Arthur Wilson has a free spirit and oodles more confidence than his tottering pace and fuzzy speech imply and there's nothing he likes better than a daily walk along his busy road.
In fact, the 75-year-old is quite an identity in Whangarei's Bank St. But that unsteady gait often sees Mr Wilson's walks curtailed. Not because he can't manage, but because well-meaning strangers round him up and take him to the Radius Potter Home where he lives.
Staff at the rest home are used to this old character being brought back in by people who think he's an escapee or, worse, think careless staff haven't kept a close enough eye on him.
That couldn't be further from the truth, the home's assistant manager Jenna Adams says with a laugh.
"We're really grateful that the public are concerned and caring enough to think Arthur needs bringing back.
"But some people who bring him back are quite angry with us for letting 'someone so fragile' out there. He does appear frail but he is perfectly entitled to come and go."
Mr Wilson's speech sometimes has people thinking otherwise but mentally and physically he's fine, Ms Adams says.
"He's a very independent person. It would break his heart, and his spirit, if he couldn't have his afternoon walk. We can't take his rights away from him, and we wouldn't want to."
Even when the former merchant navy man is trying to tell people he doesn't need gathering up like a stray they insist on doing it, either walking him back or delivering him in their cars.
Recently he was brought home in the back of a police car, which Ms Adams thinks he secretly quite enjoyed.
He jokes he can do the lap from Regent supermarket to Bank St's bank corner in "about eight minutes". He can't, but then he has plenty of time on his hands even if he seems a bit unsteady on his feet.
"He gets annoyed sometimes when people bring him home, even though he knows they have his well-being at heart," Ms Adams said. "We'd like to say thank you for caring, but it's quite all right for him to take his walks."
Arthur just wants to walk but good Samaritans keep marching him home
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.