Mole people in tunnels in NYC
Dec 23rd, 2004, 04:48 AM
#101
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I recently saw an interesting documentary called "Dark Days" about the mole people or tunnel dwellers of NYC. The film maker, Marc Singer, literally went down into the tunnels and interviewed them and filmed them living their day to day lives. Some of them even had power and water in small homes they built from scrap metal and wood they found above. They way they lead their lives down there is amazing and the documentary is very interesting.
http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?...01871&trkid=73
http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?...01871&trkid=73
Dec 26th, 2004, 06:29 PM
#105
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Now Scarlett, do not confuse "moles" with "trolls".
This is a frequent misconception. Trolls live under birdges and love to talk about travel, particularly dicussions about things like babies on airplanes....
Moles, of course, can not travel above ground except at night, thus, they have less interest in this board.
This is a frequent misconception. Trolls live under birdges and love to talk about travel, particularly dicussions about things like babies on airplanes....
Moles, of course, can not travel above ground except at night, thus, they have less interest in this board.
Dec 26th, 2004, 08:52 PM
#107
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Mole people do indeed exist under the city & I've seen them many times. On my first trip to NYC, I was visiting with a friend who had moved there from TX. She had advised me not to speak to the strange folks who lived down there & I didn't know exactly what to expect. On one occasion, late at night, we were returning from the theater on the subway & realized that we didn't know which train would take us back to her apartment, as it was a new location for her. As my friend struggled with the maps & the hour was getting later with fewer people about, I saw one of the "mole people" leaning against a wall watching us. I went over to him & asked for his assistance in finding the correct train for our location. The fellow was very helpful, articulate & we could tell very knowledgeable about the different routes & schedules. He refused the dollar bill that I offered but waited with us until our train arrived because we were obviously becoming more frightened. Some are a bit "different looking" - this one had deformed "flipper like" arms, but they are human beings & appreciate being treated with respect & kindness just like the rest of us.
On another occasion & I've posted this before, it was Mother's Day & one of the "mole people" came up to me & asked if I was a mother. I replied that I was & I had a son about his age. With that he handed me a lovely red carnation, got down on one knee & sang "Happy Mother's Day To You" while wide-eyed commuters went around us. We were both crying & I've often wondered if this young man was ever able to sing his little song to his own mother. Only in NYC!
On another occasion & I've posted this before, it was Mother's Day & one of the "mole people" came up to me & asked if I was a mother. I replied that I was & I had a son about his age. With that he handed me a lovely red carnation, got down on one knee & sang "Happy Mother's Day To You" while wide-eyed commuters went around us. We were both crying & I've often wondered if this young man was ever able to sing his little song to his own mother. Only in NYC!
Jan 2nd, 2005, 11:28 PM
#109
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Is this for real, or is everyone just really good at keeping a fodors tradition alive? I dont expect a straight answer even if it were fiction, but this stuff is really interesting. How far do these tunnels go down? What do they dress in? This is just too bizarre to be real.
Jan 4th, 2005, 06:47 PM
#111
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These folks, in my opinion, are very real. Their clothing is kind of unkempt & not real clean but you see that on the city streets too. I don't know about any particulars or anything about the tunnel statistics but you can definitely spot the people who appear to live down there.
Jan 5th, 2005, 06:08 AM
#114
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Hey, here in Chicago they just found a guy living in a drawbridge, yes, in the bridge and he had a tv, vcr, xbox, microwave the whole shebang so this isn't too surprising, troll, mole or otherwise!
Jan 7th, 2005, 07:52 AM
#117
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I have to assume most people on this thread are joking. I have lived in NYC all of my life and have never heard of mole people. As to homeless people, like any big city in any nation, there are homeless people here. Is that a surprise to anyone? But I do agree, NYC is easily the greatest city in the world!
Feb 10th, 2005, 11:25 AM
#119
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Haven't read the book.
Just wanted to add, if no one else has already, that NOT every book sold in the U.S. as non-fiction is non-fiction.
In the late sixties and early seventies, there were books out about such topics as flying saucers, space people building the pyramids, Abominable snowmen (also "little red men of the delta") and the Bermuda Triangle which sometimes were touted as non-fiction.
According to one author there is a world of people living in the center of the earth.
In most of these books, the reader was left to "solve" the mystery that "science had not yet explained."
Not all the authors were from the U.S. Some of them were European and I don't know if their books were labeled fiction or non-fiction in other countries.
As I stated in the beginning, I haven't heard of the book prior to this thread, but my guess it is similar to the ones mentioned.
Just wanted to add, if no one else has already, that NOT every book sold in the U.S. as non-fiction is non-fiction.
In the late sixties and early seventies, there were books out about such topics as flying saucers, space people building the pyramids, Abominable snowmen (also "little red men of the delta") and the Bermuda Triangle which sometimes were touted as non-fiction.
According to one author there is a world of people living in the center of the earth.
In most of these books, the reader was left to "solve" the mystery that "science had not yet explained."
Not all the authors were from the U.S. Some of them were European and I don't know if their books were labeled fiction or non-fiction in other countries.
As I stated in the beginning, I haven't heard of the book prior to this thread, but my guess it is similar to the ones mentioned.
Feb 10th, 2005, 11:42 AM
#120
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Oy - this is so silly.
The book was nothing about actual moles - or people who were part mole. It was simply about homeless people who took advantage of the subway tunnels to have a warm place to stay in the cold weather. The "mole" reference was never meant to be taken literally - but unfortunately there are many people who seem to delight in being as gullible as possible.
(I once rode with a cab driver in Kentucky who was absolutely convinced that Satan lived in the basement of 555 Fifth Avenue - never mind that I told him 3 separate times that the space is actually occupied by the E and F trains. If people insist on believing in this type of silliness - frankly there is nothing to be done for them.)
The book was nothing about actual moles - or people who were part mole. It was simply about homeless people who took advantage of the subway tunnels to have a warm place to stay in the cold weather. The "mole" reference was never meant to be taken literally - but unfortunately there are many people who seem to delight in being as gullible as possible.
(I once rode with a cab driver in Kentucky who was absolutely convinced that Satan lived in the basement of 555 Fifth Avenue - never mind that I told him 3 separate times that the space is actually occupied by the E and F trains. If people insist on believing in this type of silliness - frankly there is nothing to be done for them.)
