Childhood - Part 2

Some time during my 1st grade years (1981 -1982), my mother was taking care of friends child, by the name of Teresa. Her mother never came back to get her and had abandoned her at our house. My mother at the time, doing what she felt was right, took Teresa in and raised her for a couple of years until her father was located. Teresa was a nice girl, but she had some problems. I think she may had been abused, but my memory of her is vague.  In the 1st grade, I had such a horrible time, I had a teacher who was mean and didn't take the time to teach us much in the class. In fact there were a lot of children in my class that had struggled during this period because what I later learned was that that the school had hired a person that had no teaching credentials. Apparently back then it wasn't required for a private school to hire persons with credentials. Needless to say, I didn't learn anything, so therefore I was behind greatly in my studies and understanding of subjects.

When I started the 2nd grade, I had such a hard time with school, that my teacher, Mrs Monson, would tutor me in her home and at school for short periods of time. I had a small crush on her, probably because how nice she was. But no matter how much she tried my comprehension was poor when it came to the subjects and materials I needed to learn. Another problem that I had was my hard time paying attention in class. I had a habit of daydreaming the day away in class. I can remember some of those daydreams that I would have to this day. At times I would dream of the soccer team that I was in, and that all my team mates were soldiers fighting against the other soccer teams. We had laser guns and would have a stand off in the fields, shooting at each other. Of course I was the leader, and my sidekicks were my closest friends at the time, William (Bill) Ruiz, and Michael Karsikass (not sure of the spelling of the last name).

Because of my learning problem, unable to read, unable to perform simple mathematics, unable to write, or comprehend the simplest things, my mother and father hired a tutor. I can't remember her name, but she was a college student from California State University of Sacramento. She was a very nice lady, and spend a long time teaching me after class. She would even come over to the house. She would make these charts for me, so as I progressed I would receive a star, sometimes I would receive gifts. She tutored me from 2nd grade up until 4th grade. She focused a lot of attention on my reading, writing, and comprehension skills the most. Math was important too, but even to this day I struggle with mathematics.

During my 2nd grade years (1982 - 1983), my little sister Pamela was born. I can remember my father coming to the school and picking up because mom was in labor. When Pam as born, I wasn't happy at all. In fact I think I became rebellious toward her. Most of it was jealousy, since I use to get a large portion of attention and now it was all gone. Dad, whom I was closest too, spent a lot of time with Pam and showed very little interest in me for some time. Dad did however show a lot of interest in my ability to play soccer. Whether I was good or not, I'm not sure, but he did go to every game I had. Mom, however was never there for my games. She was busy going my sister Michelle's games. She was also in Soccer, but also was active in baseball, and other sports. She had more of the athletic skills than I. I had played T-ball one year and after that, my baseball career was over. Soccer was my thing though, and loved the sport. My coach, Angel Bautista, and his son Michael were close to me at the time. We were part of a team called the "Little Rascals", which was part of the Tahoe Park League. My friend, Bill Ruiz, was also on my team. I played with this team for a long time, until I had to go into an older group of kids. By then I transferred to the South Florin League, and played with my friend and neighbor, Jason Roper.  It was during this time that I received my first Holy Communion through the Catholic Church.  It was an embarrassing time for me because everyone wore this dark blue suit, while I was the only one who wore a light blue suit.  I broke my left arm also in 2nd grade.  I was showing off to some girls on the jungle gym, fell and landing on a piece of wood that bordered the play area.  My left elbow hit the wood, and broke the elbow bone.  I thought I had just hit my funny bone and started laughing.  It wasn't until I couldn't move my arm that I realized that something was wrong.  I went from laughing to crying.  My mom came and picked me up from school and took me to the hospital.  The doctor placed a cast on my arm and I spent 4 weeks in a cast.  That was the only time I had ever broke a bone.

In 3rd grade (1983 - 1984), I had a Nun for a teacher. She was well known to be strict, but a good teacher. She would teach the students piano lessons. Piano was believed to enhance a child's learning ability when it came to math and English. My sister, Michelle,was very good at her piano lessons, and I can remember watching many recitals that she played in. I tried one year to play the piano and took lessons. But my desire to be like my sister was not successful. I hated piano!!

4th grade (1984 -1985), my parents transferred me and Michelle to St. Patrick's Elementary School. New school, new kids, new friends or a lack of friends thereof. My sister had no problem making new friends, but I apparently am my father's son and had a natural anti-social behavior problem, which caused me to rebel from most people and not make very many friends. I found a lot of people in my new class were either really nerdy or jockish types. I didn't fit in to either cliquish groups. I was a loner for the first time, no friends, and found myself sitting in the playground during recess, by myself. I would try and play with the other kids at times, but found myself being made fun of because I had a bubble butt. I guess it wasn't any better than me being teased at the other school I went too, with them calling me "Dumbo" or "Big Ears". This was also the same year my mother, would get into a major accident on Florin Rd and Stockton Blvd. I am surprised she survived because she was really messed up from the accident.  I would eventually make an Asian friend named Curtis. He was a fat Asian kid, and showed no discrimination toward me or my differences. His best friend however, Jason, hated me, and believed himself to be the 007 character "James Bond." I have to give him credit though, he was very intelligent for his age, but I apparently was a threat to his friendship with Curtis. My friendship with Curtis was short lived though.

5th grade (1985 -1986), This is the time with the space shuttle "Columbus" blew up as it flew into space. I can remember an announcement coming over the P.A. system advising of the explosion. The first citizen, a teacher, was killed in the explosion. It was very sad and I could remember a lot of people sobbing over the news. My next door neighbor, Jason Roper, came to school with me this year, along with his sister Kimberly. I was very excited to be with someone I knew, and had a close friendship with. I had considered him my best friend since we grew up together, but I don't think he ever thought of me the same way.  Jason Roper would soon make new friends, and the friends he made were the very few I had in class. They all eventually turned against me, would tease and make fun. I found myself hating school, hating my classmates, and hating my neighbor. I lost all touch with him from this point, and became a loner, no friends. My mom held a birthday party for me, with an invitation to the class to attend. None had showed up, but thank god she invited my old classmates from St. Peters, because they all attended, and I had missed them very much.

6th grade (1986-1987), This class year was no better than the last. My teacher was tall lengthy fellow named Dave Hoffman, who's brother played with the football team called the "Green bay Packers." My mom told me to make sure you ask a lot of questions in class, and that will ensure me learning better and getting good grades. So I annoyed my teacher with all the questions I could ask about everything he taught to us. Apparently I asked too many questions. This same year I became an Alter Boy for St. Roses Church. I wasn't very good at it, and they kicked me out after awhile due to my lack of attention. I have to agree though, I wasn't very good.  I was bored most of the time, and never really paid attention to the priest.  Church to me was too repetitive and never made any sense.  I found myself starting to question the Catholic Church, the Christian belief, and religion altogether.  In my eyes I just could not see how a physical human being was considered to be God, when they called him the son of God.  I didn't understand the whole Holy Trinity that was preached to me.  I couldn't understand how a female that was a virgin could have a child, unless she was raped or the child conceived through conception from her husband.  It just never made any sense. 

7th Grade year (1987 - 1988),  This was the year I begged my mom and dad to let me go back to St. Peters to be with my friends.  I was unhappy at St. Patricks, I didn't like anyone, and no one really liked me.  So mom and dad agreed.  I went back to the school I knew people, and was very happy.  Of course I had gained some weight during this time.  I had reached 170 lbs, and wasn't very tall.  A lot of it was due to my in activeness, and my eating habits were poor.  This was the same year that FOX network started and several good shows came out.  Star Trek, the next generation was mine and dads favorite.  Next was Married with Children, and the Tracy Ulman show.  Tracy Ulman later led to the start of the Simpson Cartoon that would last a very very long time.  My dad had gotten me interested in several shows because he had watched them so much.  Even certain movies became my interest because of him.  Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, MASH, In Search Of, and some others.  This is the same year my dad would start to bring me a small little magazine that he would purchase while he was at work called "FATE".  It was a popular magazine at the time that illustrated and talked about mysteries of the world, including ghost stories, UFO, and creatures of mystery.  After 7th grade, I would ask my mom and dad again to let me change schools.  I no longer wanted to attend private school, but wanted to experience a normal childhood and go to a public school.  I felt that being in a private school sheltered me from things going on and the only way to experience the reality of life was to be around normal kids, away from the propaganda of religion.  My parents would agree to let me attend public school.