The Strangely Clairvoyant Hobo

Question

One day, I was waiting to get on the subway. I was eating the apple I always have for breakfast, and I decided to sit next to a homeless man on the bench. We saw a rather... rotund man walk by us, to which the hobo muttered, "Pig."

I didn't give it a second thought, except how rude the comment was. Another man walked past, this time tall and in a business suit. As he walked past, the hobo said "Human." and I thought nothing of this remark, other than how obviously he was, in fact, human. I soon after boarded the train for work.

The next day, the hobo was still there. Today, as I watched from a distance, he was at it again. Several people walked past him: a skinny woman, a muscular man, and an old lady, to which he respectively muttered "Soup", "Pork", and "Cookie". Odd, I thought, considering none of them was a cookie. Throughout my day, I couldn't stop thinking about this weird hobo in the subway.

Over the next few days, I kept observing him. He continued this odd behavior. "Bread", "Carrot", "Milk", "Rabbit", and other utterances as people walked past. So the next day, I walked by the homeless man again and he muttered, "Apple."

I finally recognized what this hobo was doing... and after thinking on it for a little bit, remembered something and was stricken with horror.

What was this hobo's ability? What had me so disturbed?

Your brainteaser doesn't make sense: "Over the next few days, I kept observing him. He continued this odd behavior. 'Bread', 'Carrot', 'Milk', 'Rabbit', and other utterances as people walked past. So the next day, I walked by the homeless man again and he muttered, 'Apple.'" — DeeDee, Oct 09 '14 at 19:00

score 22 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 02 '15 at 16:50

22

He was listing what people had eaten (at some point in time) and had said "human" at one point. That meant on the first day he had seen a cannibal.

edited Dec 02 '15 at 16:50

Mythi

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answered Oct 09 '14 at 12:49

kaine

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I missed that crucial "human" remark - as though to imply that somebody was a cannibal :p +1 – d'alar'cop Oct 09 '14 at 12:50
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so if tis is right, what is the difference between pig and pork? MMAAYYBBEE he was having an off day? – kaine Oct 09 '14 at 13:06
Maybe he's never eaten bacon. :D – generalcrispy Oct 09 '14 at 13:08
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I prefer to think that the man merely chews his nails. – Daphne B Dec 02 '15 at 18:32

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 09 '14 at 12:49

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He knew what you had for breakfast. He rummages through the rubbish bins and has become acquainted with everybody's eating habit.

answered Oct 09 '14 at 12:49

d'alar'cop

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dang, same time – kaine Oct 09 '14 at 12:50
Yes, but you caught the cannibal thing - obviously I can't use that now thank you very much – d'alar'cop Oct 09 '14 at 12:51

The Strangely Clairvoyant Hobo

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