Bigfoot. The Jersey Devil. The Abominable Snowman. Donald Trump’s hair.

Mythical creatures have inhabited our hearts and minds for years. Television series have been created, books have been written, and movies have been made with the intent to “prove” that these creatures do in fact exist.

Here in Hawthorne, a mythical creature has been roaming the streets for over 40 years and in author Bubba Joseph’s new book, “Is that Granny’s Chicken or Some Other Mythical Creature?” he interviews many Hawthorne residents from over the years, who have come across the dreaded “TouTari” and laying out proof that this beast does in fact exist.

“The first sighting of the TouTari,” explained Joseph, “was  in Hawthorne, around 1972…to be exact, October 12 of that year….a group of children playing at Washington School reported to their parents, who in turn reported it to the Hawthorne PD, that something tried to ‘eat’ them. It was a very scary event.”

One of those children was Mr. Sean Van Winkle, Teacher of English here at Hawthorne High School. “We were playing like normal children did in the seventies,” said Van Winkle, “…punch ball was our game of choice. Suddenly, from behind the rock on the playground at Washington School, this creature sprang out…it was loud, so loud…part human, part chicken, a tad French…we were so scared. It tried to eat my friend Omar, but we were able to fight it off.”

Van Winkle and his friends may have been the first to see the creature, but they were not the last. Over the next forty plus years, the sightings continued to grow. Goffle Brook Park, the Hawthorne Public Library, and the Hawthorne Pool were all places where the TouTari was sighted. But where the TouTari got its name, is one of the most fascinating sightings and stories.

In 1996, on one cool November evening, Bindi Chand (original owner of the Simply Elegant Deli) recalled, “…it was a typical night at Simply Elegant…a little busy, then quiet…when suddenly this thing comes in…it had no interest in newspapers or scratch offs…it just wanted the ring-dings…it loved the ring-dings…I shouted at it and it shouted back at me…it sounded like it said, ‘I am TouTari.'”

From that night onward, the creature had a name. And the sightings continued. Author Bubba Joseph explained, “…there are no patterns to TouTari’s appearances…it shows up, and then it goes away…”

The one thing that is constant, is what it looks like. “The description has never changed,” says Joseph, “…it is a white, half chicken/half human creature…part French, with an odd singing voice…a bit of Wayne Newton mixed with Beyonce.”

Joseph is quick to add, “Hawthorne folks should always keep their eyes open for the TouTari…it’s never hurt anyone yet, but that could always change.”