Scanner Reports 8-11-17

I like wearing tee shirts. I found one for dog and cat lovers. I got one that is burnt orange, has a patchwork cat on it complete with cute little pink hearts and says, “I’d spend my 9 lives with you”. I get some really funny looks when I wear it. Sometimes pretty young women smile at me. I’ve gotten some laughs too. The dog one is blue, has a patchwork golden retriever on it, and above the dog says, “Dog is Love”. If you want to know where they are, ask in the comments and I will let you know. The smaller sizes are around 24 bones, larger 29 bones. Thirty seven years ago on Wednesday, I stumbled into New House One on Chapala. The manager gave me .35 cents for the bus and told me how to find New House 2. At the time, New House 2 was at 250 North San Antonio Road, on County General Hospital Property. I had to take the Number 6 or 11 bus up State to La Cumbre and transfer to the Number 8 Mercedes Benz bus that went down Calle Real. I got off at San Antonio Road and Calle Real on a very hot dry Saturday afternoon. I was wearing ripped up blue jeans, a burned up Harley Davidson shirt, part of my hair was burned also, as I fell in a campfire drunk. I was 22 years old. The manager, Joe, did not want to take me in. He said I was too young to be an alcoholic, but he took me in anyway. I was shown my room, green walls, old hospital bed blankets, clean sheets, pillow. I laid down and slept till dinner. I can’t remember what dinner was, but I ate a lot no doubt of that. I always ate a lot. There was a coffee room with a 60 cup pot that was always full 24/7. Sometimes there was snacks sitting out, or fruit. When I moved in there, it was free for two weeks till I got a job, then I had to pay back 48.00 a week. Not bad for room and board in 1980. I had to go to 3 AA meetings a week in-house, and a couple outside. We all had chores.

Thirty seven years ago. I’m an old man now, there is no turning back. I was the youngest guy there. There were two others; one a couple years older, another three years older. They were not as serious as I was in trying to stay sober at the time and were both still drinking. Having lost my father at a young age, a father who really did not act like a father, I was in a good place with mostly older fellas, most of which were WWII vets, some Korean vets. Most of them were fatherly towards me. I needed the structure and I needed the fathers. I got them both. I mention one of them in the Scanner Reports at the end, Fred. He was one of the first guys I ever met, probably in his 60’s at the time. He worked for the Ford dealership on Hitchcock as a salesman at the time. He was usually found in the TV room after dinner watching the TV shows of the time; Dallas, Hill Street Blues, Knots Landing. I hated J.R., I really did. My mother says those guys were my saving grace. I was on my way to prison, but I took a detour and New House Two saved my life. All those older guys are gone now but they will never be gone from my mind until my time has come and I hope to meet up with all of them again along with my Belinda and Meow Dogs.

Actually there might be a couple left. Roy, who lives on Via Real in Carpinteria. I hear his name on the scanner now and then. He still drinks I’m sure the SO knows whom I’m speaking of. I love my memories of old New House. Ironically, the place I live on South Milpas reminds me of the first New House 2 on San Antonio Road. It’s painted the same colors; green trim, white walls, the colors of my personal heaven.

Scary funny (but not at the time) story: A couple of us would buy huge spreads of food on Saturday evenings for the rest of the guys; lunch meats, chips, sodas, even near beer (aka non-alcoholic beer). We’d make dips or buy them, we’d watch HBO all night. It was cool. I wanted to make my special super-duper tabasco guacamole. I bought about 30 avocados, two pints of tabasco and lemons. I asked the cook to leave the mayo out so I could make this special TNT Dip. The jerk left the mayo out all night. You see where this was going? Everyone ate that dip. There was 5 gallons of it. I bet some of those guys wished they were back in the foxhole. All of us were exploding, there was not one open commode in the place, guys were yelping in pain, every trash can was used also. No one knew what it was. The County quarantined the place, the Centers for Disease Control was called. They thought we had Legionnaires Disease. There went my cooking career. I never made guacamole again. It’s too bad I did not go into the laxative business.

Anyway, here is your Scanner Reports, Wednesday:

A bicyclist was pursued from the 1000 block of Montecito to Quinientos and Milpas. I could not make out the bicyclist’s name but he must have been wanted as several units responded with lights and sirens.
Stolen vehicle, a GMC Yukon, from the 6800 block of Magnolia. There was a key in the truck, sounded like it was an extra not in the ignition.
Traumatic injury walk in to a Fire House, 911 Walnut.
Domestic, male yelling, 1000 block of Carpinteria Street.
Subject caused a disturbance on an MTD bus while wearing clothing with the company logo on it. Not very smart. I wonder if he still has a job.
Medical call, subject passed out in a grey Lexus 3800 block of La Cumbre Lane.
Subject was failure to yield on Turnpike for a few seconds, then must have remembered you cannot get away from the law (unless you have a scanner and a fast car), so they pulled over at Cathedral Oaks.
Female causing a disturbance at the City Market.
Transient with a small dog in the 900 block of State Street, challenging passersby and yelling.
Subject in an RV harassing a female in the 600 block of Chapala. They did not say, but it sounded like an ongoing issue.
Report of four males without shirts fighting, wearing shorts, had tats, 3000 block of DLV.
Fall victim, 1200 block of Quinientos.
Traumatic injury, 400 block of South Patterson.
Reckless driver in a black Ford Mustang eastbound on Cliff from Loma Alta at a high rate of speed.
Report of a female beating a child, in a green Mitsubishi in the 500 block of Ninos Drive.
Subject being disruptive at an AA meeting, 112 West Cabrillo.
Transient, WMA in a tan suit trespassing on properties and prowling in the 600 block of East Micheltorena. Sounds like he resisted a little.
Drunk driver BOLO, older silver Mercedes wagon, northbound in the 2500 block of Las Positas.
Caught part of the carjacking in North County, missed exact location, Two BMA’s wearing all black clothing, two juveniles also involved. They ripped off a burgundy pickup using a screwdriver.
A male bully in his 50’s chased a mentally handicapped man into the McDonalds restaurant, 1213 State Street.
Man sitting on a bus bench near Trader Joes in the 5700 block of Calle Real with his pants down.
Stolen auto recovery, Geo Metro. Reporting party blocking vehicle in a parking space as it was stolen from a friend, 1046 Coast Village Road.
Road rage on the 2100 block of Stanwood, black pickup truck involved.
Theft Investigation at OSH in Goleta.
Overdose in front of Staples, 410 State Street.
Subject hit with a broom in the 3800 block of Starrett.
400 West Valerio, victim hit on the elbow with a stick.
Vandalism, One North Calle Caesar Chavez, something thrown at a window by a woman in her 30’s wearing all white.
BOLO, hot vehicle, white Honda Pilot, 2017, stolen out of Santa Ynez. Pasadena plate frame, no front lights, rear flat tire.
Loud Music coming from a running vehicle in the 200 block of South Voluntario.

Scanner Reports FRYday:

Milpas at Cacique, medical call. Subject had seizures, fell, looked like he might have been injured from the fall also.
Check the welfare of a subject in a wheelchair with a blanket over his head, San Roque at State Streets. He was ok.
Female lost her cell phone, called the SO and said she was having a vision that someone was using her phone she wanted the Sheriff’s department to shut the phone off, even though they or she did not have the cell phone.
Highway One at San Julian Ranch, vehicle over the side, 20 feet, unknown if injury.
Medical call, overdose, 300 block of West Carrillo.
Medical call, county jail, for an infection.
Premises check Ortega Park.
Medical call seizures 500 block of East Anapamu.
A female told someone she had a gun at home and was feeling suicidal, check the welfare 400 block of East Sola.
Transient disturbing others at Cantwell’s 1533 State Street in the parking lot. I used to buy my Canadian beer there. There were some real nice bushes nearby to spend the afternoon drinking in.
Transient yelling obscenities at the manager of the Trader Joes, 222 North Milpas outside in front.
Transient disturbing in front of California Fashion, 921 State Street running back and forth with his pants falling off. Maybe he wants to be a runway model.
Non injury hit and run, Chapala at Carrillo. Suspect last seen northbound on State in a newer Lexus.
Two subject harassing people in front of the post office, 3345 State Street.
Vandalism at the City of Goleta tennis courts, missed the address.
Check the welfare of a neighbor whose 5150 ex-boyfriend has been visiting her lately. Her neighbor feels her life might be in danger, 700 block of West Anapamu.
Medical call, rear of the jail, unknown type.
Unknown if injury traffic accident, 1900 block of Cliff Drive.
Fake I.D., Albertsons on Hollister.

Well, in a few more days I’ll have been here on Edhat eight years, a long time. Another reason I love August. Have a great weekend. Belinda, Angel Baby, Pooh Bear, Clancy, Poncho, Jerry, Jonathan, C.J., Carl, Stan, Kent, Fred, Walter, Brad, Billy, ELMO, Edwin, Magruder, Don, Cory, Marty, Cop John, Rambo, Sherry, Diana, Jim, Isabelle, Jerry, John Hancock, Mickey Mantle, Ernie Banks, and Chris willing, we will see you on Monday. Later, Roger