This class had a soundtrack.

 

“A long long time ago, I can still remember how the music used to make me smile….”  Upon hearing these words we are immediately thinking about English class at ILS and we are listening to the History of Rock and Roll under the guidance of Mary Jo Walsh or Robert Koziol. In fact, during our last exchange of emails there were more of us reminiscing about this class than any other one. This class had a soundtrack.  

We hear Blue Moon (pa pa pa pa….blue moon….) we go back to Albert Carballosa, Manny Fernandez, Victor, Rocky and Albert surrounded by beautiful ladies singing on the left side of the stage dressed in 50s garb. We do not just remember it; we are practically there. The ILS fight song played with kazoos, or anything played with a kazoo, reminds me of Karmen Knievel driving the school bus taking the band to play at a halftime show at the cafetorium at ILS. And, the band doing a choreographed halftime show in the halls of the cafetorium. Listen to Stairway to Heaven…back to English Class discussing the phrase: “And she is buying the stairway to heaven.”  I hear “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” from the B-side of Abbey Road and I remember Elvis discussing with Mr. Koziol the meaning of the phrase: “But now she sucks her thumb and wanders/By the banks of her own lagoon.” Mr. Koziol and Elvis had a difference of opinion on the meaning of that verse. I bet not even Elvis remembers this.

Music to me has always been a reminder of where I have been. I mostly remember beautiful times with family or friends. Anything that is sad I tend to forget the music playing. If I hear the “Revealing Science of God,” from Tales of Topographic Oceans I am in the car of my great friend Rocky. He is taking me to school and that is the song that is playing. Except that only one channel was working. When I hear the song in stereo, it just does not sound right…or was it left? If I hear anything by Alanis Morrisette, my daughter is 15 years old again and in ILS herself. I miss my daughter living at home. Many songs remind me of these times, with all my children living at home.  Listening to the finale of Suor Angelica and I and mom are sitting in front of a small tv screen in abuela’s bedroom, intently listening to the opera. I listen to the song “Nosotros” and I am back with my dad and he is explaining the meaning of the lyrics and the history of the song.   I was 8 years old at the time but remember every expression. These songs bring them back to me even if just for a little while. La Macarena takes me back to one of our reunions when all of the beautiful ILS ladies danced it for us. I could not wait for the next verse.

These songs are all tied to meaningful memories.  They allow us to become unstuck in time just like Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse Five  Hearing those popular songs immediately transport us to that wonderful place and time when we were together at ILS or anywhere else with people we love. I cannot wait for the scene in Planet Tralfamadore with Valerie Perrine. I remember Bibi telling Mr. Koziol that she believed there was more nudity than was necessary. I agreed with her but kept quiet.

“Another Day” by Paul McCartney and I am in Sts. Peter and Paul, listening to Maria Balbona and Eneida Alejandra Garcia singing to us in Mr. Fraker’s Class. Mr. Fraker would always make fun of them when they got to the refrain and sang… tu, tu tu tu its just another day. I thought they sounded great. It was at this time that Carlos and I both decided to buy Guitars. I did not know we had to get lessons. Playing my guitar reminds me of being together with Carlos learning from Robert how to play certain songs.  The last time I was with Robert, I was showing him some songs I had learned from Steve Walroth. During these times I am with Robert and Carlos again.

One song reminds me of Fabio. “Gonna Fly Now”  or the theme from Rocky. As we finished watching the movie and exited the Miracle Theater, Fabio was so inspired he ran up the stairs. Up to that point, I had never seen Fabio run anywhere. “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Meatloaf or any early song by the Police and I am again at Variety Records in the Omni mall, talking to Victor as we alphabetized the cutout bin with the music playing full blast. That was a great job.

The theme from the Children of Sanchez, reminds me of my honeymoon. (I will stop there). Staying Alive takes me back to the first time I asked my wife to go out dancing. Only one problem, I had no idea how to dance. Victor, Fabio, Marlene, and Maria Rivas held emergency sessions trying to make the Moose look like John Travolta.  Seemed like an insurmountable challenge. It was. We had a great time. I have always been blessed by Great friends.  I always pray that my children and grandchildren are blessed with friends like the ones I met at LaSalle.  Whenever I hear Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” I am with Cristina dancing the father daughter dance at her wedding. I hope to never forget that.

If I hear Maroon 5’s Memories or Pachelbel’s Canon and I am back at the Cafetorium, together with beautiful people, celebrating the life of a dear friend.

These are not sad memories. These are happy memories. These are fond memories. These memories that take us back and we are again with them. They make me appreciate the time I spent with those who have passed and to appreciate and celebrate every one of those who are still with me now.

 

Fight on LaSalle,

 

Moose

 

I read to day about the passing of Bob Tomonto.

 I received an email from Elvis today.  Apparently Bob Tomonto has passed away.  I was very much saddenned by this.  He was one of those guys I would have liked to have met  and spent time with after we graduated.  In fact I did spent some time with him but that was really during College at the University of Miami and later at the fifteen year class reunion.  Both families sat together at the reunion.  It had already been a long time since even then.  I would have liked to have spent more time with him after we graduated.  

For some reason I kept thinking about him in the past week.  This is interesting since he passed on Sept 21 of this month, exactly one week ago.  I wonder... but then again I may have been thinking about him before and never would have thought about it.  I just wondered how he was doing and if he was still working at FP&L.  

The last time I spoke with him I was sitting at the Student Union at the University of Miami.  Both he and Chip were there and all three of us sat together.  We sat at a table outside.  It must have been close to our birthday since one of us brought up the fact that we  had a birthday recently.  All three of us were shocked since everyone at the table was born on August 24.  Bob and I on the same day and Chip a few years later.  I also mentioned that Gizmo was also born on the 24th.  I do not think Giz was there but it has been a long time and I may not remember.  Bob and I think also Chip were in the school of engineering, I was in Arts and Sciences.  I do not think we ever were together after that day at the UM. 

The one "Bob scene" I remember was in Koziol's class.  We were working on a play by Neil Simon.  the name of the play was "Plaza Suite".  The lady who was about to get married had some type of panic attack and hid in the bathroom.  Both her mother and father were pleading with her to get out of the bathroom so she could walk down the aisle at her own wedding.  The parents were in a panic.  They could not get her to go outside the bathroom and walk down the aisle.  Right at the end the parents decide to call the future son in law, played by Bob Tomonto, in our class.  He has one line, "Mimsy, this is Borden.  Cool it!".  She then comes out of the bathroom and goes on to marry the guy.   He did it in a traditional Bob Tomonto accent.  I think Giz played Borden in the other class but I am not sure.  It may also have been that Giz was imitating how Bob would have said it.  Right now I am not sure.  I hate getting old. 

The only time I saw Bob afterwards was once during one of the reunions.  We sat together at the reunion and had a wonderful time indeed.  

Bob, I wish we would have spent more time together.  Your friend, Moose. 

I watched an Elton John Concert on television today

 Around 1970, I think it was either in the Summer or sometime in the Fall, I spoke to Robert my brother.  I was going to go to Jackson Byrons in Downtown and I let him know.  Robert told me about this new artist whose name was Elton John.  I remember thinking, what a funny name, Elton.  When I got to downtown Miami, I was dropped of in front of the Burdines, and walked over to the J.Byrons across the street.  We would usually walk from North Miami Ave to NW 1st ave by going through the Jackson Byrons.  Halfway through they had what  I thought was a massive record collection, so I looked for the record.  I could not find it.  Reluctantly, I asked the person who worked there and he told me he had never heard of Elton John.  He told me to try the Miscellaneous section.  I looked for it there and I found it.  I was happy since I was able to get it for Robert.  At the time we lived in the same house so when one of us would get a record, we all would get the record. When I got home we played it.  He told me he liked "Take me to the Pilot".  And I know he liked "Your Song".  This was Robert's 

senior year and LaSalle.  He would stay one year and go to the University of Miami.  During his sophomore year the transferred to Gainesville.  Elton John was not a big name when I bought the record.  Slowly he gained popularity and then he was a big name.  As I think back on it I was happy I got the record.  I still have it since I inherited it. It has a couple of scratches on it.  I was only thirteen at the time. I still find it amazing that I would go downtown via bus on my own at the time. I was very happy I got the record. 

Robert Redford died today

 I remember Robert Redford from the first movie I had watched with him acting in 1969 or 1970.  I had gone to the Tower Theater at 8th street and around 15th ave.  This was around 5 years after I arrived from the old country so my English was not all that strong.  I particularly remember two scenes.  One was when Robert Reford and Paul Newman jump off a cliff to avoid being captured and said one word on the way down.  I think the word was Bullshit!  or something like that.  I do not remember many other scenes except Paul Newman and Katherine Ross riding a horse while "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"  was playing.  I remember another scene with Katherine Ross.  

I watched the movie with Robert my brother.  I am not sure if my other brothers or sisters were present or not.  Robert would explain sometimes what was going on.  For example I did not know what the work bullshit meant or why it was bleeped out.  He told me what it was. 

While I was in high school I also worked at the Hotels with my dad.  I would normally work on Saturday and would pull two shifts.  One was from 8am- 2pm and the other from 6pm-10pm, approximately.  Between 2pm and 6pm I had time to myself.  I would normally take a bus to Lincoln Road and watch a move. It was then that I saw Redford again in 1973 when I saw the Way We Were with Barbara Streisand.  This was the first movie I saw with Barbara Streisand.  There was only one scene which I remember.  She finally gets him to go to bed with her and he falls asleep in the process.  To myself I was thinking how is this possible?  

I did not watch much with Robert Redford after that.  I thought of watching "The Sting" but I still have not seen it.  I know my dad loved it.  I did watch "Ordinary People".  This one he got the Oscar for best Director.  I loved the movie.  I particularly liked the way Mary Tyler Moore acted in it and was disappointed when she did not get the academy award.  I thought she did a great job.  

I am getting old now. I am surprised I remember more about those actors from the past than actors that are still with us.  I often wonder, Were they that good? Or do I just judge on a different plane? 

Lourdes and I got married 45 years ago.

 

Elena was married yesterday.  I and Lourdes went to the ceremony at the Coral Gables Courthouse.  It was a rather simple place and it reminded me of when Lourdes and I were first married.  I actually married her twice.  

It was 1981, a few days before our official wedding date of 8/1/1981.  Seems like such a long time ago.  At the University of Miami dorms we would be given an apartment at married housing.  There was one problem.  We had to be married to get the apartment.  We were set to get married on that Saturday.  But to qualify for married housing, you had to be married.  We were now in a quandary.  The University would not allow us to get the apartment until we were married.  The church at that time was tightening the rules and we could not get married prior to the ceremony at the church.  That morning, Lourdes and I went to see Father O'Farril to speak to him, we told him about the problem, and he immediately told us to just get married by the state.  That is all the University cared about.  We knew that but we did not expect the church be so agreable.   

All we had to do now is find two witnesses to be able to speak to our marriage.  Luckily we went back to my house, mom's house and Turi and Pepe Blanco had come back from playing something somewhere.  We approached them about being the witnesses to the wedding. They were happy to do so. There was only one problem, we needed to be there before 1 hour had passed.  I do not fully remember why one hour but that was the time we had.  We then went to get married.  We drove from our house to the courthouse and we asked to be married.  There was this beautiful young lady who was going to carry out the ceremony.  We looked horrible.  I and Lourdes, and Pepe and Turi, who were still dressed as if they had just played basketball.  For around a minute I thought of calling Rocky, who I know could have and would have loved to marry us.  It would have been great for him to marry us. I did not call him since I believe he may have been working. And we only had one hour.  When I told him about it later, he told me he would have loved to do it. 

The ceremony was actually very nice.  The lady took her job very seriously.  All of us gathered in a room.  Me, Lourdes, Pepe, and Turi participated in the ceremony.  Turi and Pepe served as the witnesses. The ceremony was carried out and Lourdes and I were married.  I believe the young lady was more appreciative than we were.  We were just trying to work the system to be able to be married according to the University rules.  She really took her job seriously.  I frankly was impressed by the civil ceremony.  But, I cannot remember what was said, except that I thought the ceremony was more religious than I expected.  I was happy about that.  By that I mean that God was invoked in the ceremony several times.  

We did not take pictures, we could not get a camera in time.  I do not remember who the lady was.  If I saw her now I would not recognize her.  I think it was in el Cielito lindo, but I am not even sure of that. To me it really did not count at the time.  I do not remember what day it was.  I think it may have been the Monday or Tuesday before August 1st.   That would mean it was July 27 I guess. I probably have that marriage license somewhere.  But it may have been replaced by the one I received on August 1, 1981.  I will look for it.  

It is kind of nice however to have two wedding days instead of one.  In the first one we were accompanied by our witnesses, Turi and Pepe.  They looked horrible since they had just come back from playing football or basketball somewhere. In the other we were surrounded by family and other friends.  Halfway through the real ceremony, Turi asked me for my keys to the apartment.  He did not tell me why he needed it, I just gave him the keys

On 8/1/1981 Lourdes and I were actually married.  After the ceremony, we drove back to my parents house.  We drove Teresa's car, which we had borrowed, to behind my parents house.  There I drove my own car to our new apartment at Married Student at 1270 South Alhambra Circle.  Lourdes and I went into the room and Pepe and Turi and I heard later Noemi, had done a great job decorating our room. I may be wrong about Noemi but I know she helped somehow.  There was champagne in the freezer.  The refrigerator did not work so we used the freezer to cool it down instead.   It was cool. I do not know when the following happenned but I remember when I was about to leave to my new apartment, mom went to see me in my car.  Just thinking about this makes me cry a little.  Mom wanted to make sure I was okay and she just said good bye.  I wish now I would have acknowledge the effort better. 

I just found out as I was looking things up that 8/1/1981 was the day that MTV was launched. 

 

I wrote this when Elena and Grant were in the process of getting married. I spoke at the dinner. This is what I said.

One Elena story.

Elena was a senior in high school, captain of the softball team.  In my book, she was one of the two best players I knew.   Elena had just come home from a softball game. 

I was in my office, probably studying or pretending to be doing so.  “Dad can I talk to you about something?”  I found this rather strange.  Elena and I talk about everything, but she has never approached me in that way. I am thinking.  I must have said something like “sure”.  As you can see I am a rather verbose individual.   

She told me that something strange had happened in the softball team.  I could tell she wanted to talk about it.   She was in the softball team, center field.  One of the opposing players had hit a long fly ball,  Elena could not get to it.  Somehow it went past the fence.  Blue (Umpire) was not nearby.  Blue asked her.  Did it go over the fence or through the hole in the bottom of the fence.  This was an important decision.  If it  had gone over the fence, Elena’s team had basically lost since this would have been a homerun by the opposing team.  They would have scored one run in extra innings and the game would be over.  LaSalle would have lost the game.  More importantly to me, Elena’s team  would have lost the game.  Or did it go under the fence, or through the hole at the bottom of fence.  If it had gone through the hole at the bottom of the fence, it would have been a ground rule double.  LaSalle would not have lost.  If they could stop the opposing team, and score in the next inning, the game would be over.  Can you guess what Elena, my Elena said?

Blue, It went over the fence.  

LaSalle lost, game was over. 

I was not there.  Elena was apprehensive.  She did not know how she was going to be approached by the other players, or their parents.  Many of the parents and some of the players were upset at Elena.  She then arrived at home and told me the story.  I just said not to worry about it.  She did the right thing.  On my insides I was thinking I was going to have a talk with Coach Crotty. I was a bit upset.  I did not tell Elena. I never did speak to him but I did not have to. 

The next day she arrived home once more.   I am not sure if there had been a game or if it was just practice.  That is not important.  Apparently, sometime during the game or practice, the other players and the parents in some way apologized to her.  I was very happy they did although to this day I have never told her.  I have actually never spoken to her about this.  In a subsequent game which I did go to, it was either travel ball or another high school, I met several of the parents on the team.  I do not remember well their names nor what they looked like but I do remember how proud they were of Elena.  I went to a game where we were playing and Coach Crotty mentioned what had happened.  I could tell he was proud too. 

I was very proud of her.  I still am. 

I myself, if going through that same experience as a player, I would like to think I would have made the same decision she did.  I think I would have,  I am not really sure.  That does take a very brave individual. 

I am very proud of you Elena

I am trying to write about Carlos. It was Carlos’s birthday a few days ago.

 

 

 This will be a continuing story.  The problem is I do not even know where to start.  One day when I finish this, I will give it to his kids and Betty.  

One of the first memories I remember was when he was four or five, I was three or four.  I do not really know.  I remember we were fighting.  He was upset because when I slept, I apparently would go towards his side of the bed.  It was a big bed, and he would draw an imaginary line down the middle of the bed.  He would say when we slept, I could not pass that line.  I have heard that I would move too much when I slept.  I kept wondering how to be able to tell that while I slept. I really did not know. And lost sleep over it.  This must have been at around 1961 so I guess I must have been four years old, he five.  Carlos and I were incredibly close.  It is no wonder, he was only 13 months older than I was. We were sharing many experiences.  It was really great actually.  Turi was always around, I do not think Rosa nor Juanpi had been born yet.  I believe a few days later Robert and Teresa would leave for the United States.  I am not absolutely sure about the timing here. I know it happened, but I do not remember if it really was at that particular time. As I remember the time, everything seems to be scrunched together.  We would not see Teresa or Robert until around four years later in 1965. 

Around that same time, Robert and Carlitos, a friend of his, were fighting in the bedroom.  In Cuba in my youth, it was not really called fighting but “jugando de manos”.  I guess in our language today it would be called rassling.  I remember mom getting very upset at them.  I never actually met Carlitos aftewards, or at least, he never spoke a word to me.  I remember seeing him rassling with Robert but remember nothing else.  It is as if a whole person was summarized in the one scene I remember.  As I think back on it, this must have been just a little bit after Robert got all numerous casts removed.  I am now kind of wondering if that was why mom was so upset.  Just thought of that now.

I learned a lot from Carlos.  We kind of thought together.  Sometimes, as I write this, I am not sure what he said and what I said; what I thought and what he thought.  We were hardly ever apart, always experiencing everything together.  We were joined at the hip.

Carlos and I roamed the neighborhood together.  I remember carrying out experiments with him.  Or at least that is what we called them.  This would lead to great confusion in my later career as a chemist.  We would just mix all these concoctions together and see what came out.  Sometimes it was old paint, possibly a bunch of small rocks.  It looked kind of cool.  Only many years afterwards, after becoming a chemist, I realized that we used the same word as we used in my class. Wasn’t sure why. I had always thought carrying out an experiment was just having fun with my brother and mixing things we found in the neighborhood. I always wondered why I became a chemist.  Perhaps it was that …..

As I have gotten older, I do not remember our interactions as much. We were so close when we were young.  I cannot discern what he said and what I said.  One time Carlos and I were gifted a couple of either red or blue plastic buckets.  These were toy buckets much like the ones you would take to the beach.  Carlos and I were so proud of these.  We thought they were great.  We may have been six years old.    We came out of the house and were met by our cousin, Sylvia.  Sylvia was my age. Sylvia had this beautiful bucket.  It was white, had some flowers on it.  Now it looks like what a lady would carry on her wedding day. I am not sure what it really looked like.  Those are the qualities I think I am assigning to the bucket.  It was a very pretty bucket though.  Carlos and I were upset.  Our buckets looked like children’s toys, compared to hers, and they were.  I do not know how it happened, but Sylvia’s bucket ended up floating in the poseta.  The poseta was a swimming hole which was on the coast, right next to the sidewalk but a few feet down from it.  To this day, Sylvia claims that I pushed her into the poseta when she asked where her bucket was (I did not).  It is kind of interesting how one’s mind plays tricks on you.  At that time in the old country, all of us would kind get the same gift.  I am not really sure why.  I wonder if a bucket salesman came in the day before, or there was nothing else to buy so the limited selection drove the purchase.  At another time, Carlos and I made up an early phone type system.  I am being generous.  It was two empty cans tied together by a string. If you would get far apart, you could talk into the can and the other person would hear you.  Carlos would sit on one edge of the street and I on the other. Carlos and I had a great time with this.  Only problem is that we would repeat all these anti government things we had heard.  Mom explained it to us and we never did that again.  Now I understand why many of our freshly landed Cuban students in school never say anything at the University. Once they are there for a year it is a lot easier to get them to talk.

It is kind of funny.  I have written a lot about Robert.  It is not difficult for me to do so.  It may be because Robert was an independent person.  He also died so long ago.  I still get a little emotional when I think about Carlos.  I really got to know Robert and I would strive to be like him when I arrived from the old country.  Carlos and I were also approximately the same age.  I guess that is what it means by being joined at the hip.  Teresa and Robert were missed in the old country.  I was always drawn towards Teresa.  Carlos was drawn towards Robert.  I honestly barely remembered either of them.  Only remembered a couple of scenes.  One was Robert jumping over back of the sillon de la sala. I do not really remember him being in a cast.  Another was Teresa and I fighting over who would use the bathroom first.  I think that one I will tell my psychiatrist about; if I ever get one.  These were not images as in pictures.  These are things I remember happening live.  The only one that is actually an image is Robert jumping over the back of the sillon.  The others are more like my own remembrance of a narration of the incident.

Carlos and I would do things together.  On Saturdays, dad would sometimes take us horseback riding.  I am using a very liberal definition of the term horseback riding.  Dad would walk the horse with me sitting on top of it.  I was fine until one of the horses seemed to hit my foot with his mouth.  After that it was not so much fun.  Carlos was better at it.  We have a picture of Carlos riding a horse.  Robert was sitting in the back.  I wonder if he could not ride it due to Pertes disease.  You must remember Carlos was just a little bit older than I was.  He was older enough to make a difference in our ages.  Whatever Carlos said I would believe.  I had no reason to doubt nor have I ever had reason to doubt what he said was true.   It was reassuring to know you had someone to ask about anything.

We were really bored in the old country or at least we thought we were. Abuela Maximina would try to pass the time with us.  I remember when she started teaching us how to “bordar” or embroider. We would place the cloth in between two embroidery rings and we would try to sew different designs on the cloth.  Part of the fun was that we could not show anyone we were doing that.  That was stuff only girls did, not men.  Carlos and I were men (stated in a deep voice).  Abuela and Abuelo had a had a huge dining room table.  Abuela would sit at one end and us men would sit by her side and we would try to do what she taught us.  As uncles and aunts came by, we would put the rings away so they could not see them.  I think they knew but I do not really know.  Carlos did a much better job than I did.  Both of us had a great time.  I always thought that in the days before Fidel that dining room table would have all these family members sitting there and having some type of feast.  That was strictly my imagination.  I never saw it happen.

Carlos and I discussed traps and how they would be built.  Abuela lived in a house with a huge backyard.  On day for some reason there were a few holes in the backyard.  Someone, may have been one of the cousins, taught us to put light tree leaves and sticks on top so when one of the heavier members of the family would walk over this trap, they would just fall in.  Of course, we never did that.  I am not sure why those holes were there and now I wonder if these were there to hide some money.  I doubt it though.  These were towards the middle of the yard.  Since I cannot really ask anyone, I have always wondered.

Before we left Cuba, we had to declare an “inventario”.  This is literally an inventory of all your possessions.  The government could take what it wanted.  Since at that time the whole neighborhood was leaving, everyone would leave us all this stuff for us to store, so when the government came down, at least the family members would keep it.  We had this closet under the stairs were all the toys that were being left would be placed.  I remember everyone loading up and taking stuff also to Ana and Isaac’s house next door so the inventory would not take hold of them.  A lot of these were then taken back to our house until we left.  These were then given to different family members as we left.  We were running out of family members.  I know we gave Lydia and her husband some stuff that had not been inventoried.  I never saw her again. I have always felt bad about that; always wanted to see her again. I really liked her. All this stuff, although I experienced it myself, I also experienced it with Carlos, and from Carlos.  Most of the time I did not know what was going on. 

Although it may seem funny now.  On the 90 mile trip from La Habana to Miami, we had to go via Spain or Mexico.  We, the Lopez de la Vega family, went via Spain.  Our Mexican group went via Mexico.  Except they just stayed in Mexico. I have always regretted not being able to spend more time with them.  Carlos and I later spent time with Carlos from Mexico and Miriam from Mexico.  We have never spent time with Alberto or Javier.  After we left, I only met Alberto once.  All of us really got along well.

All of us went to Spain. I do remember the day we left.  Carlos was usually my one source of information, and my model towards a proper reaction.  I was never too worried about leaving my house.  Why should I be, Carlos was not worried.  We knew were going to finally see Robert y Teresa, that is all we thought about. I remember we were at the airport.  They left Carlos and I alone in some room.  There were people there, but mom and dad were not with us.  That is all that mattered. I had been told that we would be searched before we boarded the plane.  Mom had prepared all of us for this search. Carlos and I were not searched.  Mom and Dad were.  That is where they were.  They were being searched. I just kept imagining how the search was.  During that time in Cuba, the planes were not loaded via a long tube leading to the airplane.  We actually had to walk on the airport tarmac to the plane.  I remember Rosa just not taking any more.  She went on the floor of tarmac and just did not want to leave.  This is what I was told, not what I remember.  Carlos and I just walked into the plane.  To me it was just a new experience, one I was looking forward to and we were looking forward to for a while.  This was in 1965, before July.  The reason I remember it was before July was because we celebrated Carlos’s birthday (July 19) in Spain.  I just walked up the stairs and sat down where I was asked to.  Carlos took a window seat.  I did not. Turi asked dad for two dollars (actually pesos) that were owed to him by I believe Hans, a German friend of dad’s.  I know Turi asked dad about the money.  I do not remember what dad said before or after he laughed.  We were all wary of how abuela and abuelo felt.  Mom and dad were being careful since they had left everything behind.  We really could not imagine how Abuela and Abuelo felt.  That is all I would always hear.  They left everything behind.  I never knew how important that was.  Can you imagine leaving Everything behind.  I could not tell any difference in their demeanor.  Abuela was always very serious anyway so it was difficult to tell. 

It was a strange feeling leaving Cuba.  I was not really thinking about this too much but that would be the last time I would be there.  I never thought of that either.  I was more thinking about the flight to Spain.  It was scheduled for 24 hours in a four engine plane.  This was not a jet plane. It was a propeller plane. I had not even been on a plane before.  Carlos and I sat together the whole way.  I was happy he was there. 

I asked dad or Carlos a lot of questions.  I could not understand how a plane could fly (I still can’t, really).  I can explain it perfectly but how can it fly?   They were all happy we had a four-propeller plane.  And quoting Carlos, if one of the propellers failed, we. had three more.  And what if a second propeller failed.  Etc… During that time, and probably now, I would be very much affected by how others felt during the trip.   

After 24 hours with a stop in Bermuda and a stop in the Azores, we finally got to Spain.  There are things I think about during the trip where I feel very sleepy even now. 

In Spain, life was very different.  We took a cab, actually a number of cabs, to a hotel that had been arranged by a good friend of Abuelo.  I have no idea what his name was.  I knew it then and someday I will remember but I cannot remember now.  All of us ended up in two hotel rooms, in an apartment house which was about to be closed.  We got two rooms, one was for abuelo and abuela and the other was for the rest of us.  We were all very uncomfortable. A lot of us ended up sleeping in one bed.  Halfway through the night the pim pam pum broke and dad was on the floor.  Then mom started screaming.  She was having nightmares.   She woke up thinking that all of us had rolled on top of Juanpi  I actually slept through most of this.  Carlos told me what happened.   The next day we moved to a large apartment at 23 Juan Bravo.  Years later, Juanpi visited it and sent me a picture of it.  I thought it had been destroyed once we left but apparently it was still there.  At least the building was there. Juanpi said the central elevator was, but he was maybe one year old. I doubt he remembered much.

We had a great time in Spain.  We were there through Carlos’s Birthday and then my birthday (August 24) mom and dad bought him a toy I have never seen again.  The idea was to shoot down a plane which was flying in circles above you.   We played with that a lot. One month later, for my birthday, we bought a toy car which you could make it run with batteries.  That one was not a good choice. When we had to leave Carlos’s planes behind we were upset.  My car no one missed.  It may have worked for a few hours after I brought it home.  Oh well.

We stayed in Spain for three to four months approximately.  Every once in a while, we would go to El Refugio to get clothes.  I was hard to fit but I was able to find clothes.  Actually, I should repeat that.  I was hard to fit but mom was able to find clothes for me.  This was important since we could only take one bag at the most. 

The trip to Spain was quite memorable.  I was very happy Carlos was there.  He is the only one I remember.  I do not remember Turi, Rosa.  I do remember Juanpi since he was right next to mom and dad. I spent most of my time talking to Carlos.  One year difference when you are 7 is a big difference yet a small difference.

Sometime before Halloween, we finally arrived in the United States.  Finally, we would get to see my brother and sister.  I know it was before halloween because one year later, I was given an assignment in school which was about halloween.  I had no idea how to to the assignment.  I had no idea what to draw.  

Upon arriving here to the United States it was such a shock when Carlos and I had to attend schools.  We started in the same school, Coral Way Elementary but he was transferred to Citrus Grove elementary.  He was placed in an English program.  Having the family split in half when Robert and Teresa left was quite a blow but now I was going to be split from him. I had always thought he and I would be together all the time.  Actually, I had never really thought about it. I never knew. Until I was told we would go to school separately: then I just thought Whoa, in Spanish.  It is not easy to imagine that at this time all my thoughts were in Spanish.  I am not even sure how I thought in Spanish. He was bussed to Citrus Grove and I could walk to Coral Way Elementary in Miami. To this day I feel badly about being separated.  We would walk home from school together.  Turi was doomed to attend Sts Peter and Paul.  I remember mom telling me about going to see several people she knew from old country, trying to keep the family together.  One of them was the head of Belen Jesuit Prep which was where dad had gone to school.  I have forgotten his name but mom in the end decided against it. All these thoughts I am sharing are what I remember.  Carlos and I were never in the same classroom together after the beginning of my third grade and during the same day of summer school.  We only went to summer school for a couple of days. I think mom realized we did not need to go to summer school.  That summer instead of going to summer school, Carlos and I did go to summer camp.  We went to Sts. Peter and Paul for summer camp.  I always had easier teachers in Summer Camp than Carlos.  I actually wrote about that in the blog which I keep. 

Chuck Mangione passed away today.

 

I first became aware of Mangione in late 1975.  I was listening to Chase the Clouds Away.  It was released in 1975 by A&M records. I was cleaning out Robert’s records.  I was listening to it, sitting in my bedroom, a Florida room, in my parents’ house.  This was also Robert's room when he lived with us.  I remember I cried, not really knowing why.  I was still affected by Robert's passing.  I still have those records, although they are in storage, currently in one of the bedrooms in my own home.  It will be 50 years to the day this November since that day. 

Robert is my brother.  I use the present tense purposely.  He was shot and killed on November 7 of 1975.  I was taking calculus at the time.  I was very much affected by his death, although I did not realize it at the time. I always found it curious that on the calendar it was also the day after my sister’s birthday.  Always wondered how to remember that. 

Thinking about it now, it is strange.  Robert was the oldest of my siblings.  My mom and dad wanted him to avoid military service for Mr. Castro.  He was sent over to Miami, with my sister Teresa, in 1961 and his aunt and uncle.  We would not see either of them until our arrival in Miami in 1965. To have him face such an ending in 1975 sounds horrible, and it was. 

To this day there are certain songs that really bring him back.  One of these was Dave Clark Five’s Over and Over.  We had the 45rpm of it.  One time, he and I went to downtown Miami in I believe 1966 and he saw at the Walgreens store an album by the Dave Clark Five, and he bought it.  It was Dave Clark Five’s Greatest Hits.  He really liked the album, and he used me to convince himself to buy it.  It cost around $5, so it was a big investment.  I must have been 9.  He 14.  Just gives me the creeps we were in downtown in Miami at such young ages by ourselves.  That was the first long playing album we had ever bought.  I think I still have the album, although I am not sure.  I inherited all his albums in 1975.  

There were other records which he would buy, that I still remember.  For Your Love, by The Yardbirds and Your Song, the Album, by Elton John.  I remember getting the album by Elton John.  It was released in 1970.  Elton John was not well known.  I remember looking for the record at the J. Byron’s in downtown and not being able to find it. J. Byrons was the store for records at that time.  It was important for me to find it, so I asked one of the salesmen and he did not know.  He said look in the miscellaneous section.  I did and I found it.  I was proud of myself.  It was not every day that your older brother asked you for something and you come through.  I never did tell him how difficult it was to find it. I still have that album.  I mean the original album which he asked me to buy that day. When I listen to any one of those songs, I am still brought back to him. Such is the power of music.

My brother’s name was Roberto Lopez de la Vega.  Mine was Ramon Lopez.  People who knew both of us would never know we had the same parents. We had slightly different last names; we do not look that similar. It kind of depended on who handled your papers at the airport what your name became.  I never knew I had a choice so when they asked me my name, it was Ramon Lopez.  His, which he got four years earlier, included our maternal surname, de la Vega.  He would use both surnames since there were two other Roberto Lopez’s in his class.  Robert started out as a freshman at LaSalle High school, class of 1970.  I was in Coral Way Elementary in fourth grade at the time. I did not speak a word of English.  Robert and I never went to the same school at the same time. I kind of always followed in his footsteps 5 years later.  

We would listen to the same type of music.  This was not a coincidence.  When you have an older brother you admire, you tend to listen to the same songs, same music.  You tend to emulate a lot of the things he did.  From Robert I had a preview of every teacher we would have.    Brother Ramon was my favorite teacher.  Robert really liked him.  I knew that since Robert spoke about him often.   I could see why Robert liked him.  Robert played football, right guard.  His favorite subject was Chemistry.  He was in the chess club.  These are all things which I also did, although I do not know if I was trying to emulate him or just that we liked the same activities.  He was also in track and field and Key Club. 

At the time the cost to go to LaSalle was $18/month for the whole family.  Since we had three children attending at the same time, it was a good deal.  During his senior year the cost of going to LaSalle increased to $25 per student per month.  I remember my mom and him talking about it.  The cost kept increasing on a yearly basis.  When I finished in 1975, it was $60 per student per month.  As the family got older it became totally unaffordable.  This is why our two youngest siblings went into the public school system rather than stay in LaSalle.  

Robert really liked music.  Early on he formed his own band.  It was known as the Isles of Langerhans.  They isles of langerhans are also the organelles in the pancreas responsible for making insulin.  He told me that although at the time that information was secondary.  Diabetis had not affected our family as much.  Robert's group used to practice with the Antiques, which was a much more popular band. I know one of the members of the antiques, only because they remember Robert.   I recently saw him and we spoke.  He gave me some sample recordings of him still singing.  Nice guy.  Robert played the drums.  He would practice at home, but there were a lot of complaints.  It was too loud.  He was very proud of his drum set.  It was made by Pearl.  The skins were Ludwig. I am amazed that I still remember this stuff. I do not really know why. Only later did I realize the brand Ludwig was due to being Beethoven's first name.  I do not really know that.  That is what I assume. 

Robert would always tell me about his experiences in the band.  As the complaints from the neighbors became louder and since there was no way for us to air condition our home, he decided to change instruments.  He began playing a Spanish guitar.  I remember when he bought it at a store on eighth street.  It sounded great! He traded in his drum set.  I also still have that guitar.  Although currently it has an extra hole.  It also makes a funny noise when you play the C chord. I also inherited the guitar.  I have not played that guitar in years.  Actually, I have not played any guitar in years.  I still have it though.  

Robert graduated from LaSalle in 1970.  He went for one year to the University of Miami and then finished up with three years at Gainesville graduating in 1974.  He majored in Chemistry.  He would return every summer to our house in the Roads.  He would always come back and teach me several songs on the guitar.  These songs I still play, when I do play guitar which is currently seldom.  In fact those are about the only songs I play.  

I lost another brother around 4 years ago.  Carlos.  I miss him but I have not been able to write about him.  I will.  Robert died 50 years ago.  Carlos only four.  It is difficult.