Dressed in a black hat and suit, Eric McIntyre, 66, turns on his cd player and sings along to the old classics of Sammy Davis Jr. A blanket is spread out in front of him, displaying posters of the historic singer and news clippings featuring Eric performing at the Beacon House.
"People call me Candy Man or the Showman!" He says, holding up the article.
Commuters can mostly find him in the Park Station T stop on Thursdays and on the weekends when he finds there to be the most traffic passing through. Because he is on disability due to a "bad heart", this is his sole means of income. An overturned hat is filled with a few one dollar bills and a large collection of coins.
Holding his microphone close to his lips, he belts out the lyrics over the stereo to attract an audience. A young girl and her mom stop and throw in a few quarters and a middle aged man pauses to clap along. Each person walks away with a smile on their face.
"I'm the only Sammy Davis, Jr. impersonator in Boston!" he claims with pride. And that accomplishment has kept him in demand with performances at the Beacon House, which offers subsidized housing for people over age 55, and frequent appearances in local newspapers and on news channels.
"But I don't dance because I'd fall off the stage!" He says and laughs.
I'm glad that the rat pack is back, I hope I run into him soon.
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