Yes, I am a big mouth and a semi-hermit. So? Here’s just one more of the many examples I’ve experienced through the years. Repeated nasty comments, despite years of honest and legitimate service to this community in two elected capacities, this “dangerous background story” has wrongfully punished me for years and was always held up as more important than the truth I was reporting on this site. True, much of that “attack the person and not the subject of argument” is typical of those ignorant people who have only been used to confuse or deviate from serious issues with cruel and outlandish personal attacks. (Often “fed” to them by their nefarious handlers.) I have years of such recorded statements by these useful idiots during public business meetings. Yet others were obviously violating the law for their own personal/business agenda and benefit and were far more surreptitious in their activities.

APPREHENSIVE ABOUT GOING ANYWHERE LOCALLY?

Although quite verbose, I often fail to express some information that has greatly shaped my view regarding “some public officials” which has not been very supportive or trusting. For the record, I believe the far majority of public servants do a good job and take pride in that achievement, just as it should be. Heck, even the guy in the below story (with a different set of circumstances regarding initial contact) could have ended up being a friend (or friendly acquaintance) and trusted, rather than an “adversary and not trusted”. Uniform or not.  Same with the two deputies going through my home…… WHAT WERE THEY TOLD? WHY WERE THEY THERE? <STOP!> So sad that a general supporter of law enforcement has again had that support seriously questioned with distrust because of what someone else <STOP!> I digress.

ANOTHER CLUE TO WHY I PREFER STAYING HOME (WHEN NOT ON DESERT)

(AND ANOTHER ALMOST FORGOTTEN INCIDENT FORCED TO RELIVE) “eviler”? “relive” backwards? lol

Here’s another example that I had wrapped up the best I could at the time and shoved up there on the top shelf of that hallway closet where another  emotional avalanche was just waiting for a trigger. Though an outspoken semi-hermit blogger (as mentioned many many times through the years), I must never-the-less occasionally take a break from my traditional at home frozen crap meal menu and feed a long-held craving for a good hot pizza.  (With abundant ice cold Root Beer is the best, but sometimes I drop the “Root”. lol)

Don’t have the exact date/time.  Could find it by searching for those old notes but not important to the story, so suffice it to say it was years ago when our local pizza place was still open,  (If going uphill on Hwy 132 it was off to the right just before the Don Pedro Market,  I recall it shared a parking lot with a construction outfit and the doctor’s office,) 

A GOOD DAY FOR A PIZZA FEAST!

Anyway, every once and a while I would telephone and order for pickup, a combination pizza with all the toppings.  (Crap my stomach is growling now just typing this – lol),  So after an appropriate time waiting at home drove down there, entered, and sat down at a table in the back.

TRADITIONAL LOCATION IF AN OPTION

I have always preferred, when available, sitting in the rear of an establishment with my back against a wall and facing the entrance.  (Old training about keeping a view towards what might be coming through the entrance when uniformed officers inside.) There were only two other customers in there at the time, two women who were casually talking to one another seated at a table near the entrance apparently waiting for their previously placed “sit down” order.   

ONCE AGAIN MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS

So I’m sitting there waiting for my pizza.  Looking at the different displays and decorations of the place when the door opens and a slender man wearing a Fire Department uniform sounders in like “Andy Taylor’s Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife” on the TV series the Andy Griffith Show.   He takes a seat at a table immediately next to the women who are still quietly talking to each other.    

COULD ALMOST HAVE BEEN A COMEDY SKIT

At the very first lull in the women’s private conversation he starts talking about his life as a fire fighter and what the public doesn’t understand about the job.  I kid you not.  (I was under the impression he did not know these ladies personally and for some reason I had believed they were merely passing through going to, or coming back from Yosemite National Park. But I didn’t speak with them with the possible exception of a friendly nod while walking in past them to the rear of the place to wait for my feast.

SHOULD BE EASY TO “TIMELINE” TRACK

He explained he had just finished a training session for some new ABA (Air Breathing Apparatus) equipment his department really needed and had finally received the funds to purchase.   Had expensive sensors and detectors, pricey stuff, but likely extremely valuable for their work. As I recall, the women’s conversation was repeatedly interrupted at the slightest hint of a pause at which time “Barney” would again insert his narrative as an unsung hero.   On at least one occasion I saw one of the women roll her eyes to her friend in disbelief to the ongoing, unsolicited narration of how difficult his work was.

JUST SAT THERE AND COULDN’T HELP BUT HEAR

It appeared to be more of a lecture with little said by the two women who appeared to only want to continue their own private conversation.  On and on this guy went explaining how challenging and dangerous his work was while the women helplessly listened until ……

MY FIRST THOUGHT? “DEAR LORD – THEY DID IT TO SOMEONE ELSE TOO!”

So on and on about his work being inherently dangerous when he begins talking about a “barricaded subject” he, other fire fighters and sheriff deputies had to contend with a while back and that it was a very dangerous and potentially lethal situation. 

LIKE AN ALERT DEER IN THE WOODS

Naturally both of my ears (almost – lol) completely independent of my stationary head, started a slow rotating or pivoting motion to ascertain the optimum direction to best capture his narration of what done to some other poor victim of a “badge heavy” government official. Should I find out who that poor guy was and contact him for his story????

WASN’T UNTIL LAUGHING ABOUT MY MOTHER

So I’m intently listening to this public servant (in his story of the dramatic dangers that firemen must face -which there is no doubt they actually do) that the SUSPECT in his narration of danger, had a semi automatic rifle and was preventing the  responders from extinguishing a fire on his property.  Now crossing the line from co-incidence to …. ??????

IS THIS JACKASS TALKING ABOUT ME AND WHAT HAPPENED AUGUST 3rd 2000 ON MY PROPERTY WHEN THE NEIGHBOR UP THE DRIVE INTENTIONALLY MADE A FALSE REPORT OF AN OUT OF CONTROL FIRE?

YES!  IT WAS ME!  I’M THE ONE HE’S TALKING ABOUT!

When he stated the guy’s Mom and Dad had driven up from Merced and his Mother was crying “Please don’t shoot my son, he is a good man who was done wrong”.  He was laughing. Laughing about my Mom’s concern?  (Mid eighties at the time) Said he told her something like, “Oh we won’t shoot him but he must follow……”.?????  Couldn’t hear anymore and thought my heart would explode out of my chest.  

YUP, the PIZZA WASN’T THE ONLY THING HOT AND READY!

While this guy was still going on about this dangerous encounter my pizza was ready so I picked it up and while headed for the door said something to the effect:the next time he started telling lies (may have said talking shit) and untruths about someone in a public place he should make (damn?) sure they are not in the same room because he could end up on the wrong side of a civil law suit.

While headed for the entrance out to the parking lot, and walking past the two women, I do vividly recall obvious repressed laughter and (what I believed to be) approving smiles.   Out the door and to my truck.

SURE BRIEFLY FANTASIZED ABOUT KNOCKING THAT LIAR OFF HIS LECTURE BENCH

But that’s not me, besides, with all the dis/misinformation these FOTHER MUCKERS have spread about me through the years I’d probably receive a lethal injection for attacking such a noble and fearless public servant.  It’s all a matter of perspective and how that perspective was actually formed.

A FEW OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE TOLD THIS STORY TO

Right at this point say something like:  He knew you were there and did it on purpose to provoke you and encourage you to over react — so you’d really be in trouble…..

At which time I would have to explain … BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE …. Because I honestly did not believe he knew who I was because by the time I reached my truck and was seated ready to go, this fireman comes running out apologizing…babbling about not knowing I was there, not recognizing me – he was very sorry,,,, blah blah blah Don’t recall my response other than for him to stop telling lies about that incident (I NEVER HAD AN ASSAULT WEAPON AT THAT LOCATION but YES I WAS INDEED OUTRAGED!)  and to just leave me alone – and I returned home. Of course that particular pizza wasn’t consumed with the same traditional pleasure and it was quite some time before I returned to satisfy a pizza craving.  A frozen one in my own oven would have to do. Again terribly embarrassed by what these  fu <STOP>  people have done, and continue to do. An unofficial Kangaroo Court of public opinion carefully crafted through the years and then, to make matters worse, I verbally let loose and scream my lungs out in indignation to such activities. Yeah, that goes over great when dealing with government officials exercising monopolistic authority and power.

My best to you and yours, Lew      

PS: True, in the above, this was just a regular guy making chit-chat with some attractive women, but to me, he was laughing about my Mother (and Father who both had medical issues of their own) who were terribly concerned about what had, and was, happening on my own property and why.

My best to you and yours, Lew

PS: Probably good as time as any, please forgive my public meltdown regarding this past October 4th 2024 incident. Although no excuse for foul language (and nasty jokes about perceived “adversaries”) when expressing my outrage, viewers might appreciate how I have become so distrustful of “some of these public servants”.

Well, guess I’ve been saving that frozen pizza for today! later