Neighbors: Jerry Knab

Jerry Knab had been telling people that his daughter was due any day, and he was expecting to go out of town at any time. The following Monday, he wasn’t out walking, so his “regulars” thought he had left for the birth of his grandchild. But Knab wasn’t out of town, he just didn’t make it out for his walk that morning.

“I know they get up in the mornings because their dogs get so excited to see me,” he says.

Knab has been walking the five-mile stretch on the south end of Gulf of Mexico Drive for two-and-a-half years. For the past year-and-a-half or so, Knab has been giving the dogs he passes treats.

“It’s my second line of work,” he says.

Before becoming the “Pied Piper” of Longboat, he used to pick up trash on his walks. He still does pick up what he passes, but trashcans are no longer conveniently located.

It all started with a bag of treats.

“I passed Jackie Salvino while I was walking for two years,” he says. “I told her, ‘I don’t understand why the dogs don’t stop and play with me.’”

The next time he saw her, she handed him a bag of treats.

Now when the dogs see him, tail-ends start wagging furiously. Some owners let their dogs off the leash when they see him, and they charge at Knab with full force. One dog, Max, who walks with Knab for the last stretch of his walk, never leaves his side. And the owners love the walks, too.

“He’s like the morning psychiatrist,” Salvino says. “We come here and get morning smiles.”

And she isn’t the only one. Frank Fineshriber calls it “the best time of day.”

Knab waves and says hello to everyone he passes. He even gets a honk from a friend who sees him walking. And when someone’s not out, Knab worries something has happened.

“I’ve made friends with people doing this,” he says.

Knab keeps a strict time schedule. He walks Monday through Friday starting at the BP station, where his wife drops him off at 6:20 a.m. on her way to work. From there he walks northbound.

“It’s a good time to think,” he says of the first mile-and-a-half.

At 6:45 a.m. he passes through Country Club Shores where he sees two dogs. At 7 a.m., he cuts through Bay Isles where he passes three dogs; and at 7:30 a.m. he stops at Publix for a drink of water and to wash the dog slobber off of his hands. He continues north where four dogs wait for him. Those dogs and their owners continue to walk with Knab until they get to their stop. The dogs are reluctant to go home. Especially Max.

“Max, go home!” Knab says.

Max looks toward Knab with hopeful eyes.

Knab repeats himself, “Max, go home!”

After a few minutes, Max finally starts walking home with his owner, halts to look back at Knab, but continues walking. He’ll see him again tomorrow, after all.

FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ...
• Jerry Knab is president of the Beach Harbor Club Association.
• Knab had all types of animals growing up: horses, chickens, ducks and rabbits. “My mom always told me I should have been a veterinarian,” Knab says.
• Knab likes boating in the bay.
• Knab has three children, one step-daughter and six grandchildren.
• Knab is originally from Cincinnati.