Faces of Stamford: Crossing Guard John Johnson

If you've ever taken a stroll through downtown Stamford during the day and decided to grab some ice cream from the iconic Dairy Queen barn that sits on the northeast corner of Summer and North streets, then you probably know John Johnson.

Johnson's been the crossing guard there for about three years now, and he sure knows everyone else. Almost every car that passes by or pedestrian that crosses his path honks or waves or stops to chat. And, being as congenial as he is, if he doesn't know you already, he'll quickly introduce himself.

"I like Stamford, it's a great town to live in," he said Thursday. "These are great people."

Prior to dedicating his time to pedestrian safety, Johnson worked at Pitney Bowes for more than 30 years. He grew up on the West Side and is a true Stamford lifer, save for a month-and-a-half stint when he traveled to China.

"I left for a little while and was staying in Shanghai," he said. "I was at a rally once and we had to run into a church and barricade the door with a large beam. We got worried about what the police would do with a a crowd gathered that large. That was a fascinating country for manufacturing. They had two people doing what 20 people would do here. That's why it's so cheap there. I wish they'd bring the jobs back here."

A member of the Honor Guard and the Knights of Columbus, Johnson filled me in on his political knowledge after be was spotted chatting with mayoral candidate David Martin.

"I was just kidding him because [Republican mayoral candidate] Mike Fedele is my [cousin's daughter's father-in-law,]" he said. "Mikey's a great guy. He's got a lot of experience from his time as Lieutenant Governor and he respects people. Martin's a great guy, too. And [current mayor] Mike Pavia's done a fantastic job with all the stuff he's accomplished."

These days, Johnson spends a lot of his time volunteering around town and helping out where he can. Thursday night, he'll be working at the Knights if Columbus Family Supper.

"It's a lot of fun," Johnson said. "I spend a lot of time helping people do things like getting to the store. You just try to do the best you can for people. I grew up here. I like meeting all the people I can."

Photo: Crossing Guard John Johnson, left, with friend and serial walker Mario.