Mark David Allen has been arrested 460
times...
This page updates his current
adventures & whereabouts...
DRUNK IN PUBLIC: MDA-Watch
(most recent entry on TOP)
To read updates with the most recent entry on BOTTOM, please visit: MDA-Watch
To read excerpts from the book,
please visit:
|
| WHERE IS MDA TODAY? |
Saturday, June 14th, 2008 - 11:45am
Mark stayed out of jail for 8 days. Today he came
in for being drunk in public and also had a warrant for not following the judge's recommendation. Mark's summer is over
and the warrant saves him from himself.
Mark was transported to county jail.
Friday, June 6th, 2008 - 9:00am
Mark came in. Drunk. As far as I know, he has
not been making attempts to honor the judge's request. No meetings. No program. Mark has 2 weeks to make
this happen. If he doesn't, he'll have a warrant. Mark doesn't look so hot, so, a warrant about now would be a
Godsend.
|
| Mark rolls in again... |
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 - 9:25pm
Mark laid low for almost 2 weeks. Was he actually
attending meetings? Was he interested in recovery? Actually, no. But not getting arrested is always a good
thing. Today he got arrested for being drunk in public. He's red and bloated.
Certainly this summer has the potential to break
Mark David Allen. Mark's got roughly 2 months to destroy himself even further--and due to the early release on the 12
warrants (2 days time served), Mark is already in a shaky state.
|
| "Time served" for his warrants... |
Friday, May 23rd, 2008 - 8:30am
Today Mark appeared in front of the judge to answer for
his streak of 12 alcohol related arrests. The prediction is that the cases would be combined and Mark would be sentenced
to county jail for a chunk of time to give everyone a break (including himself) from his self destruction.
Turns out, certain people at the court were off duty, or
mis-informed, or simply disagreed with the process of dealing with a chronic inebriate such as Mark David Allen. The
conclusion is that Mark was let go with a promise to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, or even check into a recovery program!
Apparently, Mark was somewhat enthusiastic about this opportunity...Verbally,
he almost always is...I heard that while Mark awaited release, he had a medical issue at the courthouse. He was unconscious,
but breathing. Mark was transported to the hospital and was expected to be released later tonight.
|
| Mark heads to county jail... |
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 - 7:40am
Mark stayed out of jail for 2 straight weeks...With multiple
warrants pending, I was very surprised he didn't get picked up. My guess is the warrants had not become active yet,
until today. Mark was drunk in public as well as wanted. Finally, one of his many pending warrants kicked in.
A bit of respite was a long time coming for the residents who find Mark to be more than a public nuisance. Their point
is well made and well taken.
Furthermore, the longer Mark stays on the streets, the greater
the chance he'll work toward obliterating his existence, whether inadvertantly by collapsing in front of a car, or purposely
in the way he only knows.
Once again, it's the warrants that save him--letting him
regain his stamina at County Jail, which is where he was taken. In two days, he'll be in front of a judge to answer
for a very productive spring on the streets.
|
| Mark continues to rack up arrrests... |
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 - 10:23am
I talked to Mark in the morning. He sounded good.
He said he was checking out the waves at the river jetty. Mark said the waves were small and he was thinking of going
to an A.A. meeting at The Newport Club. I asked Mark if he remembered vomiting last night and he said, "No...I'm fine."
I then mentioned to Mark that he has a whole bunch of warrants that are ready to kick in at any moment and he responded, "No...I
have my written promise to appear...I'm okay."
A few hours after I spoke to Mark, he rolled in for a tresspassing
charge. Apparently he was on someone's private property and not really movtivated to leave.
When Mark was getting released, I showed Mark 2 pictures
of his artwork (pictures drawn by him many years ago) and he simply stared at them--he had zero recollection of either of
them. I asked him if he knew who drew the pictures and he said, 'Looks like some wino.' Mark was actually referring
to one of the pictures (which was of a wino) not the artist. As Mark left, I put the pictures in Mark's property and
told him that he drew the pictures many years ago.
His simple reply was, "Okay."
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 - 9:17pm
Mark was seen getting off of a bus in Newport in the middle
of the day. All information points to this being impossible as Mark is up at County Jail. After a cursory check,
it was discovered Mark served the weekend for the warrant and had been released. None of the other warrants had showed
up yet.
A dozen hours later, Mark showed up at jail--trashed. He
urinated everywhere and actualy vomited. This is something Mark rarely does. This was evidenced by the way he
quizzically studied the contents of his stomach piled in the middle of the drunk tank floor.
I don't recall Mark vomiting in custody for a good 5 years...And
at that time he induced vomiting and then went into a seizure.
With no warrants in the system...yet...Mark was released.
Friday, May 2nd, 2008 - 12:05pm
One of Mark's warrants finally popped up. They seem
to be overdue. He's going to have at least 7 hit all at once. Mark was drunk, arrested and transported to County
Jail. I'm guessing his warrants will be combined and he'll spend the Summer in jail...drying out.
Saturday, April 26th, 2008 - 10:00pm
Mark pulled off another 5 days without being arrested before
he came into tonight. He was drunk and refusing to leave a resident's property. Mark was arrested and booked.
He is looking more haggard by the day. We wait for the warrant god to kick in for the warrants will not only save
him, but give respite to those who deal with his Mark's relentless and single-minded presence.
|
| MDA's 9th arrest this month. |
Monday, April 21st, 2008 - 10:45am
Mark has just gone another full week without being arrested...Until
today. Mark got picked up for being drunk in public. I thought one of his court dates, issued from earlier
in the month should have turned into a warrant by now, but it has not. It is estimated that when it does, Mark
will be in jail most of the summer.
According to the radio call that went out on Mark, he was
described as a "black man...maybe a Mexican" by the reporting person. When I saw Mark, I knew why. He's been baking
in the sun for almost a month now and his skin is pretty charred.
|
| MDA stayed out of jail for one week. |
Monday, April 14th, 2008 - 11:00am
A radio call went out of a man down, bleeding profusely
from his head and having a seizure. It was Mark. An officer told me he thought this was it. Mark was
transported to the hospital. As is nearly always the case, Mark survived and was released shortly after he was stabilized.
It appears he hadn't been able to procure any alcohol and had an alcohol withdrawal seizures which, of course sends him to
the pavement where his head has been many times before.
This type of accident has killed many people (and a few
of our transients)before. But is it foolish for us to think that Mark will ever
die? Mark David Allen's continuing existence defies common logic and explanation.
Thursday, April 10th, 2008
It's been a full week and I have not seen Mark since
his 7 day run.
Friday, March 28th, 2008 - 2:00am
After serving a 90 day sentence,
Mark was released from county jail. As he usually does, Mark made his way down to Newport and promptly got drunk and
promptly got arrested.
While in jail, Mark made a mess of things. He somehow got a hold
of his own feces and smeared it all over himself and the drunk tank.
Mark's spirits seemed to be alright, but he clearly attacked the drink
and wasn't prepared for it due to his two and a half months up at county jail.
After Mark gained enough sobriety to be released, he was, back to his
own crumbling thoughts and ways...
March 28th THROUGH April 3rd, 2008
Mark came back to jail, again...And
again...In a week, Mark amassed 7 arrests...7 arrests in 7 days...This is something Mark had never accomplished in his
previous alarming and tragic stat totals. He even got picked up, drunk, while lying in someone's doorway.
This arrest sent him to county jail--but this didn't slow Mark down at all. He made his way back to Newport--and back
to jail.
Throughout his many upcoming arrests, Mark had been found
in a few parts of the city that he normally avoids...It struck me that maybe he was disoriented or lost, (his mental state
growing more feeble by the year) or is it possible Mark is trying to avoid detection? The former is more likely, but
Mark, nor anyone else had any explanation for his change of scenery.
The 2nd time Mark came in, he left a giant pool of
urine in the drunk tank. Shortly after this, he began to scoop his hands through the urine and use it to slick back
his hair. Obviously, Mark is drunk, but even more obvious, his brain is more compromised than ever.
When Mark fully and completely derails, the system
will then view him as unable to care for himself. Currently, he still is not bad enough. Mark is still too
functional and still recites all the right answers, even if he does not know what he is really saying. These are system
definitions of functionality, not my own.
Mark came back again and again...The days seemed to blur
together. Some of his mugshots appeared to be near duplicates--only his mildly growing facial hair seemed to be changing.
The 6th time Mark came in, he really surprised
me. While sleeping in the drunk tank, he urinated in his pants (nothing new here). It was Mark's reaction
to this that I found fascinating.
Mark freaked out and began removing his pants as if they
were on fire, "I urinated on myself. Get 'em off of me! I'm sorry, David, I'm sorry! YUCK! This is gross!
I'm sorry!"
I offered Mark a new pair of pants and he gladly accepted
them. This is major change from the days that were marked by his extreme agitation when he was asked to remove his soilded
clothes--even when I provided him with clean clothes. He never wanted to part ways with his clothes no matter how filthy
they were.
Mark acted like a shamed little boy and quickly put on the
new jeans and socks I gave him. It was a nice change of behavior for Mark. One that I couldn't quite figure out.
Maybe it was some kind of regression, maybe he was operating out of a new less damaged portion of his brain? I'm eager
to see if this behavior continues.
On the 7th day, I put Mark on the phone with his grandmother.
They had a simple, yet rewarding conversation primarily limited to repetitive exchange of "I love you's". After this,
I released him.
Just before Mark headed back down to the beach, I asked
him if he'd ever seen the film and he replied, "I think so." I asked him if he wanted to watch it right now. He
replied, "Sure." I explained to him how many people the film has helped and tried to convey the monumental impact he
has had in so many peoples lives. He just sort of stared at me...It seemed like a possible recognition on a nuclear
level, but I will never truly ever know.
Outside the jail, I popped a shortened version of the film
(9 minutes) into a portable DVD player (as predicted, his attention span could not handle the hour and 21 minute version
of the film--actually it couldn't handle this version either).
His first reaction was fascination, as he said, "That guy."
Moments later he followed that up with, "That's me." When he saw his grandmother (a shot nearly 10 years old), he happily
said, "There's my granny!"
About 45 seconds into the film, Mark lost interest and bent
down to tie his shoes (which had no laces--they were slip-ons). Mark then stood up and looked around. Then, oddly,
he turned and looked at the DVD player and said, "That's me." Then the part came on where he sings, "PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE"
by Depeche Mode. Mark watched it, grew emotional, turned toward me and said, "I hate that fucking song!" Mark
turned back to the DVD player and watched himself sing. When he was finished, I quickly asked him, "Do you like that
song?" He nodded, "Yeah!"
Mark lost interest 2 or 3 more times, then was grabbed 2
or 3 more times by the films many shots of Mark in various stages of decomposition. He made a few comments like, "Oh
God. Look at that. I'm wasted."
The previous time I had attempted to show Mark a version
of the film, it was in 2001 and he grew very agitated (he was about to be released but was still in custody) therefore
I aborted the attempt due to his limited ability to walk away. He only made it through about 30 seconds of the film.
This time, he was much more calm and didn't seem to be as
"bothered" by it. He also directly recognized himself (or at least verbalized it) whereas in 2001, he only referred
to himself by saying, "Look at that wino". And he said it in a very disgusted way.
One of the last shots in this version of the film is of
Mark, with his head shaved, having a conversation with his grandmother on the jail's speakerphone. His grandmother says,
"You're still alive." Mark answers, almost disappointed, "Yep." As the film ended, Mark turned to me with tears
in his eyes and said, "I am, aren't I?"
Mark and I exchanged goodbyes and then Mark headed back
toward the beach.
|
| 7 arrests in 7 days... |
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 - 9:58am
Mark was drunk today, but his
warrants for not appearing on previous arrests kicked into action--so Mark was arrested and transported to county jail.
Mark has now been arrested 445 times. He is 46 years old.
|
| Mark is on the ropes... |
Monday, January 7th, 2008 - 8:20am
Mark pulled
in for another drunk in public arrest. He looks worn out. He's had enough arrests over time, so I believe his
warrants should be kicking in any day now. I find it interesting that Mark has not been frequenting the laundromat especially
since it's been cold and rainy at night.
Is it possible that Mark's memory is so bad that he's forgotten to forget
about the place he's supposed to avoid?
|
| Mark's days blur together... |
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008 - 7:25pm
Mark went
nearly 2 weeks without getting arrested. Today he came in for being drunk in public and I noticed he was markedly out
of it. He wasn't any more intoxicated than normal--He just seemed cognitively "feeble". For instance, when I spoke
to Mark for awhile, then had to tend to some other duties, I had to shut the tank door. Mark said, "See ya later, thanks
for stopping by, okay then." It was as if I was at the front door to Mark's imaginary home. The tone in which
he spoke and the look on his face told me that he really didn't grasp where he was or why he was there. It was like
he was trying to act in a way that he felt would fit in--ironically it was just out of place.
I spoke with him 2 hours later and it was like the first time we'd spoken
in weeks. Same conversation, same everything. It was like Groundhog Day.
Mark's feet were nightmarish (of course he said they were fine).
It appears the only time his shoes have been removed have been at the hospital and here in jail, other than that they never
come off...And after tonight's experience, maybe they shouldn't...(VIDEOCLIP COMING SOON)
|
| Mark begins to resume old form... |
Friday, December 21st, 2007 - 7:50pm
Mark was apparently
seen relieving himself on someone's car. Even more disturbing were details that he was defecating (not urinating) and
also "playing with himself as he left his waste on the vehicle. The owner did not press charges. Mark was arrested
for being drunk in public. He was released 6 hours later.
Officers and citizens alike have informed me that they've seen Mark
out and about and that many times he doesn't appear to be too intoxciated (which these days is evidenced by his posture, demeanor,
slurred-speech, etc...those are the only indicators--his general cognitive functioning isn't great drunk or sober).
Mark does appear to be slowing down, not only in his arrests, but in all he does.
I do believe the events prior to his recent arrest is a disturbing harbinger
of Mark David Allen's future.
Sunday, December 9th, 2007 - 6:00pm
Mark was released
at 2:00 am this morning. 16 hours later he was arrested at the beach for being drunk in public. Mark had been
serving a sentence for drunkenly entering a laundromat that he is court ordered to avoid. Tonight's arrest is Mark's
441st. Due to his two month stay at county jail, Mark looked alright. His physical conditon wasn't busted down
like it can be after a few weeks on the streets. Mark did have a disturbing look in his eyes only seen in poorly made
stuffed animals and people who are comatose.
Mark was released
on his own recognizance.
Tuesday, October 30th, 2007 - 10:30pm
Mark was spotted
numerous times out and about...He lasted just about 2 weeks without getting arrested. Tonight that all ended.
Mark once again wandered within 100 yards of the laundromat. Therefore he was in violation of the rrestraining order.
When Mark came into the
jail, he smelled awful. He was drunk and multi-layered with urine drenched clothing. He needed assistance removing
his socks (which were attached to his swollen feet like sausage casings). He had two pairs of socks on and I helped
pull them off. His feet were a mess and he walked gingerly.
Interestingly, Mark didn't
resist a change out of clothing. He seemed to accept whatever I was willing to offer him (clean EVERYTHING!--except
a pair of shorts and a jacket only Mark could be fond of). The clothing swap was completed without incident.
Mark appeared to excited
to see me, we talked, and he repeated "Illogical Jurisdiction" in a dozen different ways. Nevertheless, it was sad to
see him so mentally broken down. There were moments when a little glimmer of awareness would slip out, but for the most
part, he appeared dim.
He did come alive with
a burst of emotion when I took his photo, an almost celebratory display.
|
| A quick burst--Mark lives... |
A couple of hours later, Mark was transported
up to county jail, where he will serve his sentence for his latest violation.
Monday, October 15th, 2007 - 10:00pm
Mark went to court, served his time, and was released, all within a
week. He has been arrested yet, but I spoke with an officer who talked with Mark out in the field. The officer
said Mark was in great spirits. This is a nice change of pace.
Monday, October 8th, 2007 - 1:00am
Two days ago, Mark completed his two months at county jail and
promptly made his way back to the beach. He was arrested today, a little buzzed, but not totally dismantled like he
does. Still, he was not real cleared headed. Sober, not sober, he's just very limited in the things he says.
Then again, the brain is a crazy thing. There are moments where clarity IS present...But it's fleeting and frustrating.
He's very repetitive, always relying on the old standby, "You look very very sophisticated in my EEE-logical jurisdiction,
sir!" This of course is followed by a hearty chortle.
Mark was arrested for violating his restraining order preventing him
from entering the laundromat. Of course he couldn't quite grasp all of this...One moment he was angry he had to go to
county jail, the next moment he didn't know why he was in jail.
I know there are many who feel he deserves this plight he's drank himself
into, but it's a fascinating and tragic paradox. If a man makes a lifetime of horrible choices, which in fact destroy
his memory and identity, his burden becomes unknown to him. He is no longer the cognizant recipient of his self destructive
justice. There is no justice. There is no lesson. There is just confusion and despair.
I expect to see Mark get another two months at county.
Wednesday, August 8th, 2007 - 3:50am
Mark's summer comes to an end...In typical fashion. Mark once
again wandered into the laundromat (drunk) and was violated for the restraining order that prohibits him from visiting.
Since the beating, a week ago, Mark seemed to be even more depressed than
he had been in the previous months...It's difficult to say whether the new head injury was one too many or whether it's an
accumulation of the damage he's put himself through. Or both. Either way, the first half of 2007 has shown some
pretty dramatic changes in the man that never changes.
Mark was transported to county jail where he will stay until mid-September.
Saturday, July 21st, 2007 - 7:30am
Mark gets arrested again...And defecated in his pants...Again.
The only difference this time, was his attitude, which seemed to be upbeat. Oh, and the fact that it was 7:30 in the
morning and his breakfast was a pint of vodka.
Wednesday, July 18th, 2007 - 12:25am
Unfortunately, Mark seems to be hitting his stride...Another drunk arrest...
Saturday, July 14th, 2007 - 2:10pm
Mark has been seen by a number of officers wandering around down by
the beach. It's the peak of Summer and he's happy to be out of jail. For the most part, officers have commented
that he's not too drunk and fairly well behaved. It appears he isn't bother too many people, residents (whom I sympathize
with because they are an often unnotice part of this equation when Mark decides to camp out on their propterty) and beach
goers alike.
One of the officers did comment that Mark appears to be "slipping".
He said that Mark appears unusually depressed at times, "zoned out" and sluggish.
Mark was released from county jail over 2 weeks ago and he still hadn't
been arrested until today. For being drunk, which he definitely was. He was released 6 hours later.
Friday, June 29th, 2007 - 2:00am
Mark was released from county jail...The countdown begins...
Thursday, May 31st, 2007 - 10:45pm
Mark ventured into the laundromat again. Instant violation of
the restraining order. He's been out of County Jail for 8 days--but he looks like he's been on the streets for a few
weeks. He's still as tough as the river jetty, but I think he deteriorates quicker these days...
When Mark arrived at the jail, he was wearing 4 pairs of the exact same
shorts--all four of them soaked with urine. It was not a cold night. Mark also wore 3 shirts and a jacket.
His shoes were atrocious, like something handmade from an old dinner.
I explained to Mark that he would be headed to County Jail very shortly.
He answered, "No, I won't be." We talked it out and he grumbled, seemingly aware this was something out of his control.
His focus shifted back to his reluctance to remove his clothes.
Mark was clocking in at about 900 Hobo-units, so it was only fair to
Mark and everyone else on Earth, that I do something about his clothing. I had fresh clothes (brand new) waiting for
him. He wanted nothing to do with my gift. I didn't need Mark experiencing any unnecessary grief at County
Jail, so we struck a deal and did a clothes swap. Besides, his clothes were clearly a biohazard and I had all the
legal recourse in the world to dispose of them in an appropriate manner.
A career in diplomacy awaits me.
Recently I had wondered if Mark could still read. Tonight I showed
him one of the postcards and he read it perfectly. Did he understnad what he read? I can't be certain, but I believe
so.
Mark was transported to County Jail to await sentencing.
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 - 8:00pm
Paramedics responded to a medical aid. A "man down". It
was Mark. He apparently had a seizure from a low blood alcohol level. This is the first time anyone has had contact
with Mark in a week. He was taken to the hospital and stabilized.
Has Mark been unsuccessful at panhandling and not been able to
drink as much as he wishes? Or has he simply lost count of how long it's been since he last had a drink...Or how
much he recently drank? Is there some other medical issue showing itself? Mark has no idea when to take his
medication if he can hold onto it. His memory is so awful that he knows nothing new in the terms of his own sobriety.
In other words, in the likely scenario that Mark does not drink--a seizure awaits. These are the challenges Mark faces
today--in his world.
Due to the fact that Mark was not drunk, he did not come to the
jail. He was released from the hospital.
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007 - 2:00am
Mark was released from County Jail. He no doubtedly will make
his way down the river trail and back to Newport. I've mentioned this before, but it's very much a "GROUNDHOG DAY" or
"MARCH OF THE PENGUINS" type of existence for Mark.
|
| Mark degrades quickly... |
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007 - 11:30pm
Mark managed to stay out of custody for nearly two weeks, but then "for
some odd reason" ventured into the laundromat where he has the restraining order. Mark was arrested for violating this
order and sent to County Jail.
Mark will most likely be sentenced to 30 days (he'll get get credit
for the time he serves prior to his court appearance and then do about 20 days before his release).
|
| Mark rides it hard... |
Friday, April 20th, 2007 - 11:35pm
Mark managed to stay out of sight and trouble, but today, was once again arrested
for being drunk in public. He was released 6 hours later.
Thursday, April 12th, 2007 - 9:30pm
I presented the film at Orange Coast College and was headed home when
I had a hunch to go look for Mark since he'd been released from County a couple of days ago and no one had seen him.
I put in a call to the jail and they told me Mark had been booked earlier in the day and had just been released. The
on-duty jailer told me to prepare myself, because Mark looked, "Awful."
I got a description of Mark clothing and went looking for him in all
his usual places. I drove around for about a half an hour before getting a blowout on Pacific Coast Highway...A spare
tire and an hour later I was trying to find him again.
As I drove the peninsula, I kept seeing a man who resembled Mark, but
looked nothing like him. I kept getting glances as the man stood on the street corner, smoking a cigarette.
I didn't think this man was Mark, until he started walking. Then
I knew in an instant that it was him. Like the fan of a punch drunk champion, I knew Mark's every mannerism, his
famous and methodical gait, his presence.
I followed him on foot for awhile, watching, wondering where was he
going? Mark walked across a dark and busy street, and then did it again...And again. It's as if Mark was playing
the world's slowest game of "FROGGER".
Mark had no destination. He was simply walking nowhere in particular,
killing time. Head down, feet shuffling, rarely stopping, rarely looking for oncoming traffic.
I caught up with him, "Hey Mark, it's Sperling."
He turned, lit up, and said, "Hey! I'm Mark David Allen who was
in David P. Sperling's documentary film 'Drunk In Public' for being totally incoherent incorrigable and arrested more than
621 times for 647(f)pc drunk in public alcohol intoxicated."
Mark then hugged me and whimpered, "Hi Steve...Sperling."
Aside from Mark's amazing speech (with numerous errors), the thing that
startled me was his head. He looked like someone had stuck and air hose in his ear and inflated his face. No wonder
I could not recognize him. Mark looked like an eskimo and he was ironically very aware of it.
|
| Swollen, even by Mark's standards... |
The fact that Mark so readily verbalized the film and his awareness of his physical
condition was promising. He rattled on and on about the deputies and inmates at County Jail on how they hammered daily
about the film and his cut of money, etc... Mark's response to this was, "No, Peter Sperling is my friend!"
It seemed to me that Mark had a few new converstational pieces added
to his repetoire, but not much. I got the impression that if you repeated something over adn over to him on a daily
basis, he could retain parts of it, but not quite understand what he was retaining and therefore it would come out jumbled
and non-sensical at times.
After a few minutes of talking and reminiscing, I asked Mark if he had
seen the documentary and he said yes that he saw the film 3 years ago and just sat there and watched this "Mark
David Allen who has been arrested 619 times" and didn't care...His thoughts seemed to trail off to nowhere... For the
record, as far as I know, Mark has NOT seen the film. He certainly couldn't tell me anything about it.
Back in 2001, I did try to show him an excerpt of the film when I released
him from jail and he grew agitated and didn't seem to want to recognize he was watching himself. It was awkward and
I wasn't going to force him to watch it. After he turned away a few times, I aborted the attempt. I want to present
it to him in a neutral atmosphere. This is one of my current goals, although with a damaged short term memory, I don't
know what kind of response to expect.
I spent the next 6 hours on the street with Mark. I shared a number
of stories on how people have been impacted by the film, read some emails to him, talked about other arrestees I was concerned
about as far as taking the same tragic steps Mark has and continues to take. Mark seemed touched and would at times
spontaneously reach out and grab my hand or bear hug me. There was always a somber whimper accompanied by these displays
of desperate affection.
At no time in my life have I felt more useful and significant.
At no time in my life have I felt like a helpless failure.
Mark and I walked through the night and ended up at the donut shop seen
at the end of the documentary. I bought him a bran muffin and a milk. I then showed him a postcard with numerous
pictures of himself on the front. He was mesmerized, pointing out various moments in his life with terriffic
inaccuracy. There was an odd sense of purpose in his life as he recited his new mantra, "I'm Mark David Allen in David
P. Sperling's 'Drunk In Public'!"
As dawn broke, it was time for me to return home for 2 hours of sleep.
I watched Mark walk into the morning, once again with nowhere to go, in no particular direction. My stomach dropped--This
seemed so wrong. He was like a developmentally disabled 8 year old...Or street savvy toddler. If Mark was 60 years
old and was not an alcoholic, wouldn't he be a radio call of wandering adult with dementia?
I just couldn't plug this into my framework. Mark continues to
battle along, as I do -- on his behalf... Despite my failures to find a solution or achieve success--I accept and embrace
the significance of this process as my reward and my fuel.
Mark's story continues sledgehammer it's way into people's hearts across
the world:
- After watching the film, a woman in the United Kingdom pulls a homeless
man into her car and drives a him to treatment center before he has a seizure. She attempts to show him the film.
She later shows it to others who are in the same stumbling shoes as Mark.
- A California man in just completing treatment for the first time purchases
a copy of the film to remind him where he came from.
- A man in Colorado says he has used the film in his recovery program
and comments that it changes people's lives--some with 5 years of sobriety under their belts.
- A man in Texas says he's been through treatment twice, but nothing
has affected his recovery more than seeing this film.
- Directors and Counselors from treatment centers across the country
comment on how they and their patients are stunned, affected and astonished every time they see it.
- Families, addicts, counselors, teachers, police officers,
CEO's, nurses, professors, doctors and many more in Washington, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan,
Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Georgia, Arizona, New York, Kentucky, Louisianna, Maryland, Tennessee, and the Netherlands, Ireland,
South Africa, Italy, Australia, Scotland and France are thinking and praying for Mark David Allen.
It's comments, emails and letters like these (over 100 pages now) that
remind me that as much conflict as this brings as well as the time, energy and money it takes to do this--IT'S THE
RIGHT THING...
The delapitdated and miraculous purpose of Mark David Allen is a wake
up call that love is patient and love is kind and once again, a reminder that it's never a mistake to care.
As I returned to my truck, I noticed I had ANOTHER flat tire...
Tuesday, April 10th, 2007 - 2:00am
Mark David Allen was released from Orange County Jail today. He has spent all but 4 days of the last 14 months
behind bars. Of those 4 days of freedom, he was arrested 4 times, but only once was he intoxicated (he was arrested
each time for violating terms of his probation which prohibits him from entering certain areas and establishments in the city).
In essence, Mark
has been intoxicated once in 14 months, he's had regular meals, he's slept in a bed, he's had contact with people on
a daily basis. If his problem was simply his addiction (which is certainly a formidable problem on its own) then
I imagine there would be a noticeable change in his cognitive presence, behavior...Anything.
I am eager to see him and the changes
I have been hoping and praying for since he has been in jail.
Monday, December 11th, 2006 - 11:20pm
Mark was released from County
Jail at 1:30am and made his way back to Newport Beach, not knowing about the terms of his probation due to his memory issues.
Mark was arrested 22 hours later for violating his
probation by entering the "NO FLY ZONE". He was not intoxicated and didn't really understand why he was in violation.
Once again, his mind had not improved, despite having only been drunk once in the last 10 months.
Mark is now at county jail and will be released in
April 2007.
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| Mark's 428th arrest - 12/11/2006 |
Thursday October 12th, 2006 - 8:20am
Mark was released from county
jail on Wednesday October 11th, 2006 at 1:00am...
Thirty-three hours later Mark
was arrested in Newport Beach, pretty much at the epicenter of his court-mandated 'no fly zone'.
I don't know how Mark lasted so long in the city without
being noticed, but he lasted a bit longer than he had the past two times he'd been released under the terms of his new
probation.
Knowing that Mark would be immediately arrested every time
he crosses the forbidden boundary of our city, drunk or not, I created an informal goal, more of an internal wish.
This wish was the Mark would somehow remain sober before he was spotted by the police. The point being that if Mark
could immediately be returned to county jail sober, he would be dry for as long as possible. I was aiming for one year.
I figured if I could say that Mark has not had
a single drop of alcohol for a full calendar year and then institute a full neurological exam, this would be the
perfect evidence to show he's beyond self management and needs a 'caretaker'.
Mark destroyed any hopes of this coming to fruition.
He was once again arrested for being drunk in public and violating his probation...On many levels.
Mark did remain sober (because he was in jail) for
226 days. During that time, I saw him twice and neither time did he seem like he really knew what was going on.
I couldn't point to any improvement in his comprehension of his circumstances. Mark delivered the same old dialogue
(with a few new variations in word order and a bit more understandably--because he was not intoxicated) with the same old
sincerity.
When they found him passed out, he was hammered and had
urinated through his clothes. Apparently this had happened a number of times since his release.
By the time he made it back to the jail, he'd been reminded
a dozen times that his probation forbids him from entering the city and that he agreed to such probation. With an incredulous, but
salty glare, he retorted, "You mean I can't go into Newport Beach?" It all just seemed to be a ridiculous to him.
|
| Mark was somewhat clear-eyed--yet clueless... |
Mark was transported back to county jail and is awaiting sentencing
for this most recent violation of his probation.
Thursday August 24th, 2006 - 12:00pm
I was invited to present
the film and speak in front of 30 social work professionals who serve disabled adults in the community.
The group was touched and amazed. The consensus
seems to be that the power of Mark's story is the story of so many. The futility of the system and the tragedy that
enfolds before us is heartwrenching and poses important questions for us all.
I am thoroughly impressed by the hard working people,
who in the face of so much adversity, beauracracy, and tragedy, continually keep a good attitude and fight on, for as Viktor
Frankel surmised (and I have paraphrased) in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING, "Our attitude is the only thing we can completely
control."
We've all heard the saying, "ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING",
and most of us probably agree that this is the case. But does attitude just happen? How? It doesn't.
Your attitude doesn't "just change". Something must occur for it to change. Either a crisis, or an event that
causes you to look at things differently. Whether it's simply to avoid the pain of the situation or to gain something
that is a perceived want or more likely, need. Need is the ultimate monkey. Real learning occurs when needs are
present. Period.
So how do we 'learn' to have a great attitude?
The only way to forge a new attitude is to shift your perspective. Your perspective determines your attitude.
Step back, look up, move aside, go forward, craw underneath, you must look at the concept from a different perspective.
Only then will your attitude be able to improve.
Example: You get arrested. You can either
look at it as major inconvenience, an injustice...Or, if you change your focus, a reminder to do something different.
You may even be able to share your experience with someone else and prevent them the misery that has touched you. Clearly
it's a matter of perspective...And attitude.
Dealing with Mark David Allen and these concepts
of perspective and attitude, and process (as I mentioned previously), are a few of the major points that have shaped
my life's education.
As the end of the presentation neared, it became
clear that, today, answers would not be found.
There are more questions than ever and even more
work to be done...Nevertheless, Mark's story carries on, and those who take the time to experience it have a chance to be
forever changed.
Monday August 21st, 2006 - 12:00pm
Mark pleaded "GUILTY" and
was sentenced to 90 days in county jail. He'll do 60 and be out around Halloween.
I do know that there are some positive things happening
because I've received letters and emails telling me so.
The film continues to circulate slowly around the
nation and even to remote parts of the world. I'm getting very moving stories from treatment centers, halfway houses,
individuals, counselors and more. I've had a request to have the film translated into Spanish. I'm doing
everything myself, in a financial hole, and still giving away too many copies, but the few I sell help me keep going
and shine some light on the potential.
I received an email a little while back from a woman
who's husband was in jail with Mark. She bought the film online and then contacted me with a remarkable story of this
film affects others and good things can seemingly grow from the smallest acts of kindness.
This woman told me her husband noticed that some
of the other inmates were picking on Mark simply because they can. Mark was being forced to take a top bunk (the bottom
bunk is preferred in jail), which is tough on Mark and his limited mobility. Mark also has urination problems.
The cruelness of the inmates continued when Mark began to urinate in his bunk because he couldn't get down in time to use
the bathroom at night.
Essentially, the husband of the woman who sent
me this email took Mark under his wing and swapped bunks with him. This woman then made copies of Mark's stories from
this website and took them to the county jail. The stories were passed around and the inmates have changed their perspective
on Mark and are now treating Mark with a little more humanity.
Positive feedback and touching stories continue to
trickle in and continue to illustrate Mark's impact and purpose where it is least likely expected.
Never underestimate anyone. Purpose abounds.
Even for you. Find yours now.
Tuesday August 15th, 2006 - 12:00pm
Mark's public defender indicated a possible
jury trial as Mark pleaded "NOT GUILTY" today in court. Interesting. Is there someone out there that also understands
that Mark does not understand his probation terms? If so, what is the goal? Then what do you do with Mark?
Fascinating development.
I can actually see Mark in court, on the stand, being totally baffled as to his probation guidlines or even
what day of the week it is--then diving into a throaty rendition of "HOT LEGS" by Rod Stewart.
I have a feeling a jury trial will not happen...What bothers
me even more is that I wonder what reasonable alternative there is to Mark's current probation situation, because, like I've
mentioned so many times before, this is saving his life.
|
| Mark violates his probation... |
Saturday August 12th, 2006 - 7:30pm
Mark was released at 1:00am today.
He was arrested at 7:30pm today. He was not drunk. He was in the forbidden area of his probation terms.
He was violated and returned to the warehouse (county jail). He looked decent and appeared clueless.
Thursday August 3rd, 2006 - 5:50pm
I put in a few calls in order find
out the results of Mark's court hearing and the length of his sentence regarding his probation violation.
Mark was sentenced to 60 days, concurrent sentence, credit
for time served, blah, blah, blah--mish-mash, mish-mash...His release date is supposed to be August 12th.
I expect Mark to be arrested shortly after his release...On
August 12th.
Tuesday, July 4th, 2006 - 11:30am
From what I've heard, probation was
unable to find any treatment center that would accept Mark David Allen by today's deadline. Therefore Mark was released
from county jail at 1:30 in the morning today.
Mark was arrested 10 hours later
in Newport Beach within the forbidden boundary of his probation terms. Mark was sober. He was also, as predicted,
completely clueless of his terms of probation.
When he arrived at the jail, Mark instantly
recognized me with a robust, "There's my fr
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