Joe Louis Llanes

"I DID THE BEST I COULD"

Poteet, Texas

Monday March 9, 2009

Sarah Louies Tijerina

Palo Alto College

History 1302 - Spring 2009

Tell me the story about the muffler shop?
"It was to help me provide for myself and family."

Was opening the muffler shop both you and your wife's idea?
"Yes indeed, this was the beginning of a great start."

What was business like for the muffler shop when it had first opened?
"I have to say that customers from all over like San Antonio Texas, Floresville Texas, and Houston Texas would come for our service." "It was incredible to feel needed from people all over."

Are fixing cars at your shop your passion?
"I would have to say of course, because I have been doing this for my whole adult life."

Do you feel that you get more out of working at your business then just having customers?
"I do feel that I receive a whole lot more than just the customers." "I do get in mail thank you cards from the customers that come to the Muffler Shop that are pleased with the service they get."

What do you get out of working in this type of business?
"I feel that I do and help others in my town when at the same time they are helping me support my family."

Do you want to carry this type of business within your family?
"Yes, I diffidently see this job being carried on in the future." Why do you want to keep this business going in the family? "I feel that the person that has the most inspiration for this job shall continue my work, and hopefully move it even further."

Do you enjoy fishing?
"Yes I do very much." It is a great way to relax from a day of hard work."

Is fishing your way of getting away from the business stress?
"It really is, because it is away from everything. "It is peaceful and I enjoy the time with my wife and family."

Were you able to go fishing as a child to get away from the hard times?
No I wasn't able to, because my responsibility was to try and keep the family together financially."

When you first had started on the process to building your business, where there any other shops around at that time?
" No there were none but one shop in town named De la Fuente, But J&J Muffler shop was the first shop to open in Poteet Texas on Highway 16."

What this process very difficult in the beginning?
"It was in the beginning, because people needed to get to know my wife and me and gain that trust." "We were new in town and you need a whole lot of trust to have a stranger work on your car."

Did this make business better?
"It really did, because then our business's name was in the town and that is when the customers came asking."

Do you ever think about expanding the business into further locations?
"No not right now, but that is a great idea for the future to keep in mind."

Do you have any regrets about the business?
"No, I believe I did the best I could."

Would you go back in time if you could, and change the difficulties that you had in your lifetime?
"I would not change a thing, because I learned responsibility, and that is what I have taught to you."

Have you taught your work to others?
"Yes, I have to my older son Raul Lozano and to my Son in law Michael Tijerina and to my Daughter Sarah Tijerina." "I also get my grand kids into the dirty work too." "This will show them great values."

Do the employees you teach your work to, do they realize the passion that you have for this type of business too?
"I feel that the one's I have taught my work to have the passion, But I do expect a whole lot more of my daughter." "I say that, because she is attending college and I do not want her to struggle the way I did."

Did you have to sruggle a whole lot before getting where you are today?
"Every bit of my life was a struggle, but this is what made the struggle worth it." "Having my family taken care of."

Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
?"I enjoyed the interview very much and I would do it again if I could."

ANALYSIS

In this oral history project I learned how my father's career began.
The most important points made in this interview, Was to set an example for me and others that you need an education in this life time for a better future. Now that we have that today student should take advantage of it.
I learned in this interview that my dad did not ever have anything handed to him, but he had to work for what he has earned today.
I felt that my view on the interview did change by having me realize that the story of others shows how their lives and progressed over the years of changes and expieriences.
Joe six word memoir is, I tried the best I could, and overall this is what he did.
Through this interview it was very emotional , because of the difficult memories my father had to explain to me where how and why?
The stories of Joe's past really did wake me up and realizes the values I do have today.
The proof I had to verify his stories were from his mother telling me as a child the adventures my dad had found himself into.
The interview has showed me the past to the present the great advantages that we have today and do take advantage of.
This is a very great way to learn about the past because the adventure is learned by someone who has lived the history and of that time, and this shows a college student the interviewee's life and past through there eyes and steps that they have taken.