Back in the USSA

You're probably wondering where I've been. Well, may be not, but here's the skinny anyway as I'd like to keep some continuity with this journal.

Sacha had to go back to the USA to take care of a number of things. It was decreed by Sacha and Edner that I could not remain in Haiti on my own. Therefore, on November 17 I returned to my home in San Jose, CA. The following is a brief explanation as to why I haven't been able to update this blog since that time:

Shortly after my arrival I perused my mail and discovered a recent notice from my bank. It seems a business account I haven't used in 2 1/2 years was overdrawn. This was impossible, as I have always maintained enough of a balance to offset any bank fees. My online statement showed an entire page of debit card transactions at service stations and mini-marts totaling almost $400. I scrambled through my desk drawer to the secret place, way at the bottom, where I hid all of the cards I didn't want to take to Haiti. Low and behold, that debit card was missing. Also missing was a Discover card. That online statement revealed over $850 in fraudulent charges!

The culprit was a certain carpenter person who was doing work in our home while I was gone. My wife had become irritated by his erratic behavior and poor performance, so she fired him. The timing of the charges corresponds to when she first issued him an ultimatum. He was the only person with access to the inside of our home (he was our house sitter while my wife and I were in New Orleans).

The person is William (Bill) Link. He lives in my neighborhood with his elderly, Alzheimer's afflicted mother.

After calling the bank and credit card company, I filed a police report naming Bill as the prime suspect. The San Jose PD took the report, but assured me that very little would be done on the case because of the small amount of money involved, the likelihood that the banks would remove the fraudulent charges, and the fact that they had more serious crimes to investigate.

I wanted to draw a bit more police attention to this crime and the perpetrator, so I decided to pay Mr. Link a visit. After 3 attempts to get him to answer the door, and knowing full well he was at home, I waited until my wife came home from work. I asked her to accompany me to see if we could get some sort of an explanation from Bill. Besides my wife, I brought along a baseball bat for protection.

After a few friendly knocks on the door, I decided to use the bat to see if it might attract his attention. It did get his Mom to answer, telling us that Bill was in the bathroom. I let the bat speak a few more words on the door and it was finally opened. Bill began to approach me, complaining about me knocking so hard on his door. I pointed out that he was lucky I didn't do the same to his head. He immediately demanded that I prove the allegations against him. Problem was, I'd made no allegations up to that point, so I asked him if he would explain why he thought I was standing outside his home with a baseball bat.

Bill then threatened to call the police. I said, "No problem," and I would wait right there on his doorstep until the police arrived. I WANTED him to call the police. That was my whole point in causing such a ruckus (see later for the slight error in judgment on my part). Loud threats were exchanged and my wife finally convinced me to go home and put this event behind us. I acquiesced and we returned to our violated abode.

About 30 minutes later the police arrived. They asked me if I went over to Bill's house with the intention of beating him with the baseball bat. I said my intention was to draw police attention to the situation, as well as for self defense. The police officer believed me, as men usually don't ask their wives to join them if they intend to beat the shit out of someone. She also pointed out that she believes Bill stole the cards and sold them for money or drugs. She had the occasion to arrest Bill in the past for drugs and other "minor" crimes. The irony that this SJPD officer pointed out is that Bill rips me off, but I am the most likely one to go to jail. You see, brandishing a weapon is a misdemeanor and I am subject to immediate arrest.

Bill, in a moment of good judgment, decided not to press charges against me. I agreed to not go near his house or to harass him in any way. The bottom line was that I was going to swallow real hard and be thankful that my losses are minimal in the larger scheme of things. "Besides, it's only money," said the officer with as much sympathy as she could muster. Point made, and my goal was to put the whole thing in the rear view mirror and get as far away as I could.

NOTE TO ASPIRING CRIMINALS: Credit card fraud is the career path of least resistance by the police. Not enough motivation or resources, so amounts under a few thousand usually go uninvestigated and seldom if ever prosecuted.

A few days later I was informed by the contractor doing the floors in my house that he wanted to start in 5 days. No problem: all I had to do was temporarily relocate every single item from inside my house, find a place to live for 2 weeks, and be prepared to clean up one hell of a mess when they were finished.

That was a little over a week ago. My family (wife and 2 dogs) is sleeping in a motor home parked in front of our house. The water hookup to the rig won't work because water leaks into the bathroom (despite being "fixed" at Camper World in Morgan Hill). A few days ago we received a warning that it was illegal to live in a motor home on the street, even if it is in front of our own house. I spoke with vehicle abatement and the officer agreed to not re-inspect my area until after our floor work is due to be completed. However, any passing patrolman could cite our rig or have it towed without further warning. One of the mitigating circumstances would be if we were actually IN the motor home when they came to tow it. I live in constant fear every time I leave the rig that it will not be there when I return. Fortunately, the floors should be done by Thursday (today is Monday). Then all we have to look forward to is removing the 3 inches of cement dust on the walls and ceiling, then repainting each room before we move the furniture back in. I should be done just before I have to go back to Haiti in early January.

Oh yeah, speaking of the movie in Haiti...it's a go! Sacha just secured the rest of the financing for PITIT MWEN and we will begin principal photography in late January.

Also, SKIN DEEP, Version Haitienne, is still kicking ass in theaters in Port-au-Prince. It is due to roll out to the provinces soon, and special theatrical screening engagements are planned for the Haitian community at theaters in Miami, Boston and New York sometime in January and February.

Check back in with me around January 6-7, when I'm due to return to Haiti. Until then, have a great holiday season. You know I will.

Peace and love - Ken