I wanted to be an architect. So I worked in his firm. Learned to draft on vellum with a straight edge and an electric eraser.
Florida escape. Again back in an all boys private catholic school. The teachers were friars who wore oversized rosaries around their waists.
Theology class. Father Mack's coarse hock breath stank thick of tobacco to the back of the room.
The first guy I met asked me if I was a leader of my crew back where I came from. Cause he is over here.
We all wore white polo shirts with an emblem print and gray slacks. I was tall and skinny. I carried a giant SLR around my neck.
Our junior class was around a hundred split in three groups. A was smart boring. C was dumb rowdy. B was cool. B
The humidity. I started to struggle with acne. I didn't date much that year.
I detailed my aunt's desert taupe 190E every weekend. My cousin got me into RC cars. I was photographer and editor of the school paper.
Whenever a typhoon came we boarded up the windows with large plywood sheets stored on the roof. Laid towels to seal the gaps under doors.
High winds. No electricity. When the eye passes above you can see clear skies. We shuffle the cars around to the other side of the house.
After the second half had passed leaves stuck on and over everything. Little green smiling snakes dangle on branches.
I would drive around the island with my uncle to survey the damaged spanish houses and kombentos under historic preservation.
The roads had a high coral mix. Slippery at the slight drizzle. Swarms of frog crushed and gummed into the tarmac.
Often you would see shrines on street posts for the Japanese who looked right instead of left when crossing the street.
I was the only junior still riding the school bus. I waited alone after school for hours for a ride just to avoid it.
My cousin taught me the stick. Arrogance failed the DMV driving test three times over. From then driving represented independence.
Drove a borrowed gray manual Toyota van which had an even longer green kayak mounted on top. You can't miss it.
Everyone knew everybody. Your family name often got you big favors from cops and car dealerships. As my friends did.
We drank. Rode at the back of pick ups. Shot BB guns at stray cats. Dove off bridges. Ate red rice with finedeni. Listened to reggae.
Fishing with spear slings snorkels and flashlights at night when fish were asleep. Strung them through the eyes with wire around our waist.