My diary - February 9-11, 1973

Julio Alegria and his moto

February 9, 1973  Fri.

Dear Smiley:

Wowie!!! Roberto walked me part way to Spanish & we talked abit!!!!! I talked to Julio & Bill (Bill smashed Julios moto & they told me the story). Martin in Spanish reviewed with me. Spanish test so-so. I got a B in English. Report cards. I made the honor roll. I went twitch mom to get glasses lenses changed. Beck & I went for a walk around the neighborhood. I saw Roberto on a minimoto. He waved & smiled wow!!! I saw El Loco he said hi & waved!!! Went to Simones & walk. Balbino stopped over with PanAm bus & took us all (Simone too) for a ride. It was so fun. We screamed adios to loads of people. Watched T.V. Wish me luck with Roberto.

BYE!!!

Note: I was definitely boy crazy, but would not have known what to do if one liked me back.

I wish I could remember who El Loco was. He must have lived in our neighborhood.

Balbino, our chauffeur, was such a fun person. He was always telling jokes and looking out for us. It was so much fun riding in the Pan Am bus.

Pan Am Bus

February 10, 1973 Sat.

Dear Smiley;

I could sleep in for a change. WOWIE!!! I read on Doña Barbara. 423 page will I ever finish. Dad left for New York. PLEASE take care of him & make him come back healthy & alive. Read some more on Doña Barbara. I’m on 155 I think. We might go to Costa Rica next weekend so I got to catch up on work. Beck & went for a walk. We dressed almost alike. We almost twins. I saw El Loco & we waved Good-bye. One of these days I’ll have to get to talk to him.  Get to know him. Went to Simones. Outline History. Didn’t see Roberto WAW!

BYE!!!

Note: I always stressed when my Dad went on trips. I always worried that his plane would crash. I would make him promise me that it wouldn’t.

Becky and I did look a lot alike. Mom would always call us Beck-Sue or Sue-Beck.

Doña Bárbara, by the Venezuelan author Rómulo Gallegos, was a difficult book to read. Written in 1929, it dealt with a civilized town versus the barbaric ways of the rural areas. In 2008, it was turned into a telenovela.

Doña Bárbara, which we read in Spanish

February 11, 1973 Sun.

Dear Smiley:

I miss Dad!!! WAW! We went to church in Las Colinas in the club. We went to Wong Kong Super (I think thats its name). I outlined Science. We had B-rations for lunch. YUM I got spaggatti. Very filling. Becky & I burned incense. Practised gym. I almost broke my back. GROAN. It hurt. I hate GYM. Luckly it my last yr. When I’m a junior its no longer required. We’re re-arraged our room to fit desk in. Watched T.V. PLEASE take care of Dad. Keep him safe & alive. Hope Roberto dreams about me (nice ones too!!!).

BYE!!!

Note: Becky and I shared a bedroom, and I always enjoyed rearranging it.

I was usually pretty fickle about who I had a crush on, so Roberto has been on my mind for several days.

I truly hated gymnastics, but I had the determination to master it, a trait that has helped me so much in life.

Friday, February 9, Mon. (David’s Diary)

Dear Snoop, today was a good day!!! School was fine. No health but could practice on court if we wanted. We got our report cards. My grades-A in English, A- in Spanish, A+ in history, A in science, A in Algebra, B+ in PE,  health, and typing. Pretty good. We’re going to Costa Rica on Friday. Outside I had fun. We rode along. 5 of us went to Gas station. Got bauled out. Mom saw me. We went to the Centro-America school. I tied Tavi on way way. He says he won. I say I won. His sister had a birthday part today. We bothered Blanca a bit. We wanted to see up her dress. I got to go out tonight and we rode along. I went to the gas station with my friends and got air for Billy’s bike. I got home on time and Dad asked do you like your bike. - Yes. Would you like a new one?- Sure, but there’s nothing wrong with this one! Goodnight.

Note: Looking back at these days I reflect on how I had two separate lives. One, with my mostly international school friends and one, with the local Nicaraguan kids in the neighborhood. It’s with the latter group that I seemed more likely to get in trouble with.  I  wonder why my Dad asked me if I wanted a new bike. Especially after  getting in trouble for riding too far away. Perhaps I told him about racing on my single speed bike against my friends on their 10 speed bikes. I never did get a new one and only bought my own only after starting my working career in Dallas. Cycling remains a big part of my life and I still enjoy an occasional hill climb challenge with my friends.

David cycling

Feb 10 Sat (David’s Diary)

Snoop. Will I ever do my Spanish? We’re going to Costa Rica Friday. Dad went to New York. No School, Ha ha. I rode bikes a lot today.  Got sore rump. My bike went Kaput. The seat came down and the reflector broke. The front of the seat separated from the rest of the bike. Rode Becky’s bike. Took Carlos all around. Becky’s bike is easy uphill but not fast. When we were riding around the park Livonne bothered us and called us names. I told on her. Mrs. Brown got mad so I said we were afraid to bang into her. I told Livonne, Bother me more and I’ll tell the truth.  We’re finishing the puzzle. Cabra painted his bike. Goodnight

Note: I’m glad all I ended up with was a sore ‘rump’. In those days, helmets were unheard of!  About ten years ago, the saddle on my road bike snapped off and I went down on the pavement. Fortunately just ended up with some abrasions.  I don’t remember the incident with Livonne but find it interesting that I covered for her with Mrs. Brown.

David and his banana bike

February 11 Sun. (David’s Diary)

Snoopy,

Whenever I write on you you I want to talk about what happened just now than what happened in the morning. I got up at about 8:30. Beck and I played hot wheels, she won. We then ate and went to church. Las Colinas at 11:00. After that we ate Sea Rations. I had turkey loaf. I rode Becky around then I rode by myself. We saw some girls riding mini bikes- ugly ugly. First a a fat one and then one straight out of a horror movie. We told them to stay out of Los Robles. Blanca sure is different that them. Yest. Sue slept with Ma. Today Beck. The puzzle's almost finished. You know, after going to church we always get in fights. I still don’t trust you. When I look back, some of the most personal things I don’t write. The 9th for example, I didn’t write it all. We, Tavi, Cabra were talking about maturity. Who has more. I seem to have less but not too much less.

Note: Oh my! Interesting that I didn’t trust my diary. I probably had a sixth sense that my writings might not remain private. Outside of that, I’m having fun remembering the hot wheel racing with my sister Becky and tooling around the neighborhood with her on our bikes. Minibikes were popular back then and it looks like I wasn’t too fond of some of the riders that entered our turf.

David's Diary February 11, 1973