These photos were taken in our backyard in the summer of 1965. My parents weren't much for taking pictures so one day we (us kids) took the family camera (a box type just like the one above) and took our own pictures. We really hammed it up for the camera that day. I'm sure glad we took these pictures. I really treasure these memories.

I dedicate this page
in loving memory for my
childhood best friend,
Jesse Medrano,
and my beloved brother,
Jamie Perez.

  



My brother's Jaime and David playing tug-o-war with a chain. Our yard was always full of good junk to play with. We lived in the small barrio of Decoto, which is now a section of Union City, California. We shared our backyard with 3 other families as well as a bar and pool hall so it was a pretty big yard. In spite of a few barroom brawls and that jukebox playing mexican music well into the night, we had lots of fun back there. We were kids, it was cool!

  



Me and David goofing around. You know, it seemed like there was always a party at my house. We'd always have company over and my dad would play his guitar, and, with my mom,they would sing old Mexican corridos and ranchera songs into the night. They we're actually very good. Those are some great memories.

When the Beatles came along my brothers and I took a keen interest in my dad's old guitar. I'm still playing today. As you can see I'm not too shabby with the maracas either!







  

Me and Jamie hamming it up for the camera.

Some of our favorite passtimes and games to play were: combat, hide-n-seek, pretend we were the beatles and sing to their records, ride bikes (sting rays with banana seats and high handle bars), dodge ball, kick ball and tetherball, tag, tell ghost stories, go swimming at the high school during summer,
eat cupcakes and potato chips and wash it down
with a coke for a snack (no wonder I was husky),
and, in a few years, being normal red blooded boys, play spin-the-bottle (with girls, of course!!!).
Yep, life was tough. Oh, to be a kid again!!!