NEWS

BRC CITY MANAGER TONY "COYOTE" PEREZ, ON HIS BEING ATTACKED
(posted 2/22/2007)

"Hatred - it's the only thing that lasts."

A quote from Charles Bukowski's "Bar Fly" movie, spoken by the   character played by Micky Rourke.   He sort of half whispers it in his thinking out loud voice as he listens to the husband of the married couple next door kick the shit out of his wife in their fucked up deep city hotel room.

Hatred is the spawn of massive insecurities that gets beaten into the forsaken.  Their self-esteem is a black blood that flows from a jugular cut early.  Those that have something to prove lash out.  They travel in packs and prey on the hapless to fortify their worth like bullies at recess.  It's a chicken shit fast track validation to manhood. It can be bought for $19.95 on late night TV.

And now, the hatred of these modern day bullies of our streets has become murderous.

Guess they had nothing better to do.

They were trying to kill me.

They didn't even rob me!

They were laughing about it.

As I hole up here in my apartment, it is an overwhelming thing to experience the outpour of love from my comrades.  Hatred and injuries are a lonely thing.  Can't tell you how warm a light it is in my cave of hurt to feel such concern from you.  I love you all -

So, a brief report of what happened.

Got a ride home from the DPW social at the Treat St Bar Wed before last.  Got dropped off on Laguna and Haight with two blocks to walk home.  No biggie, right?  Walking up the street, I notice a group sitting on a stoop.  Probably eight of them or so.  Only thing that I thought was that it looked past their bed time - teenagers at best.  Ten paces up the street, I was hit from behind and was drilled to the pavement.  Then it was fists, knees, and full kicks.  The kicks to the mouth were the ones that got my attention.  Haven't been playing sax lately.  They were just getting started, when a car slowed.  They scattered.  I got home somehow.  I'm missing an hour and a half of my memory.  There were bloody hand prints on my stairs the next morning.   Guess I crawled up them.

My guardian angel drives a car at night.

A cheek bone was shattered, a re-broken wrist, kicked in mouth with loosened teeth, a jammed and tweaked jaw, and a pretty high and proud shiner, and cuts and bruises throughout.  Even the bartenders think I'm a thug now.

I want to send a huge love and thanks to Will Roger and his posting and all who are responding to my situation.  The love is simply overwhelming!!  I will be laid up for some time, and rent just doesn't seem to care.  I have another job that I work in the off season as an independent contractor with Bedrock Construction, but will be unable to swing a hammer for several weeks.  I have long ago set up my own insurance plan with Blue Cross, which has been pretty pricey, but I choose this rout several years ago.  Year round employees of  Burning Man are given the option of an insurance plan and this was offered to me a while back, but I had already had my Blue Cross plan by then.  My plan will be covering a good deal of the operations, but of course, in this country, there's no such thing as absolute coverage.  (Don't get me started!!)  And with a bill that's sure to top $200.000, you always get stuck with thousands in the end.  Better than hundreds of thousands, I guess.

Bottom line, I'm just glad to be alive and kicken, and not another number sitting on the Police Chief's desk.  That shit doesn't even make the papers, you know.  And I can't tell you the depth of warmth and love that I feel from all ya'll who form this close net of our peeps!  My heart soars!

I'll save the tears for our beers.

Coyote

Editor's Note: As a result of this attack, Coyote will need reconstructive surgery on his jaw and wrist. To help him with these medical expenses and the loss of income from the necessary recovery time the DPW has set up a paypal account for donations. Go to www.brc-dpw.org and follow the links to make a donation. Thank you for your help.