Recess! I could run around and say hello to my sisters. I could play with my friend Ernest and his brother Hugo.  Thanks to them I was able to learn more than the teachers ever taught me.

Ernest and his family lived around the corner on Magnolia Street.  Our house was on C St. but it was really only three houses away. He, his brother and I had many adventures throughout our growing up years and we remained friends all our lives until it was time for him to sleep.  He grew up to be the Postmaster General here in Oxnard.

One recess I saw some boys talking to the Teacher in a very exited manner. I approached them to listen. They pointed their fingers at me and sounded very angry.  I could not tell what they were saying to the Teacher.

She then looked at me and asked me something.  “Did you throw a rock through the window?”

I thought that the boys wanted me to play with them. I became overjoyed and answered her with one of the few words I was able to say, “Yes!”

She took me to the stairs and ordered me to sit there for the rest of the recess. That happened to me a lot until I learned how to say “No!”