Fresno Famous

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith

Wouldn't life be worth the living
Wouldn't dreams be coming true
If we kept the Christmas spirit
All the whole year through?
~Author Unknown

My dears, MOI made a promise to not fill these pages with tales of woe or grief this holiday season and will honour that. What will follow is the telling of Christmas 2008, or rather the days of Christmas 2008, and how the whole of these days makes Christmas the special season it is. Christmas is a blend of hope and unhappiness, and how both can mesh and still leave one with joy in the heart and the true Spirit of Christmas alive.

The orchestra has picked out a lovely tune to set the mood..............

Do listen as you read.............

Last night as the sun set and the sky turned dark, the Christmas lights from the tree in my office were shining brightly for all on the road to see and enjoy. MOI had tied back the curtains and lifted the window blinds, offering a brilliant view of the warm glow of the tree that stood in the window.

MOI was reading mail on the computer and Paul was standing beside as MOI had received a touching story and wanted to share with him.
Suddenly,there was a loud crash, followed by a rather large brick that had been hurled through the window. With such force had it been thrown that it knocked over the Christmas tree, smashing ornaments, breaking limbs of tree, shattering the glass on a picture on wall and covering MOI and most of the room with shards of glass. Paul was standing quite near the the window and was able to catch a glimpse of a figure in the garden of the property next to office window, saw the person run into the house next door and slam the front security gate.

MOI called the coppers. Since neither MOI or Paul had been killed by the brick and while shaken were still very sound of body, so MOI dialed the non-emergency number for the coppers. The poor lady who takes the calls informed MOI that the coppers were ever so busy and it would be some time before they could come out to take a report.

Looking out the window it was very clear where the brick had come from and in what direction it had been cast from. The house next door had all of the lights off, even the lamp that comes on when there is movement out front. As if to confirm the winning aim, the lights all came back on and folks from the house next door came out to give a look about. In short order the lady who rents the property even showed up and stood in the garden looking up at the smashed window.

My legal angel tells me that the tale can be told so long as MOI tells what he knows to be true and does not try to name one who is not known to. That the lady can be talked about as she is part of the community and took it upon herself to have an open chat on the front garden that any on road could have heard. In short there is much MOI can say and not cross any line that defames a person or property that is not part of the event that happened to MOI on this occasion.

Allow MOI to tell the order of things as to allow you, the dear reader, to see how the dots all connect.

MOI had called Code Enforcement about the property next door. It is rented to a lady who operates a 'room and board', making a special effort to get 'clients' from the County of Fresno who are 'mentally challenged'. The complaint reported was that the house was without heat. No heat and it has turned right cold these past days. A patient advocate came out and saw this condition and a chap from the Code Enforcement Office came out and noted the lack of a proper operating furnace. Space heaters had to be purchased to provide heat for the 'clients'.

Yesterday, Code Enforcement placed a call to Dave Natal, the legal owner of the property and told him of the condition that was found at his property. Mr. Natal did not try to hide from the call and was very co-operative with Code Enforcement. Why the furnace was not working or how long the furnace has been out of order will never be known, but MOI knows that David Natal and his wife do not let broken things at their property stay broken. During the time MOI helped them with their property MOI saw them spend tens of thousands of dollars to correct each and every thing that was brought to their attention. Each and every time the lady who rents the entire property had a complaint, the Natal's wasted no time to get it corrected, even calling out tradespersons on weekends and after hours. NO ONE can accuse them of being 'slumlords'. They do not live local and can not know of things if they are not reported to them.

Code Enforcement and other folks in government had made MOI very aware that reporting things does not always go over well with the folks who have been reported, and it has been known for one who reports things to have things happen to.

Is it a reach to not connect the reporting of items in need of repair to the hurling of the brick through the window? Dear reader, you are a clever lot and am sure you can see how it connects.

Neither MOI or Paul actually saw the person throw the brick through the window. Paul did see a person run into the house trying to hide face and enter the house next door. The hole in the window leaves no doubt where one had to be standing to hurl the brick. MOI managed the property for the Natal's and is 'au fait' with the bricks that are on that property, and where they sat in the garden, there is no doubt in my mind that the brick sitting on the floor next to MOI will match one from the garden next door. NO DOUBT!

Proving who hurled the brick is another matter and that is one that may never be solved. Since MOI was not killed by the brick and just damage to property was done, it is not a crime that the coppers will spend a great deal of time trying to solve. That is the way of it.

The lady who rents the property had much to say and wanted all of her followers to hear what she had to say. When MOI saw her looking up at the broken window, MOI told her that the coppers had been called and that a person from her 'room and board' was seen running into the property after the brick had been hurled.

"You did not see shit, how could you with the blinds down"; the lady told MOI. Point of fact the blinds were up and curtains tied back.

"You are nothing but a piece of shit, if you were to stop taking dicks up your ass and mind your own business, maybe people would not throw rocks through your windows". "You are nothing but a sick evil faggot that everybody wishes would leave the neighborhood".

Her 'man' told MOI that MOI could not talk to his woman and he would kick my ass if I upset her.

It took hours for the coppers to show up, they were that busy. They took a report and even tried to talk with the folks next door. No one would answer the door to their knock. Officer Stockdale and his partner were very kind and did not try to mis-lead MOI, they told true that this event will probably not be solved and that MOI should be thankful that the large brick did not hit in the head. It could have killed MOI.

Dave and Dottie Natal have been very kind to MOI and it pains MOI that they feel that MOI is causing them grief with the Code Enforcement issues. Dave is Italian and he made it quite clear to MOI that he did not want to chat with MOI any time soon.

My dears, however sad the events of last night are, there is a true Christmas tale here and MOI hopes that you will keep reading to see it unfold.

It was MOI who got the Natal's to rent to the lady with the 'room and board', knowing full well that the 'clients' required special care and watching. The lady promised that she would do that, even go so far as to say that drugs and alcohol were taboo in her 'room and board' operations. It was MOI who begged the Natal's to give small Christmas presents to the 'clients' last Christmas, they did with true Christmas spirit in their hearts. It was MOI who provided a very large holiday pie to the house, and made sure that a small boy got presents for Christmas. Over and over the Natal's kept the Spirit of Christmas in their hearts and made sure that the lady had everything she required to help her 'clients'.

The lovely gentlemen in the orchestra are telling MOI they have another tune to play for you........

Give it a listen to.............

'A Home', the wish of each and every 'uncovered' and mentally ill person in Fresno. That is what the Natal's believe, that is what MOI believes. MOI spent a long time chatting with Gregory Barfield, the chap who will be heading up the task force to finds ways to ensure that ALL in Fresno have a home and never have to sleep 'uncovered' on the cold pavement under the freeway. MOI believes that Gregory will do all he can to find ways to open doors and find funds NOW and not in 10 years....................Gregory has his work cut out for him and MOI will do all possible to help him, even if MOI has to wrap his massive bulk in chains and lock self to the doors of 'Silly Hall'.

MOI also spent a long time chatting with Susan Good, with Senator Florez's office. She made calls to officials about the heat problem and the plight of the mentally ill on the road. Susan did this because she CARES about the folks in FRESNO and has a heart as big as Texas......right busy she is and she found time to help MOI. God bless her.

MOI got help from Al Brajkovich, Supervisor with Fresno Code Enforcement, a chap who has much concern in his heart for folks who get less than they deserve from where they rent. He took time to hear concerns and ACTED quickly.

MOI has sent emails to Supervisor Perea's office and County Mental Health and begged for help in this matter. Went so far as to tell that if one person 'uncovered' died this Christmas season due to the cold or one poor trouble soul lost hope and took their life, he and the County of Fresno would have blood on their hands.

If the lady who operates the 'room and board' want to sue me, let her. If the Natal's feel that I have wronged them and want to sue MOI, they may do as they wish. If the County of Fresno wants to sue MOI, come on. If Supervisor Perea feels that calling him guilty of MURDER if 'uncovered' or mentally ill folks are denied their human dignity, let him sue MOI. MOI has a most brilliant legal firm who will take MOI on as a client and lead the fight in court.

I hear that in many places something has happened to Christmas; that it is changing from a time of merriment and carefree gaiety to a holiday which is filled with tedium; that many people dread the day and the obligation to give Christmas presents is a nightmare to weary, bored souls; that the children of enlightened parents no longer believe in Santa Claus; that all in all, the effort to be happy and have pleasure makes many honest hearts grow dark with despair instead of beaming with good will and cheerfulness. ~Julia Peterkin, A Plantation Christmas, 1934

Christmas 2008 will be a hard time for many folks on the road lived on. There is no cash and single mums and poor families are not able to have a tree and there will be no presents. For some there will be no holiday meal. Many of the children on the road will never see Father Christmas, or even believe that he is real.

MOI has had much given to in life and MOI will don his Father Christmas costume and walk up and down the road and try to have some small treat for every little boy or girl who wants to come out and meet Father Christmas. That is what Christmas means to MOI.

Jeff Saylor rang MOI up and was very upset about the events of last night. He got a chap to come out late in the night and place boards over windows so that no more bricks can fly through the window until it gets repaired. Jeff is a true friend, he love this old geezer as does his dad, and they beg MOI not to let the Spirit of Christmas be ruined by this horrid act. Jeff and Sayland Management are going to string Christmas lights across the front of the El Capri adding to the many lights MOI has in place already. He and his dad want the whole world to know that Christmas is alive at the El Capri.

The orchestra is full of Christmas and they want to play more..........

That there was love in the world would be so grand and MOI knows that however horrid the things said of MOI are, MOI knows in his heart who he is and what he believes.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

My dears, it is Christmas........................

My dears, the window will be repaired, some sort of lights will be placed in window in office, the poor tree might be able to be fixed, the picture can be fixed, the special ornaments will be replaced in time with new ones, and the crystal figures on desk will be remember if not enjoyed anymore. MOI leaves you with a quote that sums up MOI perfectly.........

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens

MOI is going to place this post on www.opensalon.com another blog MOI write on, and will share this story with the millions of readers at CARE2 an organization of folks who try to better the world lived in.