Seattle's "Purple Mark" Tells All!

Every time I see this guy I am so confused. Is it rude to stare? Should I look away and pretend not to notice that his eyebrows and arm hair are dyed bright orange to perfectly match his top hat? Have you seen this guy? I have been seeing him about twice a month for as long as I have lived in Seattle, and this past weekend as I shared the sidewalk with him once again I just had to stop his to get some answers. "Purple Mark" was nice enough to sit down with me in the park and explain just, uh, what it is that goes through his colorful mind.

Here's the deal:

Mark tells me that come the Summer Solstice, he will have been dying his entire body hair a certain color (or sometimes, like pictured above, a series of colors) and wearing an outfit of the same color from head to toe for 15 years. Sometimes he is entirely yellow. Sometimes he is a lovely pea green. I was surprised to see him wearing multiple colors when I ran into him but he explained that he had been "yellow yesterday but I think this is as green as I am going to get this weekend." Fair enough.

What is this guy's motivation? 

"So many people are against color," explained Mark excitedly, "so many people are afraid to live." He certainly has a hippy mantra about him, with an upbeat personality as colorful as his hair dye collection.

Purple Mark explains that anywhere on the body that there is hair is like a blank canvas, and unlike tattoos nothing is permanent. It is all changeable and it all grows back. (Mom, remember when I gave you that SAME argument in 7th grade after I dyed my hair green with Kool Aide? I freaking told you!!!)

Seattle is an interesting place for fashion. Some people pay too little attention to what they wear, while others use it to completely define themselves. I think there is a healthy medium that people should aim for, but this guy seems happier than most people, so who am I to judge?

Before our conversation was over, Purple Mark asked me if I liked spicy things. I told him I did and he told me he makes "habanero chocolates" and asked if I would like to try one. Hmmmm. He hands me a circular object wrapped in tinfoil and we part ways. They say not to take candy from strangers but I sort of think if this chocolate is laced with anything it certainly isn't anything as harmful as razor blades. Seriously though, I am sure it is just chocolate, right? He wouldn't drug a reporter, would he? Are there any free spirits out there that want to be my guinea pig?