Dylan's Househunting In NJ

Bob Dylan was detained by police in Long Branch, N.J. last month, when a young officer failed to recognize him. The officer proceeded to go to earnest lengths to ensure the hooded, disheveled, rain-soaked music legend was, in fact, who he said he was. Dylan was in the area on July 23 as part of a national concert tour -- a fact lost on 24-year-old Long Branch police officer Kristie Buble. When Dylan wandered into the yard of a home that had a "For Sale" sign on it, the home's occupants became spooked by his appearance (black sweatpants tucked into black rain boots and two raincoats with the hood pulled down over his head) and called police with a report of an "eccentric-looking old man" in their yard, Long Branch Police said. One of the occupants even went so far as to follow this creeper as he continued on down the street.

From the horses mouth:

"We got a call for a suspicious person. It was pouring rain outside, and I was right around the corner so I responded. By that time he was walking down the street. I asked him what he was doing in the neighborhood and he said he was looking at a house for sale."

He's only being honest...

"I asked him what his name was and he said Bob Dylan."

Awesome.

"So I said, 'OK Bob, what are you doing in Long Branch?' He said he was touring the country with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp."

Classic. I can see why she didn't believe him. John Mellencamp? C'mon now.

"I put him in the back of the car. To be honest with you, I didn't really believe this was Bob Dylan. It never crossed my mind that this could really be him. He was really nice, though, and he said he understood why I had to verify his identity and why I couldn't let him go. He asked me if I could drive him back to the neighborhood when I verified who he was, which made me even more suspicious."

Well, he told you he was looking at that house for sale.

"I pulled into the parking lot and sure enough there were these enormous tour buses, and I thought, 'Whoa'. So we go over to the tour bus and knock on the door and some guy answers and I say, 'Are you missing someone?'"

I like this story.

I'm gonna go listen to Blonde On Blonde.