Rob DeFrees with his signature broom outside the El Capri on Calaveras Street near downtown, where he will host an Evening of Music — Hands Across Fresno, 2 p.m., May 10. When he says everyone in Fresno is invited to the block party, he’s totally serious.
On the road
It ain’t Jack Kerouac, but Rob DeFrees sees the world from his “road.”
by Famous Whitewater
May 9, 2008
May 9, 2008
Hi, my name is Rob, and this is a Web site about my street in Fresno.
As way of introduction, there are some things you should know about Rob DeFrees:
* He signs his Internet posts up front, using his real name, just so there’s no confusion as to who’s saying what.
* He’s a cheeky little fellow (borrowing his words) who bangs away in Brit-speak. Friends are “mates,” photographs are “snaps” and everything, everything is “brilliant.”
The Fresno City Council are dwarves, but that’s not British slang, just an opinion.
* He’s a patriotic sort, an American who’s lived oversees, but flies the stars and stripes proudly outside his apartment that he calls a flat.
*Calaveras (from Voorman to McKenzie) is his street, though he calls it the road.
And DeFrees is inviting the rest of Fresno down to celebrate life on his road with a Hands Across Fresno block party this weekend, 2 p.m. May 10. There will be music (classical, jazz and Mariachi ), neighborhood watch, voter registration, various civic and community groups and the coppers (his word for police), all “joining hands on Calaveras and beyond to show support to rid our community of drug dealers, poison, gangs and neglect.”
It’s a quaint thought, that one man can make a difference.
But this is the age of George Bush’s Internets where you can get to-the-second updates text-messaged to your cell phone and people keep track of crap they put on their cats.
So why not a street. Five months ago, DeFrees created a Web site (www.calaverasstreet.com) dedicated to life on the road. Mostly, it was so his mates could keep tabs on him, but it’s taken on a life of its own. Google Calaveras Street and his site comes up first. He has some 200 members, he says, regular readers who log in to read his posts about life on the street. Plenty more pop in occasionally.
He assures me our meeting will be posted eventually.
Calaveras is his road and he takes it very seriously. When he’s not at the computer, typing away in brit speak he’s out walking the road with his signature broom, knocking on doors — being neighborly. It’s all group think, DeFrees says. People are willing to stand up behind you — as long as they’re not the first in line. The problems on his street — gangs, drugs, graffiti, neglect — can be tackled if enough people start lining up.
He’s teaching civics 101, he says, and we can follow along online, a correspondence course of sorts. Leave it to the Internet to change perceptions.
Calaveras Street, he says, has an almost urban-legend status as a place not to be.
“This road is lined with lovely apartments that sit empty.”
So, when he says he hopes every Fresnan shows up on the road Saturday, it’s no joke. In his dream world, he’d have Fresnans lined up in a hand-holding chain down Blackstone avenue, all the way to River Park. Then, everyone would know how brilliant his street and his city is.
“Being brilliant doesn’t mean anything if the whole world doesn’t know you’re brilliant.”
For more, read Bill McEwen's take.
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It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's Superman
Rob DeFrees
When Famous Whitewater rang MOI up and asked if he could do an interview, I was gobsmacked. He only writes about the great and MOI is but an old geezer, who bangs out pedantic letters to City Officials(AKA Dwarfs) and other folks who need to get concerned about the evils that plague my road.
I spotted him as he entered the entryway of the El Capri, I was across the road making sure that neighbors were doing a proper wash and sweep. Famous Whitewater favours the costume of the hip young folks, also known as "well worn, with no labels". He wears black horn-rimmed glasses, which made me think immediately of Clark Kent. First impressions linger and his case he proved MOI correct.
Famous Whitewater, AKA Josh, does have a secret personality. He is very clever and that carries over to his love of music. Josh plays with a band, even has an emblem on his rucksack with the image of his face. How clever is that?
Josh is right quick with the questions and makes sure he does not miss a quote. I was surprised at how many he caught, but then he is Superman, and his ability to write is faster than the speed of sound.
I loathe cats and he must tell what sort of rubbish folks place on the buggers. Would it be possible that they might even have a scent that will mask the ordor of litter boxes?
I digress. I am trying to capture the moment. Josh is small in stature and not nearly so full of flesh as MOI. The poor dear, looks as if he could use a good meal. Ah, to be young and svelte..........oh, I am going round the bend again.
I have to tell true that Josh did MOI proud. He got the true image of MOI on the page. Along with tell the whole of Fresno what is happening on my road. I am ever so pleased with all of the lovely things he said. I could not have asked for a better reportage of the visit.
I like to think that his words got some more folks to give a look in on Saturday when we had the event on my road.
Josh is not one to tell lies and when he was asked if he knew many of the neighbors on the road he lived, he told true that he did not. Perhaps this old geezer got him to think on why that is and just maybe get out and say hello. I got the impression that however timid he tries to be, there is a real 'lady killer' hidding underneath. Wonder if the ladies know who they are dealing with. He is Superman!
We got on well and the interview was a pure joy to do. Josh is a true gentleman and would never want to trash anyone. Mind, MOI can not hold claim to that as it seems Council members do not like to be called Dwarf. How unkind of MOI.
When last seen, Josh was walking briskly away from the El Capri. He was clutching his rucksack and had the look on face of searching for a call box to change into his Superman Costume. I did not have the heart to tell him that call boxes are not on my road. Drat, if he had come onto the road on Saturday, there were 10 loos parked on the road. He could have lock self in one for a quick change. Hmmmmmmmm, perhaps he might have even had some the the rubbish folks put on cats.
Josh is one of the reasons I like to read Fresno Famous. There are some right clever folks here. Mind, I was just getting used to the horrid old look of the site and it up and changed on MOI. I am an old geezer and it will take a bit to get used to the very 'hip' style of the site. To be true, thought the use of poor MM was a bit gay for my taste and am happy she has been laid to rest. If the folks roit over this design and Fresno Famous goes with Judy Garland, I will throw my red slippers at the monitor and scream; "We are not in Kansas, Toto.". Actually more like 'bloody hell'.
Now I ask you, do I overuse Brilliant? I made it a point to not. I do think Josh was bloody brilliant and his piece was brilliant.
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