Cleaning my office last week, I found a letter we’d been sent that literally fell through the cracks, sent by John Lockwood of Cathedral Heights in November:

I enclose a photograph of what I believe is the last “Cool Disco Dan” graffito left in Washington, D.C.. They used to be everywhere, each one with the same elaborate decoration. For several years now, there have been no new ones anywhere, and the old ones have gradually been lost, either by being painted over by other graffiti types, or by clean-up campaigns.

A few days ago, however, as I was on the Red Line to Silver Spring, I glimpsed a Cool Disco Dan on a metal railway box. I couldn’t get a long-distance photo, with all the hedges blocking the view. So, I had to settle for a quick shot from the subway train itself.

From a city-wide phenomenon that people would joke about, to a lone outpost, clinging to an obscure box. Such is the brief quality of earthly fame. Sic gloria transit mundi.

Anyone else out there know of any other extant Cool “Disco” Dans out there?