Bobby Remembers Back Home
By Robert Ruiz © The Diaz Observer July 2001
My brother and sisters all have fond memories of being together with the cousins back home in Michigan. My sister Ana, brother Ricky and my twin Mario, actually remember living there and participating in family get-togethers. But we were so little that I'm not sure which cousins we spent time with. We just know we were there.
For instance one memory that sticks out in my mind was when we were over one of the tío and tía's house with all the primos and they had this huge mud hole. All the kids were taking turns jumping over it. Back and forth we went and then all of a sudden it was my turn, again, and I remember jumping and the next thing I knew I landed smack in the middle. There I was all muddy and crying my fool head off. I was really scared because the mud hole looked much deeper inside it than it did from above. All the kids were screaming, "Bobby, Bobby," and soon one of the uncles came and pulled me out and took me inside to my mom. She took my clothes off and bathed me down. I remember having to sit on a bench all naked feeling sorry for myself, not because of what happened, but because by then all the kids had come in and sat around the table to eat some corn flakes. I remember wanting to eat some, too! Ha ha. This is a true story and maybe some of you reading this were there. If so, please come forward and tell me who you were.
Living in Pontiac we were close to Tío Ralph and Tía Connie Díaz. We spent a lot of time there with Ralphie and Carlos. I remember spending the nights there and going outside playing in the snow in the back yard. If I remember correctly, there was a railroad yard near by, because even up to this day, I still recall the sounds of the train whistles as we played cowboys and Indians.
Another fond memory is the trips with all the cousins to Traverse City to pick cherries. Working the fields I think we kids ate more than we picked and we paid dearly in the end — if you know what I mean. But the biggest treat for us was when we would all swim in the Michigan lakes with all the cousins and just enjoy the cool water.
Back in 1961, I remember how excited all of us guys were when Mama and Daddy told us we were moving to Texas. We were too young to realize how deeply we would miss growing up away from all of our primos and primas.
Once we got to Texas that July, we stayed with my Dad's brother until we got a place of our own. We had great times going to the beach for nighttime walks on the sand. We had the most fun looking at all the jelly fish that washed ashore poking at them with a stick.
Once when we were walking on the sand there were these little sand crabs all over the place. We would chase them around and I think they were more afraid of us than we were of them.
Anyway, as we were walking one grabbed hold of my brother Mario's toes and clung on to him. You should have seem the look on his face. Mario just stood there hollering and yelling for my Dad to help. The rest of us kids really thought the sand crab was going to bite his toe off. Boy, were we really scared. After my dad pulled off the sand crab we all ran to Mario to see which toes he lost. Poor Mario, he was really shaken up. After he settled down, we all got a big laugh out of this and still tease him about this to this day.
I have to admit, the most memorable times we had in Galveston were when the cousins came down to visit us. Mom always talked about our cousins back home. So when Uncle Jack and Aunt Della and the kids came to visit us, we hit it off like we'd known each other all our lives. Us kids would get together and talk about our lives and especially listen to the radio and play records. I still remember Eleanor, Gloria and Chris showing us how they danced to the FUNKY CHICKEN up there in Michigan, and we showed them how it was done down here. Don't you girls try denying it because I have it all on super-8 film. Cousin Danny Chantaca always reminded me of José Feliciano because of his hair style and the sunglasses he wore. I can still see him strumming the guitar my dad bought for us.
Then there was lil' Johnny with his captain's hat that he bought at one of the souvenir shops on the boardwalk. He was real cool.
One time Cousin David Medel rode his motorcycle all the way from Michigan to Texas. He would take turns and give us all a ride. I know my mom was a bit worried that we would fall off, but David would say to my mom, "Don't worry Tía, I'll take care of them, they're with me."
Back in those days it seemed like all the cousins were dropping by — Danny Medel, Tony Stricker, Lenny Medel and their wives. Our first dance we ever attended was with our cousins from back home. We went with David and his wife and Danny to see Sunny and the Sunliners at the Moody Center in Galveston. It was such a thrill for all us kids to be going to a dance for the fist time. David danced the night away, while Danny got to dance with my sister Ana and all the other girls he could get to dance with him.
These were really the best of times for us in Galveston, being that we were so far a part from everyone else, yet, so close. You could feel the family bond we had with each other.
I'll never forget our family trip in 1969 for the first Díaz Family Reunion. All of us were so happy to be going back home and being with all our cousins again. I remember how we all would sing some Elvis Presley songs as we stopped to eat some barbecue sandwiches in Memphis. Just to be there in the King's hometown was so exciting. Michigan was a long drive, but we were all up for it. It felt so good to be going home after all these years to meet all the other cousins we hadn't met, but heard so much about.
We finally got to Aunt Della's house late and ended up staying up to the wee morning hours just talking and playing around with the kids. To me the best part of being there was to see my mom with her brothers and sisters again. Mama always talked about them to us and now she was finally back home with them. As I watched them I got an idea of how they must have gotten along together as kids. I knew then that she felt right at home again, picking up where they left off.
The reunion was the highlight of the trip — to see all the tías and tíos and cousins together joking and laughing with each other. As for us kids, we all were playing in the water doing what kids do when they get together. When it finally came time to leave, I can remember all the cousins being at Tía Della's house to see us off. We all hugged and everyone was crying. Needless to say, we must have cried till we got into the next state. Going back home was not as fun as going up there. I think it took us guys weeks to get over this, but once things settled down for us, it was back to our daily routine here in Texas.
Ricky was the first one to break the ice for us guys in the hair and sideburns area. My Dad always used to cut our hair and when he couldn't he would send us to the barber who was already given instruction on how to cut our hair. We would tell him not to cut that much off the sides and on and on, and all this time we thought we had pulled a fast one on my Dad. Here he was four steps ahead of us. But when my Dad cut our hair we always new in advance from Mom. We made it a point to go over our friends house two blocks away, but then Dad would just get Mom to call over there and tell Mrs. Moreno to send us kids home. Looking back, those were crazy times for my brothers and me. In time my dad gave in and let us grow our hair long and every now and then he'd say how beautiful his daughters were — ha ha ha. Those days are now gone, but not forgotten.
To sum things up, the Ruíz family had a great life here in Galveston. We had a great life in Michigan too, because we had a lot of memories that will forever be with us to share with one another.
Díaz memories will continue on and on, as long as we continue to celebrate our family reunions and talk about the good ol' days. Very soon we'll make some new ones — I can't wait to see you all.
... Love Bobby Ruiz
For instance one memory that sticks out in my mind was when we were over one of the tío and tía's house with all the primos and they had this huge mud hole. All the kids were taking turns jumping over it. Back and forth we went and then all of a sudden it was my turn, again, and I remember jumping and the next thing I knew I landed smack in the middle. There I was all muddy and crying my fool head off. I was really scared because the mud hole looked much deeper inside it than it did from above. All the kids were screaming, "Bobby, Bobby," and soon one of the uncles came and pulled me out and took me inside to my mom. She took my clothes off and bathed me down. I remember having to sit on a bench all naked feeling sorry for myself, not because of what happened, but because by then all the kids had come in and sat around the table to eat some corn flakes. I remember wanting to eat some, too! Ha ha. This is a true story and maybe some of you reading this were there. If so, please come forward and tell me who you were.
Living in Pontiac we were close to Tío Ralph and Tía Connie Díaz. We spent a lot of time there with Ralphie and Carlos. I remember spending the nights there and going outside playing in the snow in the back yard. If I remember correctly, there was a railroad yard near by, because even up to this day, I still recall the sounds of the train whistles as we played cowboys and Indians.
Another fond memory is the trips with all the cousins to Traverse City to pick cherries. Working the fields I think we kids ate more than we picked and we paid dearly in the end — if you know what I mean. But the biggest treat for us was when we would all swim in the Michigan lakes with all the cousins and just enjoy the cool water.
Back in 1961, I remember how excited all of us guys were when Mama and Daddy told us we were moving to Texas. We were too young to realize how deeply we would miss growing up away from all of our primos and primas.
Once we got to Texas that July, we stayed with my Dad's brother until we got a place of our own. We had great times going to the beach for nighttime walks on the sand. We had the most fun looking at all the jelly fish that washed ashore poking at them with a stick.
Once when we were walking on the sand there were these little sand crabs all over the place. We would chase them around and I think they were more afraid of us than we were of them.
Anyway, as we were walking one grabbed hold of my brother Mario's toes and clung on to him. You should have seem the look on his face. Mario just stood there hollering and yelling for my Dad to help. The rest of us kids really thought the sand crab was going to bite his toe off. Boy, were we really scared. After my dad pulled off the sand crab we all ran to Mario to see which toes he lost. Poor Mario, he was really shaken up. After he settled down, we all got a big laugh out of this and still tease him about this to this day.
I have to admit, the most memorable times we had in Galveston were when the cousins came down to visit us. Mom always talked about our cousins back home. So when Uncle Jack and Aunt Della and the kids came to visit us, we hit it off like we'd known each other all our lives. Us kids would get together and talk about our lives and especially listen to the radio and play records. I still remember Eleanor, Gloria and Chris showing us how they danced to the FUNKY CHICKEN up there in Michigan, and we showed them how it was done down here. Don't you girls try denying it because I have it all on super-8 film. Cousin Danny Chantaca always reminded me of José Feliciano because of his hair style and the sunglasses he wore. I can still see him strumming the guitar my dad bought for us.
Then there was lil' Johnny with his captain's hat that he bought at one of the souvenir shops on the boardwalk. He was real cool.
One time Cousin David Medel rode his motorcycle all the way from Michigan to Texas. He would take turns and give us all a ride. I know my mom was a bit worried that we would fall off, but David would say to my mom, "Don't worry Tía, I'll take care of them, they're with me."
Back in those days it seemed like all the cousins were dropping by — Danny Medel, Tony Stricker, Lenny Medel and their wives. Our first dance we ever attended was with our cousins from back home. We went with David and his wife and Danny to see Sunny and the Sunliners at the Moody Center in Galveston. It was such a thrill for all us kids to be going to a dance for the fist time. David danced the night away, while Danny got to dance with my sister Ana and all the other girls he could get to dance with him.
These were really the best of times for us in Galveston, being that we were so far a part from everyone else, yet, so close. You could feel the family bond we had with each other.
I'll never forget our family trip in 1969 for the first Díaz Family Reunion. All of us were so happy to be going back home and being with all our cousins again. I remember how we all would sing some Elvis Presley songs as we stopped to eat some barbecue sandwiches in Memphis. Just to be there in the King's hometown was so exciting. Michigan was a long drive, but we were all up for it. It felt so good to be going home after all these years to meet all the other cousins we hadn't met, but heard so much about.
We finally got to Aunt Della's house late and ended up staying up to the wee morning hours just talking and playing around with the kids. To me the best part of being there was to see my mom with her brothers and sisters again. Mama always talked about them to us and now she was finally back home with them. As I watched them I got an idea of how they must have gotten along together as kids. I knew then that she felt right at home again, picking up where they left off.
The reunion was the highlight of the trip — to see all the tías and tíos and cousins together joking and laughing with each other. As for us kids, we all were playing in the water doing what kids do when they get together. When it finally came time to leave, I can remember all the cousins being at Tía Della's house to see us off. We all hugged and everyone was crying. Needless to say, we must have cried till we got into the next state. Going back home was not as fun as going up there. I think it took us guys weeks to get over this, but once things settled down for us, it was back to our daily routine here in Texas.
Ricky was the first one to break the ice for us guys in the hair and sideburns area. My Dad always used to cut our hair and when he couldn't he would send us to the barber who was already given instruction on how to cut our hair. We would tell him not to cut that much off the sides and on and on, and all this time we thought we had pulled a fast one on my Dad. Here he was four steps ahead of us. But when my Dad cut our hair we always new in advance from Mom. We made it a point to go over our friends house two blocks away, but then Dad would just get Mom to call over there and tell Mrs. Moreno to send us kids home. Looking back, those were crazy times for my brothers and me. In time my dad gave in and let us grow our hair long and every now and then he'd say how beautiful his daughters were — ha ha ha. Those days are now gone, but not forgotten.
To sum things up, the Ruíz family had a great life here in Galveston. We had a great life in Michigan too, because we had a lot of memories that will forever be with us to share with one another.
Díaz memories will continue on and on, as long as we continue to celebrate our family reunions and talk about the good ol' days. Very soon we'll make some new ones — I can't wait to see you all.
... Love Bobby Ruiz
