FANCY DRESS GONE BAD

What was I thinking?  What a character.....

The year was 2008 and I had taken on the persona of Inspector "Busy Body" in the neighbourhood lived.  Ever on the lookout for crime and graffiti I was.  Oddly enough, it worked, neighbours thought I was a joke but the joke was on them.  Crime dropped like a rock.

I have a 'history' for being 'weird.....

SUSAN GOOD IS BLOODY BRILLIANT

The old geezer first met Susan Good some 4 years ago.  At the time, the old geezer was trying to teach civic pride and moral responsibility to neighbours in a community, most folks in Fresno would rather not think about.  Along the way, Susan Good, taught this old geezer a bit about civic pride and moral responsibility.

At the time, Susan worked for a member of the  California Legislature, very busy woman she was.  That did not stop her from ringing up and asking if there was anything she could do to help in the fight against drugs and crime.

No dilettante is Susan Good.  She is passionate in her desire to make Fresno a better place to live and work, regardless of district lived in.  Susan took part in the block party held on Calaveras Street.  Susan also took time out of her very busy schedule, she was running for office, to come down and take part in March In Alley, to draw attention to the massive drug problem in the neighbourhood. 

Even after losing her bid for public office, Susan Good did not turn back on.  Coming down and visiting to chat more about what could be done to make life better for the poor of Fresno.  I will long remember Susan sitting on the curb, sipping a soft drink got from local cash and carry, taking in the American Flags hanging on Calaveras, greeting folks with kindness and just being a real person.

Susan is running for the same public office again.  She wants to be the person on council for District 4.  In a larger sense, Susan Good, wants to represent not just the folks in District 4, but ALL of the people of Fresno.  That is pretty special.

Having a choice of snaps to put up on blog, I went with the one from her advert for election campaign.  The sign says it all,  It is all good, with Susan Good.  Rather think the folks of District 4 could hardly do better.

Susan Good has a heart the size of Texas.  She really cares about Fresno.  She is passionate in her desire to make a difference.  This old geezer adores Susan Good and will forever remember her as one of the most memorable characters met in life.



CALAVERAS CRUSADER REMEMBERED

Robert DeFrees - Calaveras Crusader

Being laid up with a lame leg has given this old geezer ample time to read many more emails that pour in due to his posts. 

An avid reader with buckets of time googled me and came up with the below story from 3 years.  It was done by a featured columnist with the Fresno Bee, Bill McEwen.

Bit of a shock to see how huge meself was, and growing daily.  What a difference three years makes.  The old geezer is shadow of former self and has given up trying to save the world by living in a very wicked neighbourhood.

CALAVERAS CRUSADER THROWS BLOCK PARTY

When I made it out to the Calaveras Street block party early Saturday afternoon, the Fresno High jazz band was kicking out sweet sounds and scores of children were having fun at the Sciencemobile.
Organizer Rob Defrees had hoped to attract at least 1,000 people to his "road" and make it the biggest single-street block party in Fresno history. The crowd didn't reach four figures, but he declared the six-hour event -- a celebration of the street's efforts to oust drug-dealers and build community pride -- a success nonetheless.
"All the smiling faces and the people trying to make people feel brilliant made it worth it," said Defrees, manager of the El Capri apartment complex, just north of Divisadero.
"The U.S. Marines stayed to the bitter end even though they didn't get any customers that day. My surprise violinist was a 7-year-old boy. He brought tears to people's eyes with his performance."
The event was billed as "Evening of Music -- Hands Across Fresno." At 7 p.m., with one hour left in the party, Defrees asked the crowd to hold hands in a link of unity against drug dealers, graffiti and poverty.
"It wasn't a huge circle, but folks of all different colors and ages held hands," Defrees said. "What more can you ask for?"
Tuesday, he announced that there would be a march against drug dealers and their customers on May 27 in the alley behind 433 N. Calaveras. Wrote Defrees in an e-mail:
"This alley is important as it is being used by drug dealers selling 'poison' and is also being used by punters seeking 'poison.' The coppers are doing all they can to get them but they come back.

"Drug dealers hate the bright light of television cameras and the noise of angry neighbors. Doing a very public march will draw attention to them. More important, it will let their punters know that they are being watched. If the drug dealers have no punters for the 'poison' they close up shop."