He Was Dave

Erin Sullivan: HUDSON — At 10 o'clock Tuesday night, Amy Reyburn-Phibbs drove down the dirt path beside her house that led into the woods where a man named Dave lived.

Dave was in his late 60s, a slight, sunken man who walked with a cane, his skin yellowed, his dark hair long. He and a cat named Kitty lived in a small home on cinder blocks. Dave had no plumbing, electricity or a front door, but he had a horseshoe nailed above the entrance and a picture of Jesus taped to a wall.

When Reyburn-Phibbs and her husband rented their home on Oak Drive seven months ago, the landlord told them about Dave, living back there in the woods about 200 paces from their house, and said he was harmless. In that time, the couple got to know Dave and cared about him. They brought him food and water. On this night, Reyburn-Phibbs was bringing him medicine for his lingering cold.

She got out of the car, her headlights on.

"Dave?" she shouted. "Dave?"