Well to be fair (that’s a New Zealandism), there’s probably more than one. And some Chinese, Italian, French, American and God forbid probably an Australian or two. I can say that cause I am one of course.

But this particular Russian, (naturally I know he is Russian cause he wears a Ushanka – commonly known as Russian ear flap hat), well he fills me with intrigue.

I first noticed him lying on the ground near the boating lake in North Hagley.

Lying on the ground, at fiveish in the evening, on a crisp autumn day. I thought it was rather creepy at the time. Not that he was lying on the ground, anyone can do that, and it’s actually quite nice to lie on the ground  and gaze at the sky above. But he was lying on the ground in a Cleopatra reclined type of way, not looking at the lake, or the sky, but looking instead at the path.

He creeped me out. I started calling him Creepy Russian Guy and felt a bit icky for those people trying to walk the path past him. I rode faster.

Recently, with the cooler weather, I have found him sitting on a bench, beside the path, but at least directed toward a view of the lake.

And really I guess there is nothing wrong with that you might think. But he is there every night, rain or shine. One night I cycled past at 5.15 then came back again at 7pm.

He was still there.  And it was raining.

And now I’m sad, and a little fascinated.

What’s his story? What’s his life about?

Is he actually real?

After all, I’ve never been able to see his face………