In memory of Stan, the biscuit man

He was free with his opinions, generous with his discount-brand dog treats, and prone to dispensing an endless supply of both at Baltimore’s Riverside Park.

There, for years, he was dog’s best friend.

He knew almost all the regulars by name, and many of them, like my dog Ace, could spot him from hundreds of yards away. They’d run to greet him, then follow him as he slowly trudged up to the park gazebo, his dog — his very, very fat dog — Louie, at his side.

There, on a bench by the gazebo, Stan would hold court daily — complaining about politicians, grumbling about bureaucracies, and breaking out his big bag of treats, which he’d fling, one at a time, to the dogs that would congregate.

I got word yesterday that Stan, the biscuit man — a fixture, if not a legend, at Baltimore’s Riverside Park — had died, on Christmas day.

Stan was one of the first friends Ace made at the park, and one he never forgot.

Last year, when we returned to the city after nine months on the road, we stopped first at the park. Ace was reacquainting himself with its smells when, a good 100 yards in the distance I saw a man rolling up the sidewalk on one of those powered scooters, a fat black dog following him.

Ace recognized him before I did — despite nine months away, despite Stan’s new method of getting around — and joyfully bolted off in his direction.

And of course Stan had treats. He always did.

Some called him Stan the biscuit man, some called him Stan the cookie man. Some just called him Stan — easy to remember because it was stitched right there on his blue mechanic’s jacket.

Dogs always perked up when they saw Stan, and vice versa.

Not all the humans appreciated his generosity. There were those who detoured when he was sitting at his bench of choice — those who either didn’t want their dogs to fill up on treats, or feared that, with so many dogs vying for them, it could lead to trouble.

But I rarely saw any of that. Instead, dogs — sometimes three, or four, or five or six — would sit and waiting patiently for their turn, as he tossed the bargain biscuits into the air.

If any got too eager, too pushy, or tried to grab the biscuits before he tossed them, he’d gently admonish them by name: “Wait your turn, Argus. Don’t be greedy, Ace. Let this little guy in here to get some.”

His own dog, Louie, a pit bull mix, nearly as wide as he is long, always seemed to get his fill. After a while, Louie would stop eating the treats he was tossed, instead just catching and dropping them to the ground, where other dogs would scoop them up.

Stan, who was out of work on disability and suffered from back problems, eventually stopped walking all the way to the gazebo, settling for a bench on the edge of the park, closer to his home, at least until he got the scooter.

While I’ve not heard the details of his death, I’m told Louie, who Stan lived alone with, is being cared for by a friend. If you knew Stan, and want to share any information or memories about him, please feel free to leave a comment on this post.

What I’ll always remember about him is, no matter how worked up he got grumbling about politics, his ire subsided and his face always brightened up when he talked about Louie.

“It’s like living with a cartoon character,” he once told me.

I don’t know if Louie’s new guardian lives in the same South Baltimore neighborhood, or whether Louie will continue waddling up to Riverside Park everyday. But even if he does, without Stan, Riverside Park will be one character short.

Postscript: After this post appeared, we heard from Stan’s sister-in-law Mary. (Her full comment appears in the comments section below.)

According to Mary, Stan was diagnosed in July with lung cancer and went through chemotherapy and radiation. While he beat the cancer, he became weak and developed pneumonia.

“One thing lead to another and he finally could no longer fight. He died on Christmas day. Louie is living with Tom in Catonsville. Tom had been Stan’s friend since elementary school. He has 3 dogs of his own and now added Louie. He has lost 6 inches from around his waist and now runs and plays with his new pals. Tom’s wife met us at the funeral home after the cemetery and had Louie with her. He looks happy and much thinner and full of absolute ‘dog joy.’ She said when she looks at Louie she sees Stan.”

Posted by jwoestendiek January 3rd, 2012 under Muttsblog.
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Comments

Comment from Lynn (in Louisiana)
Time January 3, 2012 at 2:02 pm

I remember your previous post about Stan and Louie. This is a beautiful tribute John.

Comment from Brenna
Time January 3, 2012 at 2:12 pm

This is so sad to hear, John. Tobey and I talked to the man who was helping take care of Louie a few months back when we noticed someone else walking him and not Stan. He was a neighbor, I do not know if this is the same friend who is now caring for Louie or not but he seemed to genuinely care about Louie & Stan. We had heard that Stan was being treated for cancer but not never heard how bad the cancer was. This is truly sad for Riverside park! Stan loved Gunther! And with Stan on his scooter he would keep the treats in a bag by his feet! Gunther would run up and stick his entire head in the bag looking for treats!

Comment from scargosun
Time January 3, 2012 at 2:15 pm

I didn’t know him but I wish I did. RIP Stan. Please make sure to pick a bench near Rainbow Bridge for your generous biscuit sharing. :)

Comment from Kelly
Time January 3, 2012 at 4:38 pm

First, it’s odd to hear this backyard news from so far afield!

I’m not gonna lie.. Stan used to piss me off. “Please don’t give Bob anynore treats”
“Okay”
I avoided him even after Bob passed, walking my babysitting dogs. He did it because he had an insane love for dogs, I’m sure & you are right, John. He is one character the park will miss.

Comment from Eighteenpaws
Time January 3, 2012 at 6:45 pm

Why am I crying about the death of a man I never knew? Because YOUR stories about the people and pets that YOU have met, who have touched you, now thread themselves not our psyches and memories. I can only hope that one day I will be a spunky, talkative, white-haired, scooter-dependent person who easily spends part of my retirement funds feeding dogs and birds and squirrels in some magnificent park. And I can envision this because YOU and Ace have taught me about how happily Stan lived. Thank you.

Comment from Kathi
Time January 3, 2012 at 7:01 pm

I didn’t know Stan, but I would have been honored to have. He sounds like a kind, loving man who understood and loved the dogs. I hope Louie is with someone Stan would have picked and is being loved the way Stan loved him. RIP Stan!

Comment from Mary
Time January 3, 2012 at 8:14 pm

Beautiful tribute to Stan. I am Stan’s sister in law married to his brother Dave. Stan was diagnosed in July with Lung Cancer. He went through a tough regime of chemo and radiation and the cancer was defeated. He became very weak and developed pneumonia. One thing lead to another and he finally could no longer fight. He died on Christmas day. Louie is living with Tom in Catonsville. Tom had been Stan’s friend since elementary school. He has 3 dogs of his own and now added Louie. He has lost 6 inches from around his waist and now runs and plays with his new pals. Tom’s wife met us at the Funeral home after the cemetery and had Louie with her. He looks happy and much thinner and full of absolute “dog joy”. She said when she looks at Louie she sees Stan. Thank you for the kind words about Stan and Louie. Please keep his daughter,sister and brother in your thoughts and prayers.

Comment from bmore pug mom
Time January 4, 2012 at 10:06 am

Great tribute, John. Stan never minded Mikey climbing up his leg, as his eyes bulged big awaiting another treat. Stan always had a smile for the people that came with the dogs that flocked to him in droves. He will be missed by human and dog alike.

Comment from Laura
Time January 4, 2012 at 1:05 pm

After reading this delightful story Stan was truly a dog lover!! I have six of mine own and feed mine biscuits too. He was a delight to have around and I am sure he will be missed. Cancer really sucks!! My mom has had it for a year now with chemo. Ovarian cancer is something we were not prepared for!! I am my mom’s caretaker so I understand!! Prayers go out to his family and I am glad Louie found a home.

Comment from Tom
Time January 13, 2012 at 10:36 pm

Stan and I were best friends for over 50 years and you’re all so very kind. I miss my buddy dearly. We would watch all the Ravens games and we wouldn’t miss a NASCAR event. We both looked forward when I would come to South Baltimore, usually twice weekly, to met Stan at Riverside Park, walk Louie, and dine out at JR’s on Hull Street.

Louie is just fine and has lost plenty of weight. He gets along great with our other 3 dogs and 2 cats. The neighbors just love Louie and who wouldn’t.

Maybe one day Louie, my dear wife Vina, and I will come to Riverside Park to see all of Stan’s friends…people and doggies alike.

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts of my best friend.

Bub

Comment from Vina-Louie’s new mom
Time January 15, 2012 at 4:42 pm

Had to wait for my tears to cease before I could respond to the loving words re Stan and Louie. For the last few months Bub and I have been caring for Louie as one of our own. He was immediately accepted by all of our other “children” and since Bub (his real name is Tom) and I knew and loved Stan already, it was a no-brainer that he would join our other 4-legged children. It’s kind of funny though, that when I brought home our 3rd dog,a stray I literally scooped up from the streets of the city on the way to work one morning, Bub said no more dogs, or I’m outta here. However he said that before, after the first two. Well, we’re up to 4 now and he is still here. Assign all my other animals, I love Louie to pieces. The other critters immediately accepted him. I care for 5 other dogs several hours a day during the week, and after walking them, I bring them home with me, so not only does Louie have “siblings”, he has additional buddies he gets to hang
with. Although Louie is extremely happy and getting in great shape, every now and then I’ll see him sitting and just gazing into space. It’s during those times when I think he must be thinking of, and missing Stanley. It’s still hard to believe that Stanley is gone. Big, ole rough and tumble Stan, who could talk to anyone about anything, he loved big Lou. He did take comfort in the end though, knowing that Louie would be so loved and taken care of. It’s ironic that a year or so ago on one of the few times I’d accompany Bub and Stanley to the park with Louie, I told Stan that if anything ever happened to him, we’d take care of Louie. As I look over and see Louie curled up in a chair, loudly snoring, I think of Stan, as I do when I look into Louie’s huge, beautiful brown eyes – I can see Stanley in his eyes. We will never forget Stanley and know that he is the person that molded Louie into the kind, sweet, loving dog that he is. Thank you Stan for being our friend for these many,many years and thank you so much for allowing Louie to be part of our family. He still continues to be greatly loved…….and yes, Louie CAN actually curl up in a chair now, as well as roll on his back while kicking his feet up in the air. Vina

Comment from Kelly
Time January 21, 2012 at 4:31 am

Wow, what great loving friends Stan had in Bub & Vina! Lucky for Louie, too! They’ve probably added years to his life just by reducing his weight. He was affectionately known around Riverside as “The Tick”, he was so swollen. Good news coming out of bad.

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