as substitute, for Walden Pond When Henry David Thoreau built his cabin and secreted him­ afford the $10 f ee much less the self from the world on Walden $50 they say they want now." Pond, he did without coffee and He coughs lightly after every tea. sentence. "One reason I'm here. "I have everything Thoreau You can't hold a job with bron­ had and still have coffee and tea," chitis. I was a coat-and-collar said i.agh Mes»er. who has done man until a little more than a much the same- thing for the past year ago. When I first came here, year on a remote beach on the I was taking four sets of pills and north shore of Copan o Bay. couldn't walk more than 30 feet at Messer could hardly be called a a time without losing my breath. hermit. "I'm not trying to escape Now I can take in my lines, from anything," he said. "As a handle my boat and do what I matter of fact, I should get myself to me. Why not? I feed them. And have to do. I take patent medicin­ some cleric garb and a collar, so the animals. Raccoons tore up my es. That's all I can afford." many people come back in here to tent. And there's a lynx and her He was somewhat vague about tell me their troubles. It's not any­ kit that live Up on the point. She'll his background except to say he one group. It's all ages. They stop come around the camp at night was in "promotions," and worked for promotion companies, adver­ by to talk anytime - at midnight, and yeowl. I'll get up and feed at 2 in the morning. 'em. I can hear 'em lapping. If I tising firms and newspapers. "I "And the deputies and the fish turn on a light, they're gone." was never hurting financially. I and wildlife wardens all stop by to The 'coons, he concedes, aren't usually managed to go to Florida talk to me. No. I'm not alone out always a nuisance. "They're de­ six to eight weeks in the winter." here." licious in a stew, roasted, barbe­ Last winter he spent in the tent, But he does have his own world cued, or any way you want to cook sometimes wearing four pairs of •most of th e time. "Look at that," 'em." trousers and lying under five he said, indicating the sun setting blankets. This winter shouldn't be He lives as much as possible off so bad. He traded his boat and over a cloudbank west of the bay. the sea. He has a number of cr ab "It's never the same. Every day motor for a small metal trailer, traps. And he has run have everything I need but of th e world it's different. But he fears the new law "The birds - they come right up . My extension cord him in o n this. "I could Walraven, page 2B isn't long enough for that," he copy of his photograph. "I haven't bury me here in the Old Townsite smiled had a picture taken since I grew (of Lamar), I hope they'll bury At 63 he lives on a small Social this beard. I grew it as a pro­ me in the deep water. I've en­ Security check and recently qual­ tection against skin cancer. Been joyed fish for 50 plus years. Why ified for some food stamp "aid. told I look a little like Heming­ can't they enjoy me for a change? He came back to the trotline way. I knew him, both in Florida I'm not being facetious about law. "Sometimes I was having $25 and Cuba." that. No canvas cover. Just slip days selling fish to snowbirds. What about the future'' me in the water where the muddy Now I don't know." "I hope they'll bury me here. I meets the blue." first came here 20 years ago and He coughed softly and squinted He was interested in having a have always loved it. If they can't at the dome of a s etting sun. oiw 6X .