Reyes Memories

(Contributed by Esther "Pepper" Reyes)

I also remember how wonderful it was growing up in DH. I could go out and play with my best friend, Genie, from across the street without having to have our parents hawking over us. Unlike my children now a days, where if I or my husband can't watch over them they can not go out alone, even though we have a fence around our yard. Things really have changed. It's not ALL bad but it's not all good either.

I too, remember getting a banana split from Blakey's for all of my straight A's. Those were wonderful. I can still see Amato's Grocery instead of Popeye's. I was tricked into watching "The Exorcist" at the Venus Theater by my brother and his friends. We also saw all those Godzilla movies too! I loved those. Days at the pool, yes, it did cost 25 cents. The best tasting burgers from Dixie Maid were a treat on Saturday evening. Later days saw us at Jet Inn for those good burgers as well.

Do any of you remember the "Woods" over by the warehouses on Palestine and Larimer? Weekend bike rides with my brothers, Jesse and Lupe, helped my aim with our bb gun. I could shoot a lizard dead in the eye by the time I was 10. They used their boyscout training to hunt doves, skin them and cook 'em up. Of course, I could not bring myself to eat them.

I used to walk to school, McReynolds, the first year with my bro. The second and third years I walked with my other best friend Mona Kelley. We had a blast in those days feeling fairly safe. I do remember one morning though, when we were on our way to school...there was a flasher that drove by us. Aside from that instance, I think we didn't have anything to contend with like the children of today. My children attend Martinez and Lanier. I thought that it would be neat for them to be able to walk to Martinez but it's just not safe enough.

The bazaars at Resurrection were great as well. I worked in the office counting the money when they did the pick ups during the festival. It was a good learning experience. That's were I learned to do ten-key in a flash. I also worked the Bingo's alot. We would help in the kitchen. Boy, those were some real wild days.

We also used to have lots of fun going to baseball and football games at Denver Harbor Park. Yes, now it is a beautiful community center.

I wonder if any of you remember "Whip O'Cream"..the ice cream parlor located on Lathrop at Gonzales. It is now a meat market/grocery store. The ice cream trucks that drove down the streets in the evening. Those were fun too. Just to hear that tune and start running to look for some change before he would turn the corner.

It was really great to run across this site. Good luck and may DH stay alive and thrive..

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