Sports Commentary July 25, 2005

B & G Imagination Junction


Sonny Thoughts ……………………..



Once In a while I like to write about where I live.

I do not compose about Yuma, Arizona often because most that read this column-live somewhere far from Yuma and could not care less what happens here--fair enough as I would only have scant curiosity about the day-to-day goings on in your town.

Stay with me, this week, as though the subject this time concerns my town it really concerns every town and what happens in every town should be of interest to all.

My story is about a man of Yuma named Sonny Frazer and why Sonny is so important in my thoughts and why he should stick in your thoughts as well.

Even to those of us that reside here (we are called Yumans) the name Sonny Frazer is unfamiliar to nearly all yet is a man known to nearly each. Sonny is, in fact, one of the best known of all Yumans.

Most of us have never spoken to Sonny and likely never will. If you ask all one hundred fifty thousand of us Yumans about Mr. Frazer likely you would hear the same number of opinions.

None of us need Sonny in our lives and if truth serum were taken we would probably confess that we do not want the man in our midst.

Yet the real truth might very well be that Sonny Frazer represents the mirror of our conscience and we are all better off for his presence.

Sonny Frazer is a homeless man who, for the past few years, had lived at the intersection of Fortuna Road and Interstate 8. His home was a folding chair—the roof and wall, of his home, was an umbrella. Plastic bags containing his worldly possessions surrounded him
Nearly twenty-four hours each day Sonny had just sat there and watched the hustle and bustle of life about him. He had seen us Yumans going to and from our jobs, school, shopping and to visit our friends.

Many that are just passing through, en route to Phoenix or San Diego, know Sonny as Fortuna and I-8 is near a large truck stop and popular roadside restaurant.
Children impolitely have no fear or good manners to know not to stare at others and have at the odd appearing man. Us adults, trying to be subtle, only took quick peeks when we passed his spot.

Sonny Frazer is one of millions of men and women, throughout the world, that are homeless and are seen on street corners in any city and many small towns—how they get this way is usually a mystery to others.

Unlike many, that squat at crossroads, Sonny never has had his hand out—he does not beg. Somehow, he always seemed to have enough to eat.

Though, like all of us here, I have seen the man for years I would not dare have invaded his world to speak with him though there is no doubt that he has many tales to tell.

In the late 1970s a movie was made for television starring Leslie Nielsen about a homeless man that possessed extraordinary intelligence. A do-gooder woman, played by Beverly Garland, tried to befriend Nielsen’s character and save him from his life of despair. Nielsen wanted none of it and Garland’s persistence destroyed him in the end.

Frankly, it was a terrible film but it held my attention because it showed that homeless persons-for whatever the reasons that are as they have become-do not seek our pity and prefer to deal with their fate privately.

No doubt they would be quick to say that we do not understand and they would be absolutely correct.

Yet, Sonny has become important to me because every single time that I would pass his spot he would get me thinking.

At first I think, “I’m glad that I’m not in his predicament. I have a roof over my head, a nice car to drive, plenty of food to eat and can afford all of my essentials and desired luxuries. In the past year my financial situation has become such that I’m even more safely distant from his existence—aren’t I the lucky one?”

Well, of course, I am very lucky but then I look around-at my fellow Yumans and those just passing through-with thoughts of whether each of them realizes how lucky that they really are.

Still I keep thinking, “Though we don’t ever want to occupy Sonny’s spot maybe he has life figured out far better than we do.”

Our lives are so complicated and filled with tension from the workplace, family, friends, bills to pay, kids to raise and myriad other headaches.

While, daily, hundreds of cars with those much more fortunate hustled and bustled our way past him Sonny seemed not to have a care in the world. How did he view us and does he think that he really has it better than we have it?

Again, I do not know Sonny’s story but when I saw him I saw beyond the despair and kept thinking simplicity.

My intent is not to paint Sonny Frazer as either a sympathetic or personable individual—in all these years, I never saw him smile or give a friendly wave to the hustle and bustle.

What is known, about Sonny, would paint a different portrait.

Two years ago Sonny squatted at Fortuna and North Frontage Road, just a few steps from his more recent home. until he caused disturbances with nearby merchants. Things seemed to have been smoothed over with the compromise being that Sonny would move and behave better.

All seemed to be going well as he appeared to hold up his end of the bargain while the police and other authorities both watched him and also looked out for him.

In the past couple of weeks, though, Sonny Frazer has vanished and there is no given reason.

The Yuma Daily Sun reported that Sonny is safe and at an undisclosed local location yet he was not found at the hospital, jail, morgue or local mission. The news report said that this disappearance relates to the incident two years ago.

All I know is that Sonny is gone from Fortuna and I-8 and I miss him.

Seeing Sonny made me think, look within myself, feel fortunate and feel humble—how many individuals, in our lives, can have such a singular impact?

How can we not view someone as that and not think? Again, my thoughts are not sympathetic as likely Sonny is no angel and if we did knew how he became as he is we might imagine much different thoughts.

Yet, encountering the Sonny Frazer’s of the world is good for me and should be good for us all just to assist us in keeping the whole craziness of life in some clearer perspective.

The other day I passed Sonny’s spot and saw, instead, a young man hitchhiking—it was like seeing a new neighbor in the house next door.

There are other Yumans that read this column—maybe you do not miss Sonny Frazer, as I do, but let us hope that he is safe and someday might even return to make us give some hard thought when you zoom by him on the way to your maze of activities.

After all, how many people that we know can keep us wanting to find a mirror to check on ourselves for reasons other than vanity?

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These thoughts are B’s and are not necessarily shared by G