Re: Passing of a friend

For those of you you didn't know Micheal, he was one of those kind people who unfortunatly went down the road of alcoholism. He originaly came to Juniper Flats back in the late 70s, guitar in hand and played gigs on the street for a living. A former resident of the old Welcome Ranch, he moved down the hill to the Village after the infamous Welcome Ranch Raid in the fall of 1980 which is another story in itself. (Sheriff Tidwell stole all of the legaly owned guns there.)

Living in the Village for many years, he eventualy drifted into town as his alcoholism progressed. "The Village is too far from the liquor store for a REAL alcoholic" he would say. He became a local fixture around the Stater Brothers on Bear Valley and Navaho. He looked like a homeless dude but he was in reality the town drunk. Nevertheless, he had many friends (sober and otherwise) who would stop and talk to this friendly and humerous soul. He liked to put on a show and that would most likely be his alter ego "Derelecto", a part he played naturaly well. He was an original member of the "Rum Bums" and attended "alcoholics unanimous" meetings regularly. He had an infectious laugh and mischevious sparkle in his eyes that implied the joke is on all of us fools working the 9-5 so we can pay our credit card bills.

Michael's high profile attracted attention, which is what he wanted. On stage in the spotlight, Derelecto would shine. The Cops knew him as a regular and would haul him in to sober up from time to time. Others were known to hassle him including the Security Guards from Stater Brothers. Local thugs of the gangbanger type would hassle him as well. Evidently, a party that I will decline to name threatened Michael with violence within 48 hours of him being found, bleeding and unconcious. Derelecto was murdered near the stage he preformed on, leaving behind his many friends and family. A police investigation is open and ongoing.