The Tournament

Have you ever questioned yourself on where the "good ol days" went? I do all The time. I rember when we were a real deal family. I loved playing night time hide n go seek. Feeeze tag, & mother may I. 

Growing up there were many memories that seem so far away now. 

I don't even know where to begin. My youngest brother was like my child. My middle brother was my rival, & my parents were aliens. 

As a family we did stuff, vacation to Disneyland in our bucket camper.  Trips to SF, (weekly, sometimes twice a week)

In our bucket camper. Parties every weekend with Uncle Ernie (RIP) & Aintie Lolly. Or the Rubios of course. 

The biggest impact was City Park. My dad played softball for the City, & for his job. (PG&E) I spent countless hours there. Watching the grown ups get totally drunk after the games & argue about mindless things. 

I played cupball with Sandralina, Rolando, & Victor. (& of course my competative brothers). We never cared about the time, to us it was irrelavent. I can't think of a group I would want to be around more during those times. 

One particular day our parents were playing in a tournament in Antioch. Us kids were having our own game on a side field, against some kids from the Antioch team. I was catching behind the plate. (We actually had gloves a ball and a bat). 

As the kid came up to bat, I remember him trash talking like all good ball players do... He swung and cracked it. 

Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing that cracked. He let go of the bat.  I just remember the feeling of nausea. The sound of the break. 

As I wretched in pain. I looked up & saw the shocked faces of my cousins & brothers. The idiot was rounding the bases with NO regard as to what had just happened! I fell to the dirt and started crying & yelling. 

I never heard so much cussing from little kids. I saw my brothers running in from the outfield. I saw Sandralinas face twist up with anger. Rolando, Vic & the rest of them just started chasing the guy. Boy did he run. He ran back over to the adults field & caused a stir in the game. 

My cousins, my family, my saviors. Sandralina stayed with me, the boys were all getting in trouble, till yhe parents found out why this poor kid was about to get stomped out! 

I ended up with a broken collarbone.  I will forever cherish my "ballpark" memories. Good or bad, my cousins & my brothers always had me.