Down West Cabarrus Street, for reasons yet unclear, some mischief-maker propped up a life-sized World War I soldier — crisp in his olive-drab coat, off to face Hell in the trenches.
Even more intriguing, this surprise installation on the sidewalk is lacking a face, inviting anyone downtown to walk around behind his 6-foot display, stick their face in a hole and come out smiling under his flat Doughboy helmet.
I tried this myself, channeling my grandfather, who shipped off for the Western Front at 16, just in time for war’s end…