FOG’s WEIRD LIFE

Martyrs Needed

Early Christian Martyrs

Martyrs are often ordinary people that get caught up in a cause and usually end up giving up their lives.  Their sacrifice helps to advance a cause.  Religions, revolutions and most causes, both great and small, need martyrs.  For some martyrs it is a choice, and for others it just happens largely by chance—the right place, the wrong time.  

Walking back from an Asheville City Council meeting, an unwilling FOG almost became a martyr for his Five Points Asheville neighborhood.  FOG did not want to be a martyr and instead was perhaps spared so that he could share his story.

Asheville at dusk

FOG lives close to Asheville’s downtown and walks all time, driving perhaps once or twice a week.  While walking, he tries to be attentive, not use his cell phone, and gives vehicles the right of way since they are bigger.

On the night in question, he was walking back from an Asheville City Council meeting attended by members of his neighborhood association.  The near-death experienced happened at that really bad intersection of Maxwell, Monroe, and East Chestnut Streets. 

Sometimes you are windshield and sometimes you are the bug

FOG was walking on the west sidewalk of Maxwell Street and crossing Monroe at the corner.  He had his umbrella open since it was raining a bit, but fortunately had it held high and was being observant. He sees a vehicle traveling west on East Chestnut Street at what seemed a higher rate of speed than prudent, and thought surely, it would continue traveling on East Chestnut since it seemed to be going too fast to make a left turn. He started to cross Monroe, but the car did not continue on East Chestnut and instead the driver made a left turn to get on Monroe Street.  Since it close to 130 degree left turn from E. Chestnut to Monroe, and not the typical 90 degree left turn, a driver can make the turn going much faster. There was no left turn signal, but fortunately the driver sees FOG and hits the brakes.  It was just a bit to close for comfort.

FOG hurried home thinking how ironic it would be had he been run over returning from an Asheville City Council Meeting where the neighborhood association was promoting the need for better neighborhood pedestrian safety . He thought that he did not want to be like the Chicago girl who was shot back home in Chicago, just weeks after attending the President's Inauguration in Washington.  Her death was used to justify increased gun control legislation.  While FOG supports pedestrian safety, he is not ready to become a martyr for the cause.

Good Riddance and Boo!

Mr. FOG owns some rental properties.  One recent rental has produced a high maintenance tenant, who almost every month has some issue, problem, or concern.

With four months left of the lease, the tenants asked to speak to FOG in person, saying the matter was too delicate to discuss on the phone.  FOG thought this could be one of three things; the tenants could not pay the rent, wanted to move, or add another occupant to property.  FOG guessed right, but was completely blown away by the reason they wanted to move.  They wanted to move because the condo they are renting is supposedly haunted by FOG’s mother, who has been deceased for about 15 years. 

Lady Ghost on the Stairs

The tenants said that a clairvoyant came to the house saw the presence on a woman with long black hair who came to dinner table to smoke a cigarette and drink rum.  Also they noted her presence on the stairway; often feel a chill on the third step and noises.  The tenants knew that FOG’s mother had lived in the condo.  FOG took the news calmly and did not refute the haunting claim, but clarified that his mother did not have long hair, did not drink rum, did smoke cigarettes, and died peacefully in the hospital.  There is no reason for her spirit to be unsettled.  Also others have lived in the house after her death, including FOG, without any ghostly sightings.

Glad to be rid of them, FOG agreed to let the tenants leave before the end of their lease and refund their security deposit as long as the condo is returned in good condition.  However the lease specifically limits the number of occupants of the unit.  Since the woman with long black hair was a resident and not FOG’s mother; FOG may be entitled to back rent from the tenants for this additional occupant, who is presumably a spirit from the tenant’s family.  Hopefully this spirit will move with the high maintenance tenants, but  leave the rum.  She can take the cigarettes.

St. Valentine’s Day Tears Revisited

One BLOG reader opined that Mr. FOG should not waste his time on Ugly/Pretty cat and needed to get a real girl friend.  FOG considered her point of view and decided that if he could not keep a cat satisfied, a girl friend would be much harder too keep happy.  When he has successfully mastered cat relationships, he can then move on to human beings.