorry to troll. It’s just blowing my mind. The girl in the video is a classmate or ours. I can’t remember her name, but I know the face. I’m surprised he recognized her, but when I saw him so many years ago he seemed really messed up. That was roughly 14 years ago though. I’m guessing he didn’t want to talk to you in front of her.He was a really talented, guy art wise and music wise. Maybe he didn’t want to put it out in front of her that he pan handles. That would be my guess, if I was on the street and ran into someone from the past. Or maybe not? I don’t know. Like I said before, maybe it’s mental, drugs, or maybe just dropped out hippie style?
Anon.