Many readers of The Mothman Prophecies will remember a disturbing “Man In Black” named “Tiny,” who visited a family in New Jersey in 1967. (It’s in Chapter 8, if you want to look it up.)
John sent a detailed report of this encounter to other researchers shortly after it happened. He included some details that didn’t make it into the book, such as Tiny’s penchant for sing-song recitations of verse.
One of these researchers, Charles Bowen (the editor of Flying Saucer Review), wrote back to say that Tiny reminded him of an unpleasant UFO buff who had visited him the year before. Do we, then, have an explanation for one of these creepy visits?
I’ll reproduce the relevant section of the letter below. After some reflection (and discussion with someone who knew Bowen’s visitor), I’ve decided to delete the name. As you can gather, the man in question is not a healthy specimen, and nothing would be gained by naming him. And don’t fret, the actual letter was not harmed in the deletion process. It’s dated July 3, 1967.
Here’s a transcription, for those impatient with longhand.
TINY. I am now seriously perturbed. In November I received a letter from [deleted] who announced that he was flying over to England to do research in the British Museum (checking on a manuscript about vampires!). [Deleted] who forever was bellyaching about being too hard up even to pay a sub for FSR. He rang me on arrival, & I collected him at West Byfleet station on Saturday, Dec. 10. I discovered him to be a huge young man — at a guess 240 lbs. — & about 6 ft. 3 ins., fair haired, very thin on top. Wore a check shirt & ducks, riding high above his ankles, & thick soled shoes. He had a shabby overcoat, & sported a Russian style of fur hat! His speech was a monotonous, emotionless, expressionless, mechanical one-pitch perpetual motion. He often broke into poetry by Milton & Edgar Allan Poe, reciting it as though he had learnt it computer fashion. He drank the best part of a bottle of my Martini & got himself well sloshed — & ranted on about poor misunderstood Hitler etc. etc. My family regarded him rather as they might do a cobra, & expressed a feeling of repugnance. I thought he was a schizo. On the Sunday, just before lunch, he said “And now may I look at your FSR files?” I declined, lying that they were “At the office”. After lunch he upped & went. I saw him off, & have had one short letter since. He flew back to De Kalb, Illinois, after only two or three days here. What do you make of that?
Your maps received, but nothing of New Jersey (Wanaque) or W. Virginia, etc.
Yours ever Charles.
ADDENDUM: The original title of this post was “Were Some ‘Men In Black’ Ufologists With Asperger’s?” I called it that because the man I interviewed about Bowen’s visitor described him as having Asperger’s. But I received some angry responses from readers with Asperger’s, objecting to what they saw as a stereotype, so I’ve changed the title. My interest was not in a diagnosis, anyway; but in the evidence that there may be an identification for a classic MIB case. Charles Bowen certainly thought so. So if I offended anyone with Asperger’s, I apologize; I didn’t mean to imply that the man in question is typical: he may indeed be somewhere on the autism spectrum, but clearly has a number of other problems.
Does it even matter if this person was Asperger’s? I mean…does it matter? This is the kind of witch-hunt bull that those of us in the Asperger’s Community deal with. Does this speculation in any way change anything? I would argue not, so why waste your time? How about focusing on aspects that are relevant?
Comment by Rachel — May 26, 2011 @ 3:41 pm
I am a Ufologist diagnosed some time ago with Aspergers. I suggest you read some educational information about this syndrome. We don’t walk around with sing song mantras, wear goofy clothes or sound like robots. I suggest you find another stereotype to superimpose your fantasies on. If you want to promote your own stupidity, I would not link it with John Keel, you moron.
Comment by Bruce Duensing — May 26, 2011 @ 3:58 pm
“My interest was not in a diagnosis” and then “he may indeed be somewhere on the autism spectrum.” Based on this fuzzy logic, lack of background research on the syndrome that prompted you rumination upon it, I think this is a classic case of “shoot first ask questions later.” If you have read all of the experiential and anecdotal MIB folklore ( meaning accounts versus evidence) as a context to your theory, it does not match the preponderance of the accounts in terms of probability of causation. Is there a traveling club for paranoid schizophrenics? The cause may just as easily be a case of bad swiss cheese. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to reconfigure the title. Thank you on my own behalf and on the behalf of others who still suffer marginalization as children. I still think theorizing that those who suffer from a mental instability are behind MIB phenomenon is silly, as silly as those who report it are labelled and stereotyped as unstable. I know this was a shot in the dark..but, please refrain from stereotyping for your own welfare.
Comment by Bruce Duensing — May 28, 2011 @ 9:05 am
Well, I have indeed read a lot of the MIB literature; talked with people who have had MIB experiences; discussed the subject often with John during the course of our long friendship; and read his unpublished files on the subject. I have no “theory” on the subject; I’m as puzzled as John was. If you look back through earlier posts, you’ll see that I’ve also posted some of Mary Hyre’s letters on the subject. She was genuinely frightened by her experiences.
I think you misunderstood my post: I didn’t say that all MIBs were mentally unstable humans, only that Charles Bowen thought that Tiny was the same man who had visited him. As the Tiny story is a fascinating one, I thought Bowen’s letter worth airing. It is certainly possible that some MIB accounts (including this one) may be chalked up to troubled ufologists. Remember, John started “The Mothman Prophecies” with him being mistaken for a Satanic figure in black when his car broke down.
The reason I said “he may indeed be somewhere on the autism spectrum” was because that was the judgment of my colleague who knew Bowen’s visitor (and his family). And I accept that this man was troubled — both on the evidence of my colleague and Bowen — without requiring a full diagnosis. There is no “fuzzy logic” there.
I’m happy to retitle the post, since I don’t want to cause anyone pain. And although you’re free to call me “silly” and “a moron,” you might try, for your own welfare, making your points without name-calling.
Comment by Doug — May 28, 2011 @ 10:18 am
Thank you so much for posting this. Yet another aspect of the MIB phenomenon. I say keep the post as it is. Keep ‘em coming Doug
Comment by Bo — May 30, 2011 @ 11:39 am
Thanks, Bo! The post was really about Tiny and Bowen’s letter; the fact that someone else described this particular ufologist as having Asperger’s is a footnote, really, so this is a better title anyway.
Comment by Doug — May 30, 2011 @ 1:02 pm
Don’t take the criticism too hard. One of the aspects of this syndrome is unusual touchiness and fault finding in others.
Comment by Joaquin Jones — May 30, 2011 @ 2:13 pm
Well, thanks. I’m sorry my point was misunderstood; I hope it’s clearer now.
Comment by Doug — May 30, 2011 @ 8:55 pm
When faced with unwarranted hostility, you remain classy. Well done sir and thanks for the Tiny post.
Comment by Angela — May 31, 2011 @ 12:11 pm
Hey Doug, I take it that you have the actual name of this other Tiny? Have you been able to track him down either on facebook or an email or street address? If so maybe you should send him the tiny story and just outright ask him if that was him? Please keep us updated if you can pull something like this off. Your friend, John
Comment by John Frick — June 3, 2011 @ 12:24 am
After speaking with the family friend, I chose not to mention his name or to contact him. That’s my judgment call. I hesitated to post Bowen’s letter, but found it an important part of the back story of the “Mothman Prophecies,” even without the name.
Comment by Doug — June 3, 2011 @ 9:26 am
“Joaquin Jones says:
May 30, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Don’t take the criticism too hard. One of the aspects of this syndrome is unusual touchiness and fault finding in others.”
This is VERY true. Also, **in my personal opinion** very true that often times people claim to have been diagnosed Asperger’s in an attempt to compensate for the less lovable aspects of their own personalities. The truth is it is very hard to diagnose this disorder with certainty… and those who misuse it by claiming to have it when they have not been properly diagnosed only serve to make things harder on those who are genuinely affected. Sad situation, either way.
Comment by StarChild1981 — June 5, 2011 @ 12:14 pm
I find this all very interesting. But I am a bit miffed at some of you making a big deal about Aspergers. If someone described the subject as effeminate and flamboyant and said there was a strong possibility to think he was gay, I wouldnt be sending in “pity me” responses. As for the one referring to an Autism witch hunt, I have heard not one malicious thing said about you all. Unless you count the “South Park” episode and that was a pun on the name (ass burger) If you scream victim, youll be one. This is why I distance myself from gay issues. Everyone who lives life in the politically correct lane will wake up one day to see that the 1st amendment flew off with the Mothman. Sorry to the writer about my rant but what compassion I used to feel for some “special people” now shows me it really isnt always warranted. If someone/something resembles by description to be something, it IS ok to speculate. Grow up. Back to Salem I go…
Comment by loug1966 — August 21, 2012 @ 10:49 pm
Sorry Doug, I forgot to say terrific and thrilling. I think it helps me visualize the MIB and the players better. It seems so thrilling but scary. I saw a headline about Mothman sightings in Chicago. That city is a crime zone. Do you wonder if the sightings may be a tip off that something big is on the way, like the bridge collapse in W.Va. in 1967? Love to hear your thoughts even in a pers. email.
Comment by loug1966 — August 21, 2012 @ 10:58 pm
Well, thanks. That post certainly brought me a lot of grief. I suppose i should have gone with the other description from the man who knew him: “the most unpleasant person I ever met.” Well, maybe I’ll post the full account of the “Tiny” incident, and get more grief… I looked up those Mothman sightings. John predicted that people would continue to report winged men and large birds. I don’t know what the sightings mean, or, of course, if they’re genuine; I hope no tragedy is on the way, in any case.
Comment by Doug — August 22, 2012 @ 11:16 am
It could be the Tiny from Mothman but has anyone followed up on that name to see if such a person actually existed?
Comment by dave — February 20, 2013 @ 8:42 am