TRANSCRIPTION
How was life in San Antonio different now than when you were younger?
"It was easier, food prices were cheaper. We used to be able to go everywhere we wanted to."
"I loved basketball. If I ate breakfast I ate breakfast. We couldn't afford a lot of food so whatever was on the table is what I ate. Bread we could never afford bread. I would walk to the community center to play basketball. In the summer time I would walk to the middle school and do like projects that they had for us there. I would eat whatever they gave us there and then go home and make sure everything was okay and do the same thing the next day."
What different jobs did you have and at what age did you begin working?
"I think I started working when we had La Salle High School through SANYO. That was one of the worst things the city of San Antonio took away from us when they had a lot of jobs for the kids during the summer time. I applied for a job and I was expecting to get a job a Kelly Air Force base but I got a job as a maintenance man. My age was 14 years old.
But I had plenty of jobs. I worked at a circle K gas station for a while then went on to be a welder with my dad. I did carpentry, construction and my last job was a garbage man."
![Reuben and his wife Beatrice](mom and dad.jpg)
What side of town did you grow up on and how was the neighborhood?
"I grew up on the west side on Zarzamora with my grandma and my grandpa. Then we moved to the south side. The south side was considered right there on Southcross and Zarzamora at that time there was no Military Dr., no Southpark Mall, the only stores we had was Shoppers World and the Thrifty Mart.
The neighborhood I lived in was okay there was no problems with gangs and stuff like that, like how it is now."
What one thing that you wish you had now that you had in your childhood?
"One thing that I wish I had now was my grandma and grandpa. My uncle, my favorite uncle because he took me everywhere with him and we would walk all the railroad tracks."
![Reuben and his grandson G](grandpa and g.jpg)
How has San Antonio changed from the way it used to look?
"Gangs, fighting, I will never go back to San Antonio to live. I enjoy my country living. Raising animals and having space is what I do now"
How was downtown San Antonio when you were younger?
"My grandma had a little store on the west side where they sold soda water bottle. We used to collect the soda water caps and the Texas Theatre would let you go see movies like King Kong. It only took 3 or four Coca Cola caps and we would ride our bikes to see the movie.
That was the most I would go downtown because I couldn't afford to go anywhere else."
Is there anything else that you would like to add to the interview?
"Take advantage of being young because it only happens once."
![Reuben Cruz](Spurs.jpg)