Old Lady Needs Glasses

The following report just came from my Persian friend that lives in Ottawa, Canada:

I was on my usual evening walk last night, when two speeding police cars with bright white lights came and busted me by mistake for someone who had been breaking into cars! An old lady had called them. There were no lights on the street!
 
The alpha policeman opened his car door and said can I talk to you. I walked up with a dumb smile and said sure. He asked if I have ever been in trouble with the law and I said no. He said can I see some ID, I said sure and gave him my wallet, he said take it out and I did. He went inside the car and cam out in a few minutes and he said you can go sir, thank you.
 
So off I went on my way home, when another police car stopped me again, so I went to him and asked what did I do now, I just walked 50 yards on this straight sidewalk, he said my partner has more questions for you. It turned out that the old lady had "positively identified me for being there for 3 nights". I told them I’ve lived in this city for 32 years and tonight is the first time I walked on this road, ever.
 
Then when all the cop cars were in one place and people had come out on their porches to watch, traffic was being stopped, they made me empty my pockets on the hood of the car, lean on it as they body searched me. Then they said I was "clear".
 
Then they looked at my iPod and asked what was the last song you listened to? What make is your iPod, I said apple, like all the other ones. I have the receipt at home. I was so nervous I couldn’t remember the last Persian classic title. Then they looked at my ID for a second time and asked where I was born.
 
Because I couldn’t sleep all night, I went to the police station by bus early this morning and talked with their chief. (The old lady) had lied to them about going out in her car to see me under the headlights. I told the police last night that only two cars passed here while I was walking, your two police cars. Why would I be eating sunflower seeds as I steal a car? There was a pack in my pocket.
 
Also, if I was going to steal a car I would put on running shoes, not dress shoes, in case I have to run. And there is a Mercedes in our driveway at home one street up from here, why would I be looking in some old lady’s car, would I not be stealing at least a Porsche or something?
 
It turned out the lady was not reliable and had withdrawn her positively identified claim and had made up other things. Too much TV watching does that to some people I guess. Anyhow, I am no longer a suspect.
 
I won’t be walking on that road again!
 
People are going nuts I tell you.

David Mills, RIP

What a gigantic loss.

I met David decades ago when he was self publishing a beautifully written and designed ‘zine called UNCUT FUNK. He is the ONLY person I have ever admitted is a bigger P.FUNK fan than myself. I remember a genius video he shot that gave a tour of the Jersey neighborhood where p.funk was born. He went there for Eddie Hazel’s funeral. That was his level of commitment to some of the greatest music ever made.

When the whole PE thing blew up, I never doubted his motives….I knew he loved the group. He always had impeccable musical tastes. But he was a reporter with integrity, and that was that.

Over the years, I begged him to write a p.funk screenplay I would direct. He was never interested. But he would hit me off with great obscure p.funk covers, and an AWESOME p.funk mousepad he made himself (oh how I hate that it was taken from me that same night by some ass).

I remember when I read that "Bop Gun" script for HOMICIDE. It impressed me that it was so HIM at the same time perfectly fit the fabric of the series. That’s a quality I aspire to when I work as director on different series. His oral history of P.Funk is an essential document to understanding the group.

As great as his fiction and non-fiction writing was, this website is also one of his great achievements. Brilliantly designed, amazing breath of topics, and connected me to so many other sites and people I connect with regularly. While his list of links were not just black, the network of black intellectuals he assembled put most professional pundits to shame. I was proud when he added me to his blog list. He was a tasteful man with complete integrity and craft. Of course I wanted his approval!

I go here several times a day. Even when he “retired” it briefly. I just love it. And since the site was such a great reflection of him, I loved him.

Through this site, I found Denmark Vesey, the Black Snob, Shadow and Act and many others. I was always impressed by his willingness to debate the conspiracy minded folks at Vesey’s. He disagreed with them a lot but he debated them because he cared. Whether I disagreed with his point or not, I always respected that he could stand his ground but still listen.

His site was so tight he inspired me to step it up on my website. I never asked him what he thought about him revamped site, but I wanted him to like it. I never told him I named it my favorite site of last year, but really it’s my favorite site period. He crushed me when he almost retired from it. Now that he’s gone, I am in a daze.

If one way to judge a man is by his friendships, then David Mills was a great man. He touched amazing people.

You gave us a lot, but we needed so much more of you.

You were a true brother.

RIP

Talk about in on HEF – Hudlin Entertainment Forum