in that picture he also happens to look a good bit like my Uncle Jim - the one who presently lives in the middle of nowhere Maine, and works for a furniture company that still does most things by hand. The same guy that has spent extended periods (read a decade plus, and several years, respectively) of his life living without running water, or on the top of a mountain as a fire lookout…

All this to say, i have no idea why they look alike - but they do.

jimi, I think the best way to explain the similarity is by a simple deconstruction of your phraseology. By using the words “read decade plus” in describing your eccentric uncle, you have made an indelible link with Dr. Stevens, who I’m sure, like most PhD’s, has actually read for at least a decade of his life.

Marie, no doubt your observation is correct. The question of course is whether those funky pants were designated as lawnmowing pants (and only appeared when he trimmed the sickly grass bordering his flat) or whether they were philosophying pants (and were worn during the most profound moments of metacognition).

In a related note, I find that at times, the most intriguing philosophical questions arise during lawn care. In fact, I may have posted about that before…