KNIGHTS OF THE ROAD

The hobo or haut beau to use the original term, existed before the turn-of-the century but their numbers grew to phenomenal size during the 1930's.  With the Great Depression casting men from the farm into homelessness, all his possession carried with him, itinerant worker known as hobos numbered in the hundreds of thousands.  A sub-culture, with its own vocabulary and customs, developed within the larger frame-work of American society.  This article will look at the hobo, his ways, his unique nomenclature and suggest ways to help players of Call of Cthulhu to utilize this often over-looked occupation within the game setting.

Hobos were not simply workless bums.  They were a necessary itinerant work-force that was needed to harvest crops, run cattle, and do other forms of seasonal work.  When the hobo had no work he jumped a train in search of brighter pastures, whether it was other work or better handouts.

Hobos gathered in places known as "jungles" which were impromptu camp sites, often squatting uninvited in farmer's field or on government land.  Because of this, jungles moved frequently, though hobos always knew how to find them.  Jungles were usually closed to rail lines (for transportation) and towns (for work and begging).

Some of the different types of hobo (or "stiffs" as they referred to themselves) were Bindle Stiffs (hobo who carries a bundle with possessions in it), Blanket Stiffs (hobo who carries a blanket), Cattle Stiffs (itinerant cattle worker), Dingbats (Professional itinerant  tramp), Gandy Dancers (Hobo shovel stiffs or track section hand), Harvest Stiffs (iterant fruit pickers), Jungle Buzzards (hobo who eats leftovers in a hobo camp), Ky wahs (Hobo pitchman who sells jewelry, pencils or novelties -- Timbers were pencil pitchers and Hoop Chisler sold cheap rings), Lizzie Moochers (hobo who panhandles food and gas from a car), Mission Stiffs (hobo who takes advantage of missions), Moll Buzzers (hobo who specializes in begging woman), Mushfakers (itinerant  umbrella mender), Scenery Bums (young tramps on the move for pleasure) Blowed-in-the glass Stiffs (Upper crust of professional hobos) and Yeggs (itinerant criminals).  From this list it is apparent that no one was simply a hobo.  Each and every one had a distinct position or section of the hobo class, allowing for the large numbers of men and women on the road.

THE HOBO IN CALL OF CTHULHU

The hobo occupation in Call of Cthulhu is often over-looked as it offers many disadvantages to players, most obviously low status and no money.  The doctor or lawyer have the security of good paying work to carry them between investigations, while their social status and influence are help in many situations.  So why be a hobo? 

The hobo has two advantages over "ordinary" occupations: freedom and lawlessness.  The freedom from obligation is a factor many players ignore within the game setting.  How can the lawyer, doctor, professor run off to North Carolina to investigate those strange holes in the mountains, when next week is the big case, a flu epidemic, exam week?  The hobo need only catch the freight heading south.

Lawlessness can be found in other occupations: the gangster, for instance.  But again, the hobo owes no allegiance, kow-tows to no big boss.  He can ruthlessly stamp out the unholy scourge without thought to legalities or conventional moralities while his low-life appearance allows him to infiltrate strata of society where no doctor or policeman could ever hope to go.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE ROAD

Here is a select vocabulary divided into subjects.   These subjects relate to the life of the hobo.  Players may want to use these expressions to add color and authenticity to their characters.

On the Road

ANTIQUE - Old-timer on the road.

BLOWING SMOKE - bragging.

BOIL UP - To wash clothing and kill vermin infestations.

CARRY THE BANNER - To walk the streets all night.

CRUMBS - lice.

DRILL - to walk.

GINK - poor unfortunate.

GUNSEL, GUNTZEL or PRUSHIN - a green youth.

HAY BAG - woman on the road.

HITTING THE GRIT - walking along the tracks.

JOCKER - kid's road teacher and companion.

JUNGLE - hobo camp.

LIBRARY BIRDS - hobos who keep warm in libraries.

MOP STICK - bar fly.

MUNIES - municipal lodging houses.

NICKEL FLOP - all night movie house.

OBIE - post office.

ON THE DRAG - On the road.

PRIVATES - private dwellings.

SHUFFLER - jobless man.

STIFF - any class of hobo worker.

VAG - any type of vagabond: hobo, tramp or bum

Riding the Rails

CRUMMY - Caboose.

DICER, HOT SHOT, or MANIFEST - fast freight train.

DRAG or PEDDLER - slow freight train.

FLIP - to hop a train.

FRISK A DRAG - search a freight for a suitable riding place.

GOING ON THE FARM - going on a side track.

GONDOLA - flat car with no top.

HOG or TEAPOT - locomotive.

JERRIES - section hands.

JOHNNY O'BRIEN or SIDE-DOOR PULLMAN - boxcar

POSSUM BELLY - riding the deck of a passenger coach.

RATTLER - train.

REEFER - refrigerator car.

SHACK - brakeman.

SNAKE - railroad switchman.

TRAPEZE ARTIST - one who rides on the rods under the train.

TALLOW POTS - railroad firemen.

WARTHOG - trainmaster.

The Law and Other Hazards

BONE POLISHER - mean dog.

BULL - policeman.

BULL COOK - Camp flunkey.

BULL HORRORS - Phobic fear of policemen.

CALLY - Police station.

CINDER DICK - Railway policeman.

FLY MUGS - private police.

HARNESS BULLS - Uniformed police.

HIKER or POODLE - town marshal

HIS NIBS - Police court judge.

HOME GUARD - native, non-migratory worker.

HORSTILE or HOSTILE - town unfriendly to hobos.

JOLT - penitentiary sentence.

LIGHTHOUSE - one who has a knack for recognizing plainclothes detectives on sight.

SCISSORBILL - anti-unionist or an ignorant person.

TOWN CLOWNS - town policemen.

Equipment

BALLOON - pack or bedroll.

BENNY - overcoat.

C. AND A. POCKETS - Huge pockets on the inside of a coat for carrying food

GAT - gun.

GLIMS - glasses.

KEISTER - suitcase.

SLIDES - shoes.

Pandhandling

BATTER, BUZZ, MAKING A RIFFLE, PLING or THROW THE FEET - to beg.

CALLING IN or CATTING IN - Using another's campfire to cook.

CHUCK-A-DUMMY - To fake a fainting fit in order to get sympathy.

DIMMER - dime.

IRON MAN - silver dollar.

JIGGERS - pretending affection, used to illicit sympathy while begging.

JOIN OUT - to hire out in order to gain transportation.

LUMP - handout

MARK - hobo sign of person willing to give handouts.

MEG - Penny.

NAVY - cigar end.

SALLY ANN - The Salvation Army.

SNIPES - cigarette ends.

STEMMING - panhandling in cities.

WILLY - the Goodwill.

Food

ALKI - alcohol.

ANGEL FOOD - mission sermon.

DEHORN - denatured alcohol.

GAS - wood alcohol.

GRAVEYARD - hash.

GUMP - chicken.

GUTS - meat, usually sausages.

HEADLIGHTS - eggs.

MULE - corn alcohol.

MULLIGAN - stew.

PUNK - bread.

SADDLE BLANKETS - pancakes.

SALVE - butter.

SAND - sugar.

Occupations and Work

Bridge Snake - Iron worker.

CLOVER KICKER or PLOUGH JOCKEY - farmer.

CROAKER or CROCUS - doctor.

DEEP-SEA CHEF or PEARL DIVER - dishwasher.

DIP - pickpocket.

DOUGHHEAD - baker.

GALWAY - a priest

MOP MARY - Scrubwoman.

POGEY - workhouse

PUSH - a road gang.

SEWER HOG - ditch digger.

SKY PILOT - Misson-house minister.

SLAVE MARKET - employment agency.

SPLINTER BELLY - carpenter.

WOODHEAD - lumberjack.

Crime

GOOSEBERRYING - stealing clothes off a clothesline.

JACKROLLING - robbing a drunk or other stiff.

JOHNSON FAMILY - the Yegg community

PEATMAN or PETERMAN - safeblower

SNIPING - stealing.