CHICAGO — It's the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
Jen Lee was at work Monday in River North when she noticed a less gigantic, less paranormal version of the "Ghostbusters" monster on a neighboring rooftop.
"There's not a whole lot to say; there's a giant marshmallow man watching over River North," Lee, of Little Village, said in an email.
Here's a closer look:
The inflatable is perched atop 501 N. Wells St., a low-rise condominium building. The rooftop is owned by financial professional Otha Smith, who lives in the building and impulsively bought the 13-foot-tall marshmallow man last weekend.
"I went to get my daughters' [Halloween] costumes early and saw this big guy in Lowe's and had to have him," Smith said.
The inflatable quickly became one of the top posts on the Chicago subreddit this week. Smith was unaware of his new Internet fame, but plans to keep the marshmallow man up at least through this weekend's Chicago Marathon. He tethers the marshmallow man's legs to keep it from floating away.
"I don't know how it was received; my wife was worried about that," Smith said.
Smith's daughters with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man on Tuesday. [Otha Smith]
"Ghostbusters" fans will remember the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man as the manifestation of evil god Gozer, who takes the form of the puffy giant in its bid to destroy the world.
Gozer selected the marshmallow man after telling the original ghostbusters to "choose" their fate, prompting Dan Aykroyd's character to subconsciously imagine the seemingly harmless corporate mascot.
Monday's balloon on the rooftop is definitely less menacing, but way more real. And only three months after the new "Ghostbusters" hit theaters.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
