Every year at election time, whether there is a mayoral election or not, Rocco puts a flyer on my mailbox. Rocco is our town nutcase. He also happens to live a few streets away from me. Rocco has it in for our mayor. I have no idea what our mild mannered, 40-something year old mayor, with a wife and 4 children did to Rocco. But Rocco constantly writes letters to the editor, invades city council meetings, and even pickets in front of the mayor's house (before I knew who Rocco was, I thought the old guy in front of the mayor's house was a homeless man). Rocco also has signs complaining about the mayor and the city in general in front of his house (someday I should photograph that). Rocco is the type of person who will one day walk into our city post office and kill some folks. I try to avoid the post office!
Last summer, after about five flyers in two weeks, I was tired of the trash on my mailbox. I phoned Rocco. I told him that HE was the one breaking the law by putting his crap on my mailbox. Of course, he wanted my address, which I refused to give him. Surprisingly, the flyers seemed to stop for a while. Then, this appeared on my mailbox over the weekend (see below). It is typical of his flyers and if you manage to get past the second paragraph, please let me know if you can make heads or tails out of it. Husband and I often wonder why his adult children do not do something to put a stop to this nonsense.
Last summer, after about five flyers in two weeks, I was tired of the trash on my mailbox. I phoned Rocco. I told him that HE was the one breaking the law by putting his crap on my mailbox. Of course, he wanted my address, which I refused to give him. Surprisingly, the flyers seemed to stop for a while. Then, this appeared on my mailbox over the weekend (see below). It is typical of his flyers and if you manage to get past the second paragraph, please let me know if you can make heads or tails out of it. Husband and I often wonder why his adult children do not do something to put a stop to this nonsense.
You have my sympathy. Rocco sounds like quite the neighbor...just not a quiet neighbor! Smart move to avoid the post office!
ReplyDeleteI think every town must have a guy like your Rocco. I know we have at least one here. On the rare occasions that I've gone to a city council meeting, the same guy has always been there, standing in line for his three minutes at the mike, to harangue the mayor and the council about something or other, calling them all corrupt stooges, and wagging his finger in their faces. . .
ReplyDeleteIn the newspaper, they just call him a 'political gadfly'. I suspect he's mostly harmless, and I certainly wouldn't avoid the Post Office on his account. Which doesn't mean he's not a PITA, tho (and I'm not even on the City Council). . .
I would have hoped a NASA retiree would have a better grasp on how to put together a well thought out, coherent letter.
ReplyDeleteIn the last town I lived, our version of Rocco was named Jim, and every time Jim wasn't busy trying to solve every issue in the city government, he was attending every free lunch held following someone's funeral.
This dude worked at NASA?
ReplyDeleteEm - I forgot to mention, but Rocco has to stay 500 ft. away from a beverage store in town because he was harassing the owner (who is of middle eastern descent). As funny as it all is, it's also scary.
ReplyDeleteCraig - I was not aware that so many towns had these types. Are they all retirees?
FADKOG - We have no idea what Rocco did for NASA, but it could have been a mailroom job. Sorry, but there's no way someone who went to college writes these missives.
Russ - I KNOW!!!! (See above)
Rocco appears to have too much time on his hands and his nose in places it is not welcome, I have seen people like this and you are very smart to avoid him as arguing with him will only draw you into his little fantasy.
ReplyDeleteDropped by from Joe Caps place and am glad I did.
Hmmmmm. . . interesting. . .
ReplyDeleteI'd guess that our guy is a retiree. Unless, you know, he's a greeter at Wal-Mart. . .
But you know, he's not dumb; just a screw or two out-of-adjustment. Which, you know, can happen. . .
That's easy - he has a thought disorder. We have a couple of those folks who write wacky letters to the editor.
ReplyDeleteJimmy - Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteCraig - I'm just guessing that these folks have too much time on their hands. Probably were odd to begin with though.
Agent - My armchair therapist inside thought he was a paranoid-schizophrenic, so I'm glad to learn from you the proper diagnosis.
I think Rocco is going to blow up City Hall, my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHuh, it's clear as day. Oh, wait, it's foggy and overcast and rainy, I can't see 4 feet outside.
ReplyDeleteNevermind.
As a kid, I did an internship at our Mayor's office. He had a framed and autographed "B.C." cartoon on his wall that went:
ReplyDeleteA: I came from a really small town.
B: How small was it?
A: It was so small that the village idiot doubled as the mayor.
I think you need a healthy dose of patience and a good sense of humor to work in local government.
Rhonda - It is a concern.
ReplyDeleteSailor - And this is one of his more coherent letters.
Worried - The great thing about local govt is that you get to see the outcomes faster and on a more personal level. The bad thing is, the idiots running are usually your neighbors.
Um, and you're wondering where random bagels and clipped branches come from? Seriously?
ReplyDeletetime to fingerprint Rocco