Johnny’s Magic Summer
By John P. Romero
El Quincenal de las Californias.- After I graduated from Kimball Elementary School, my mind was free of mental agony as a slow learner reading at second grade level. I made sixth-grade history by getting an immoral teacher fired for making inappropriate gestures to the girls and showing nude pictures of women to the boys.
For the first time in my life, my mind was free to give my best friend, The Mental Transporter, the force to transform my deep anger into positive motivational energy.
My magic summer began when my parents and I went to visit my Aunt Maria Marin. My aunt had a son named Manuel, a rock ‘n roll musician. My aunt greeted us and we all sat down in her living room.
At my parents’ home all I heard was Mexican and big band music like Glen Miller and many other big bands of World War II. I liked World War II music very much. I lived in solitary confinement and thought that was the only music that existed.
Suddenly, I heard happy energized music that was different from what I heard at my parents’ home. I peeked inside Manuel’s room and saw him playing his bass, accompanying the music on his record player. I liked the new sound very much. He noticed me and stopped playing. I told him that he played well and I liked his music very much. He took a liking to me for giving him my honest complement. My cousin had graduated from Sweetwater High and he was a few years older than I was. I told him that I was taking accordion lessons for three years. What we had in common was music.
When we were ready to leave, my cousin Manuel asked my mom if he could take me to a dance Friday night. It caught us by total surprise. My mom said yes. Friday arrived, and I had on a white shirt and tie with black slacks. I looked older than twelve years old. My mom gave me last minute instructions to behave myself.
My cousin drove a 1957 Chevy. Sitting next to him was a really good-looking girl. I opened the door and sat right next to her. She asked me what my name was. I said Johnny. We arrived at the dance and I helped my cousin with his band equipment. I was so excited with anticipation to hear the band. I saw a brand new world of teenage life. Manuel’s girlfriend’s name was Carol, and she asked me if I knew how to dance. I sadly said no.
At the first break, she took me outside and gave me swing dance lessons. I learned very quickly. I started getting better with each song. I had so much fun that night. I spent my magic summer going to my cousin’s dances and holding priceless 1960 memories for the rest of my life.
