TRANSCRIPTION
What was it like growing up with so many brothers and sisters?
It was OK.
What was the best and worst part of being the oldest?
Since I was the oldest, I always had to defend my brothers, and I got into some fights with some of the neighborhood kids. I really did not interact with the younger girls, I was always the big sister and always helping Mom with chores. By the time they were all in high school I was already gone, living with Tia Emma and going to SAC, then I left to go to UT. When I was a kid, most of the time I was off playing with some of the neighborhood girls, skipping rope, playing jacks or just out and about in the neighborhood. Some times we play ball or flew our kites, it was never boring.
Did you feel like you missed out being the first born?
Not really, I got to do a lot of things. Since I was the first born from Mom's side of the family all my aunts used to treat me like a princess. I always spent the summers in San Antonio with aunt Mimi and Aunt Ruth and Aunt Lilly. The used to take me to the stores to buy me clothes, that one time they bought me this dress and when I was modeling it for them, the people at the store wanted me to be a model in one of the fashion shows. But I was not able to, since I had to go back to Laredo. I also remember that Aunt Ruth bought me my first watch, it was a Cinderella watch. I never regreted having the rest of my brothers and sisters.
What was your first memory of?
My first memory of what, growing up, I guess it was the fun I had in school. I remember when I started school, usually it is the mothers who took the kids to their first grade class, but Dad took me. School was just down the street from our house.
What was it like growing up in laredo?
Back in the day, Laredo was a small town, and life was safe. We used to spend our summers out in the neighborhood not fearing that something would happen to us. All the neighbors seem to look out for each other. I remember is was hot, but the heat never bothered us. We also always had Mom at home, she took care of us while Dad worked. But in those times Dad used to come home for lunch as we did when we were in school. We come home have lunch and then went back to school the rest of the afternoon. Time were good, every Saturday afternoon we would be treated to ice cream and cookes and we sat down to watch cartoons (Mighty Mouse) and we watched the ,Lone Ranger and rin tin tin , and the roy rogers show. When I was in school all the teachers were good, especially one teacher. She was from South Dakota, and she taught some of us girls to tap dance. Every year in May, for Mother's Day, the kids at school put on a program for the Mothers. One year when I was in the 4th grade I was going to come out and dance two tap dance numbers. One was Take Me out the Ballgame and the other one I was going to dance to the song "I Don't Know Why I Love Like I Do". But my career as a tap dancer was cut short, because before I had a chance to go on stage, a group of kids that were running around in school ran into to me and I fell on top of my arm and broke it. I was taken to the hospital and I did not make it to the show. Bummer. There are too many memories, and not enough time for everything.
What were some of your hobbies?
I played softball.
What did you want to be as a kid?
I guess I always wanted to be a teacher, but things changed after I was in college. The idea of being a teacher was soon gone, because I could not have put up with unruling kids. In my day we respected our teachers, parents and elders. I could not take an unruly kid, so I decided to do something else. Not really knowing what I was going to do, I ended up being a Social Worker.
What was it like moving your big family to San Antonio?
I had just finished the 7th grade, it was the summer, and moving to San Antonio was a big adventure for us. We had lived in San Antonio before when were kids, any way up until Uncle Eli or Rene was born. Dad's job brought us back to San Antonio, they had closed Laredo Air Force Base and Dad move to work at Kelly.
Did you have any family in San Antonio?
The move was also great because all of Mom's sisters lived in San Antonio and also some of Dad's sisters. So we had family, we just had to get used to a new way of life. The people in San Antonio were not as neighborly as those in Laredo.
What was your first job?
My first actual job was working at SAC in the Library.
How much did you get paid?
I was making about $1.25 per hour. That was big money back then.
Do you still feel like you have a lot to still accomplish?
Not really, I just want to live a lot more years to see my family finally be on it own. I have gone to college, which was something my Dad did not plan for me, but I had made up my mind, I wanted to go and I did. I have worked for 37 year with the State, I enjoyed helping people, and I met alot of people who will always be part of my life. I don't know what else I can accomplish, but God may have something else for me to do.
How old were you when you first started to drive?
I was in my 20's when I first learned how to drive. A friend of mine taught me in his Volkswagen, it was automatice. About two to three times a week he would take me and his girlfriend out to learn how to drive
What was your first car?
I got my first car when I started working back in 1974, it was a used car a 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass, maroon and white.Then I got my first new car in 1976, another Cutlass Supreme
How much did it cost?
My 1974 Cutlass cost me 2000 dollars(now it would be worth 8,835.70),my 1976 cutlass was 7500(now it would be worth 28,708.26) and that was when my grandma said that my brand new cutlass cost more than her house.
Did you go to college after high school?
yes, I attended San Antonio College
Did you graduate from SAC?
yes, in 1968
Did you further youtr education after SAC?
Yes,went to UT, did not finish until 1998.
Was it hard to move to Austin for school?
No, not really. I was looking forward to being on my own, and I had visited Annabelle a few time before I came to school here. She was one year ahead of me, so anytime I could get away, I took the bus from SA to Austin to spend the weekend. It was great because I started meeting people and I enjoyed the town.
Did you lve alone?
I lived with my cousin Annabelle.
What was it like returning to school after being out so long?
You mean after I had been working and deciding to finish school I was like a weird world. The students were soooooo different, they were so young, compared to me, but I make friends easy and I was OK.
Are you afraid of anything ?
Yes, dying. But I put my life in God's hands. He will decide when it is my time.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
Yes, my only regret is that I did not have a family of my own, but it was OK, because I had all my brothers and sisters and all their children.
