All was well for us at Deer Creek when all of a sudden it took a hilarious turn when "peyote man" made a pit stop at our tents. First, he came for me, as I sat defenseless in my chair wrestling with a Sweet Baby Ray's bottle. As I tried to get the plastic wrap off, I hear a racket coming our way, and as soon as I look up, he's right in front of my face going off about something in his native jibberish. The only word I could make out was, "guddurbuddertahy Bob Dylan mankenlesheeeee." I still think about it and I can never come up with a reasonable possibility of what he might have meant.

Next, he went for our food... the poor hot dog never had a chance. You see, we were preparing a breakfast feast at 3:00, so all of our tools were set up as we prepared the grill. "Peyote man" bent down and picked up a raw, still pretty cold hot dog. He spoke some angrier jibberish at us and continued to point and wave the raw hot dog. Then, he did it. He must have worked up quite an appetite being cracked-out, and he bit right into the raw, partially firm hot dog. We would have been more then happy to grill it up for him, but by the time we could offer he was taking the last bite.

I think "thanonanogodopedd," was peyote jibberish for "thank-you," but we were far to shocked to say welcome. We stood and watched as he waddled away and intercepted a pass between neighbors who were playing catch with a football. He yelled at them until he finally gave up and threw it over his shoulder as he walked away. I believe next he taunted a dog who was barking at him and that was it.

We saw "peyote man" a few more time before the three-night stand was over, and anyone I've ever met who went to Deer Creek '03 has a story to tell. He has many names: Deer Creek Bum, Peyote Man, Cracked-Out Grandpa, Jibberish Man, This Weird Guy; but one thing is for sure, if someone starts out a story with, "...at Deer Creek there was this really old guy wearing elbow pads and walking with a cane..." listen up cause it will definitely not disappoint.

Editor's note: check out another fan's encounter with "Peyote Man."