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Publishing Corner: Indian Community: Science & Wonder Indian Heros: California Indian Art: CALIE Library: Academic Financial Aid: Tribal Governments: Indian Gaming: |
BACK TO SCHOOL
It seems like the older we get the faster time flies or is it just my imagination getting the best of me, again?
For real it seems like my grandkids or great-grandkids I should say just got out for the summer and they are already heading back to the classroom. But it’s great to have them over for late afternoon BBQs and dipping in the pool. God, how things have changed. In my day if we wanted to play in the water we either headed up to the canyon to play in the river or went to the community swimming pool in Hemet. Most times Hemet wasn’t an option because we played too rough for the other kids and were not welcomed back for a week or two. Sometimes we had our bikes to get around but most of the time we weren't able to keep air in the tires for the bull thorn. We either walked or caught a ride with someone heading whichever way we were going. Although getting a ride in those days wasn't that easy either since there weren't that many cars on the Rez. We played a lot of baseball and football even though at times we didn’t have a ball or bat. And to the dismay of our little sisters we often “borrowed” one of their dolls and used it as a football or took the head off for baseball. Yea, we caught hell for it and my brothers, Bobby and Dumbo were experts at shifting the blame. And as for a bat we normally had a broken one we taped up that the Soboba baseball team discarded. Back to school was just another day.
If it were today we would be the fashion icons with our shabby threadbare Levi's, white T-shirts and bare feet. And when and if we had shoes it was show time. Yes, we were poor but it wasn't as if we knew it since we were all in the same boat figuratively speaking. We didn’t even have drinking water. Is that poor or what? Today, as I watch my babies with their high tech electronic gadgets completely oblivious to the world around them playing games or texting. It seem that they are losing the ability to communicate or are doing so on a different level that I’m not able to comprehend, which is most likely the case. I will always remember during the summer when Mr. and Mrs. Badilla had the first TV on the Rez. In 1950 TV was a major electronic breakthrough. Every Friday evening everyone on the Rez gathered at their house and they would put the TV on their front porch for us to watch. At that time professional wrestling was bigger than sliced bread with names like Wild Red Berry, Bobo Brazil, Gorgeous George, and The Great Moto, a Japanese man who was one of the most hated villain. One needs to remember WW II was still a fresh memory. I can still remember being one of the 60 million people, who on September 9, 1956 watched Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan TV show. When a gallon of gas was twenty-five cents. And a movie ticket was a fifty-cents and for another half-dollar got you a coke and popcorn.
Yes, It was a different time, place and world but family unity still has value and as long as we keep that we are blessed. But for now it’s Back to School! +++++++ WHO PRODUCED THIS BLOG?
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