Annotations for Speaker: Participant

I consent to being interviewed and audio recorded for this study.

Well, I moved here after I graduated law school. And I've been here before I kind of spent all my summers here. So it was a place I liked. And so I decided I would spend the rest of my life here.

It's a beautiful place to live. You have [DIFFERENT SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY NAME], one of the nicest beaches in the United States, and then you're right next to [COUNTRY]. So you're right on the border. It's always nice and warm in the summers. And even in the winters, it's doesn't get too cold.

Well, of course, there's more houses and more people. Um, but it [STUTTER] it hasn't grown as much as other bigger cities, but it is growing.

The people, most of the people have lived here, and the community is small. So Everybody pretty much knows everybody. Uh, you don't have to talk to too many people before you find out who's somebody whose family is and ,uh.

Some of the weaknesses. Um, some families tend to have too much power. Uh, the politics sometimes, uh, you could say might be a little bit corrupt.

Um, I'm an attorney here. So I'm pretty much in public every single day. And I know quite a few people. I know all the attorneys, all the judges and most of the politicians

I'm an attorney.

How do my the influences what influences [CONFUSED]?

Well, whatever I do, I'm always concerned about the people that I'm going to deal with. And then since I know them all, I, uh, already know how to deal with him.

I was on active duty in living in [SOUTHEAST STATE], once I got off active duty. Um, I decided to go to law school, I'd seen the Clarence Thomas, um, [THINKING] court hearings that he was having when he was nominated. And so I got interested in it, and I decided to check into becoming a lawyer.

I've been working all my life. But I've been an attorney. Uh, in 2025, it'll be 30 years.

Crazy. I have a schedule. But it changes. You never know exactly what's going to happen in one day people call, people get arrested. People need an attorney. Um, I go in the morning, and sometimes the court has people for me to represent. I have a basic calendar. But it's every day is different. And you can't predict what's going to happen.

Well, it means that there aren't a lot of attorneys. And so it means that you help the community and, uh, the community of attorneys here is very small. Everybody knows everybody.

When I can help the young kids because I do a lot of juvenile work. And I take pride in in doing the best for them, because it's important that they get on the right foot at the very beginning.

Oh challenges? I mean, you're insecure, because if somebody's gonna go to trial, you never know what's going to happen it, uh, and you really never know what's gonna happen until you see the judge and they make a final decision or you have a jury trial. So, uh, you're always on edge and [STUTTERS] and trying to be prepared to do the best.

Four.

Four.

Three.

One or, uh, four. I totally agreed.

I'd give that about a two or three.

Four.

Four.

Mm, during the last few decades, it's grown, the community has gotten bigger, there's more houses. I think because we're in a border city, it's easy to say that, uh, getting across going across the border and getting back across the border has become a little more difficult ever since 911. Just the border restrictions have become more difficult. So it's more time consuming. Uh, 20 years ago, the border used to be easy to get to [COUNTRY] and easy to get back. It just takes more time now.

Oh, yes, I'd recommend it to everybody.

Well, I was neither so I really don't know.

Not really, they have the community keeps their their traditions going with Charro Days and certain celebrations that go back so the heritage is not forgotten

Dallas Cowboys.

They suck.

What? [CONFUSED]

Oh, yes.

Probably taking out the garbage.

Washing the car

Oh, for sure. I never remember it's my teeth. And I forgot to bathe.

No. Boys and girls can be friends. It's easy

Yes.

I'm embarrassed. I don't want to tell you.

No. The Golden Age was the 80s.

The 1980s. They rocked AC DC Ted Nugent, Judas Priest. That's where all your music came from.

No, ma'm.

I consent to be interviewed? And for this audio interview, I consent yes,

I was born and raised in [COMMUNITY NAME]. I'm 68 years old. Much of my life, I spent it here, other than the years I spent in college

I think that [COMMUNITY NAME] is a community that has obviously grown. But when I was growing up, it was obviously a much smaller town. I think when people... what some people may not know about this town is that there is a very sense of uh, community in if uh, people if something happens in the community, a crisis or a tragedy or whatever. The community comes together. And I've seen that happen in some tragedies that we've had here. And I think that that's, I think that's one of the positive descriptions of [COMMUNITY NAME] is that community spirit and that team spirit and the friendliness and , uh, but it is it is a community that has grown a lot, you know, since since I grew up here, but I mean, you know, you could used to, when I was a kid used to be able, you could walk downtown [COMMUNITY NAME]. It was no big deal, you know, to do that, and now you just don't do that anymore[SMALL LAUGH]. So, but yeah, that's, that's how I would describe it. And obviously, in other ways that it's really has, I wouldn't say improved, but just a lot more opportunities here, you know, SpaceX, you know...., the young people that are opening up wonderful restaurants and so yeah, and, and then the other thing is that we, I think of all the cities in the [COMMUNITY REGION], we have a sense of history, and you just see it in the buildings here. And, and, and I think that's important. That's important part of [COMMUNITY NAME].

Yeah, I sort of said already. But I mean, I think what has changed is more and more people are moving here. I mean, they're moving here for opportunities. You see a lot more people here now that, you know, when you look at them, you you just know that they're not from here, but that they've moved here. So, I mean, I think there's just been so many reasons for that. The university, you know, the increase in higher ed opportunities, and plus all the, you know, industrial slash economic stuff, like, yeah, like SPACEX, obviously. I mean, I hate to keep mentioning them. But yeah, yes

I mean, I really think it's the that team, the team spirit. Um, Um, You know, that's, I think that's really the strengths of this community. And I think also that it's has a, even though it's grown, I mean, it has a sense of, it still has the feel of a small town, but you know, or the feel of when I grew up here, so. But I mean, so I think all those are kind of what makes this place so special. And of course, that we're close to Mexico, and, you know, we're not very far from the beach. So, you know-

Um [PERIOD OF HESISTATION]. Well, I think one of the my, one of them is that, you know, we don't, I don't sometimes see a lot of it, [PERIOD OF HESISTATION,] you know, not opportunities, but like, I wish we had more flights out of here. Yes. You know, I mean, we have, I have...I don't mind going to [NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY NAME] If I have to go to [NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY NAME], I will, but I don't do it very often. But I just think if we had some more of those kinds of opportunities. And, and, and, I think sometimes, while I do talk about this team, community team spirit, sometimes you do see some of the divisions in the community. And it would kind of be nice if everybody worked together you know? And but, you know, I think we're making progress in those areas. But still, I'd like to see more of that. So I guess that's, I guess that would I mean, I mean, I remember people used to say, "oh, there's nothing to do here." And I hear it sometimes still. But they just I think that they don't know that there is stuff to do here. So yeah, now, so maybe the idea of maybe promoting a lot more of that, that good stuff that's happening here and making people feel like well, there is there are things to do here. There are so say

So I was born and raised here. Um, went to public school. Um, very proud that I was in the last class, of [COMMUNITY NAME] High School. And people always say, Oh, I didn't know there was a [COMMUNITY NAME] or high school. Yes, there was. And so the class of 1974 was the last class to bear that name. And then it became [HIGH SCHOOL NAME] , in the fall in. And so I'm very proud of that. But so I was, you know, I went off to college, and came home. And I was, I worked in television news, channel four, so I was a reporter. And I mean, I was there 17 years. So I did a whole bunch of stuff. But I would think that that's kind of a role I had in the community because I did cover the [NAME OF CITY NEWSPAPER]And then and then from there, I went to work at [LOCAL UNIVERISTY NAME] in communications, and I saw was very involved in, obviously, what was going on there. But also in the community. I mean, I've done I've been on boards and stuff like that. And but now I'm retired. And so I I edit a magazine called [MAGAZINE NAME]. And so we're always looking for ways to promote the [COMMUNITY REGION] promote [COMMUNITY NAME] And so um, you know, I think, and I serve on several boards today, so that's kind of my relationship to the community. I mean, and I was born and raised here. So I'm, I'm a [COMMUNITY NAME]-illian (like civilian, but with community name in front.), and as they say, I think that's what they call it.[LAUGHS]

LOCAL MAGAZINE]. Yes. So [LOCAL MAGAZINE] is a magazine. It's all about local, local food, local nature, local community. And so that really came somewhat by accident. I mean, I was getting, I was getting ready to retire. And then COVID came and didn't retire. And then the publisher of the magazine grew up here too. And so, and I knew her as a child, I mean, she's much younger than me. And so she came home for for COVID right. And I was looking to move to Texas and move back to Texas. And, and it was just really a just a conversation about what was going on in the community. And then, you know, we always talked about food. And so I said, Well, you know, I said, I've always loved this magazine, I picked it up in [CENTRAL TEXAS COMMUNITY], [CENTRAL TEXAS MAGAZINE]. And I said, I've always thought it should be that you could do that in the [COMMUNITY REGION], because I think there's a lot of good stories out there. And and so then it was, you know, well, how do we do it? And then we just did it. And so we publi- we started publishing, um,um during COVID. I mean, in 2022 by the time we got it going and everything, but it just pause it for a second.

Well, since I'm retired, I don't have the eight to five ritual, you know, which I really don't miss either. But I'm in so not typical days. Just, I get up in the morning, you know, I go workout. And then I do then I spent a couple of hours on the magazine, because it's not only like right now we're working on the Fall issue. So we're on deadlines, but we're always planning for future issues. And we it's not only the magazine, but we do events, we do shoot events based around our issues. Yes. And so in that that's a that's What I spend some time on or then I spend time on all the other stuff that I do, like, on these boards, like I'm on the other [SCHOOL BOARD] And then and then I do a lot of work with [UNIVERSITY NAME] So I'm very involved in [UNIVERSITY NAME] and as an alum, and so I do that kind of work and and then we're planning our 50th high school reunion. So that takes a lot of work to right now. So it's a little bit of that. And then just and with the magazine, there's always people, we have to meet people, you have to call and you know, a lot of, so that takes up a lot of my time. So it's a little bit of all that, you know, and then, and at [UNIVERSITY NAME] , I'm on the I'm on the [UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NAME] and the [UNIVERSITY NAME] development boards. So those are, you know, those keep me busy. But, um, so that's kind of how I Yeah I've been involved in [UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOSIATION NAME] work since. Well, since I left I graduated 1978. So, I mean, we've been involved. I've been involved in that works since I came home to work here and in, you know, I'm ready to like, I think people should as an alum, I think you owe that to your school. So...

I think in terms of the editing, the being the editor of the magazine, I think it's I'm meeting new people. And you know, you really meet people that have a passion for what they do, whether it's, whether it's cooking, whether it's birdwatching, caring about the environment. And so, I think, I think, not only meeting those people, but also you also learn from them. It's not you don't know. Sometimes you just don't know everything in the [COMMUNITY REGION], you know, you really don't, you learn new things about the [COMMUNITY REGION],. And so I think that's probably the most exciting, passionate part of the job. And, you know, people are beginning to know our magazine, and I think and so it's really nice to hear positive feedback. And so, yeah, so it's great.

Um, there's never enough time in the day, you know, to do to do that. And because, you know, and also the other things that I do, but you know, because you have to have a, I mean, I'm retired, so I have to have some time to, you know, decompress right, so and so it's a balance, and you know, I think I've figured out the balance. So yeah, that's kind of like the like when I get done. here, I'd have to go home and work on some copy. That's us. So, um, but yeah, I just mean, but I think that's for everybody. The balance of time and not enough time. There's never enough time and, and how to balance all that. I mean, I think that can apply to a student and to anybody really huge. I mean, you tend to I tend to juggle a lot.

I completely agree.

I completely agree.

The three, three.

I think somewhat agree somewhat.

Somewhat agree.

Agree, completely agree. Yeah.

Disagreed.

Well, I think the opportunities in not only in, in higher ed are but in jobs. And and I just think the growth of the city. And the more not in the more opportunities but also more to live in here. The quality, the quality of life. Yeah, the quality of life. Yeah, I think, you know, yeah, that sounds good.

Yes. Yes. And I hear that from people who have moved in to live here or have moved here for their kids, you know, who have moved with families? I mean, I hear that from a lot of young people that come here and, and, and enjoy that camaraderie with other young people. And but yeah, I do. Thank you certainly have good weather. [LAUGH]

[PAUSE] Well, I think it's very different than when I was growing up. Honestly. When I was growing up, there were a lot of things we could do. I mean, even something as simple as walking to the park, or, you know, walking to school, you know, I mean, can't do those things anymore. So but, but I think that there's, there's a lot of, there's parks here, and there's um, places for students to go for kids to go and enjoy. And then you know, even something like a farmers market, you know, things like that. So I think that all those are kind of the good things in here in the community and you just but you know, you just have to, you have to take advantage of it. I mean, I mean, you have to make the step to be part of all that and, and then there's just a lot of opportunities to be involved in something that you might be passionate about and and it's it's your it's your role to seek that out and find it in. And, you know, there's also like, opportunities for like young people to learn about to get involved in the in the city or to get involved in, learn about what they can do to make it better. You know? I think that's it.

What do you mean "the traditional way of life"? Like, the way I grew up? I mean, in some Yes. I mean, I mean, I think the sense of the small community was smaller. And we were able to do things differently, that we can't do now. I mean, even like the theater across the street, the [LOCAL COMMUNITY THEATHER], yes, that's a beautiful old theater that that was the only theater in town, and everybody came to the theater and to see the movies there. And so we can't, I mean, that's, we don't have that anymore. Although I'm think they're going to do something. But I think that, that, maybe that sense of community, while it may be gone, or maybe in another way, because of, you know, everything, you know, everything changes and towns grow. But, you know, it'd be nice to keep that, but I think there's other things here that like the team spirit and things like that, that that maybe have replaced that part of it, not maybe replaced it, but that's still an important part. And it really was way back when so that's kind of stated, that's the idea of, of people always helping people or, or even, not even only that, but like, you know, if someone believes in something like, I mean, I'll give you an example, the Amelia Earhart statue, the woman who really made that happen. That was, I mean, she's old, she's much older than me much, much older than me. But, I mean, she believed in that and, and now that she's done that, that certain person has done other projects in this city. So I mean, so I mean, that I don't know how I got on that subject. But, but, um, but the idea that if you're passionate about something and you care about your communities, then you there are opportunities to do that. And even this person wasn't even from this community. She moved her because her as her husband was from here, so um, so yeah.

The Texas Longhorns.

We're ready. Aren't you ready for the SEC already? It's gonna Yeah, man. I'm ready for football. Yeah, it's gonna be exciting. It's gonna be very, it's gonna be different, but it's gonna be exciting. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. I have season tickets. So I'm always in Austin for the football games. So yeah. I'm excited. I think everybody's excited about it. I was there for the celebration, SEC celebration. It was fun yeah, it was. Initially, I wasn't sure about us going to the SEC. But you know, I think I've gotten used to it now. So yeah, I'm excited about it. Yeah.

Oh, yeah, we did. Yeah,

You know, [SCOFF] we had wood floors in our home. So my mother would, we would always have to wax 'em. And back then you did it. On the you would lay out all the wax on the floor. Right? And then you and then we would my mother would rent a polisher. And so the polisher was easy, right? But, but we had to help. Do that. rub that in. But also the other thing was cleaning windows. Oh, I couldn't stand doing that. Yeah. Yeah. I think those two things are probably the most challenging, you know?

I mean, I mean, washing dishes, you know, hanging up clothes. I mean, you you know, you're you don't I mean the idea of hanging up clothes on a clothesline and then smelling the clothes is so different from getting them out of a dryer. You know, and so I always remember that smell of the of the clean laundry. Being, you know, yeah, those two um, Yeah, I didn't mind doing any of those. I mean, we cooked. We help cook. So you know, yeah. Nice.

Oh, I remember we were painting the painting some of the bedrooms and. And it was my brother and I. And we weren't into it. And so we just started tossing the paint around and got in trouble. And in trouble for that, that was not a chore that we were excited about doing it, but we had to do it. So...

Oh, I don't agree with that at all. Yeah, some of my best friends are boys. So no, no, I have some of my No, I don't agree with that. I think it's, I think everybody can be friends. Yeah.

It will, it didn't happen to me that way. But I was in a group of people with a group of people. And they were talking about the person. And when the person turned around, she thought I had said it. And and I was just standing there listening. I mean, I was just standing there. And so yeah, I got grief for it. [SHRUGS]. And I mean, it was all solved eventually. I mean, there was discussion about I never really said that. And, you know, but um, but yeah, I don't. I don't. I don't think its like though, the way it's happened, like the way the question is, but it's just that way that you're part of a group. And I mean, you know, there's that line, you know, the messenger gets killed? Well, you know, you always have to be careful about to be wary. And we should laugh that we would, we would, okay, but you look around first before you say something, you know. So you never know. Never know. Exactly. And you never know. Because even if it's somebody that you don't know, or like, I mean, you never know, because that person could eventually could become your boss. When I say you were up for some I mean, you know, you just can't. Or are...

I mean, that's that's same here. Yeah. Or everybody's related to somebody here. [LOOKS UP] Oh, God, you have to be so careful in his town about that. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah...

You know, honestly, what were the songs in the 1990s? I don't even know. I think the best decade was the 50s in the 60s, even though that's not I was not my I mean, I was I was young. I mean, because I obviously grew up in the 70s. Right, or I never really liked the music of the 70s that much. But I think the 50s in the 60s was really the fun stuff. So...

Oh, let's see. Well, HMM Well, you probably don't know who it is, but I really like Wayne Newton's music. [LAUGHS] We Yeah. And I mean, and but you know, there's is there's just in the 60s that was just so much. There's so much really good music. Yeah. I mean, even the 70s Like, I love Neil Diamond, you know, I mean, but I don't know if he's, I guess he would be part of the 60s too. So yeah, yeah. Yeah...

you're when you get this great song called Danka Shane, that's really one of its-, have you seen the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

It's a great movie.[BIG SMILE] Yeah, you gotta watch it. And there's a great, they sing that. What's his name? Matthew Broderick X. sings that song in there. And it's a wonderful scene. Yeah, you should see that movie. It's really good.

So you're doing it just strictly on linguistics and?

All right. I've lived in Texas all my life. I was born in Titus County. Do I say that? [INTERVIEWER NODS] Okay, let me start over. I've lived in Texas all my life. I was born in Titus County. And when I was five, we moved to a farm near White House, which is southeast of Tyler. I liked growing up in the country. When my chores were done, I'd ride my horse, climb trees, or hike down to the creek to fish or swim. One time we tied a rope to a limb of a cypress tree, and we'd swing out wide over the swimming hole and drop into the water. I'd pretend to be Tarzan swinging on a vine. In the spring, I'd fly Clyde kites, and on summer nights we'd catch fireflies, but we call them lightning bugs. Once in a while we'd have fights with corn cobs or pine cones. In the winter. We build a fire in the fireplace and pop popcorn and roast peanuts and pecans. I guess I was a Livewire. When I was 19 I went to work in Dallas at a Firestone Tire store. I didn't like save life. And for a long time I'd go home every chance I got. Mama would always cook my favorite foods fried Oka, Hot fried okra, okra hopping John. That's rice and black eyed peas and pecan pie. We had lots of good times, but going home is not the same now. After daddy died, Mama sold the farm and moved to Tyler. I'd rather be living on a farm right now instead of here in the city. But my wife and kids don't understand me when I gripe about city life and talk about moving to the country. My oldest child says, Daddy, that's crazy. I just die if I had to live on a farm. I almost cried the first time she said that. I know Texas is changing. But I try to make sure we don't lose touch with our roots. While we may live in a city, I want my kids to have a good feeling for the land. Have a sense of place and take pride in being Texans. If they lose our ties to the land, the price of progress just too high

Yeah. And so I've just can you pause or do [PAUSE AUDIO]

Right now, very busy. Only because I'm getting acclimated to everything that, that the libraries, it's about. Also with the community, althought I'm from the, from here from the [REGION], each city, it's a little bit different. And so I'm originally from [DIFFERENT CITY], two towns away from here. And so I'm getting to know, another community.

I consent for this interview.

Pardon?

I was born here.

[COMMUNITY NAME], Texas.

It's very unique in the sense that uh you almost feel like you're in another country. 

Uh I live here, like maybe a half a mile from the river um. I'm very proud to live here. Yet at the same time, of course, there are quite a few problems with people cutting through my, my fence and my farm and my animals getting out, which is very disturbing. But other than that, I'm very happy because I do get to get to go to Mexico and do some shopping every two or three weeks. And um it's very pleasing. 

Oh, my goodness [CLEARS THROAT]. I'm kind of old. So I remember, you know, the um city limits [CLEARS THROAT] being um [LAUGHS] so to speak just right on top of the hill. And now it goes clear out pass the hill and pass another hill. [GIGGLES] And, and uh, I mean, it goes out um just three or four miles out further then then then um where it was when I was a kid. And it's rather interesting that just a block away from my house uh. I lived outside of the city limits then um was the city dump uh. And um, as a matter of fact, right now, a school is built on that [COMMUNITY ELEMENTRY NAME] 

is built on that um landfill [CLEARS THROAT]. So you know, I've I've seen many things change. The airport used to be two blocks away. Now it's 12 miles out, they used to be right where the mall is right now. I mean, not the mall, the [COMMUNITY GROCERY STORE] and [STUTTER] the stuff on the east side of um [STREET NAME] street. That basically speaking uh, it has been uh rather exciting to see the growth. 

What was that?

[CLEARS THROAT] Basically speaking, I would say that uh we have a very good school district um I feel that uh many doctors have literally come out of [COMMUNITY NAME] that many rather well known professionals and um so that speaks very highly for our educational system here in [COMMUNITY NAME]. And uh I have been very proud of of all of our graduates the way they continue they go on to college and and um trying to uh get a profession that uh could be a life sustaining uh job.

I would say the biggest weakness is um uh our corrupt politicians. We've had uh about seven different ones thrown in jail for up to even 10 years for their corrupt activity. But um besides that [CLEARS THROAT] I'm very proud of [STUTTER] the fact that [SIGH] I served for eight years on the school board and um I feel like that that um we did quite a bit that was very productive for our community [CLEARS THROAT] several bonds and things like that that will that went through and and um the last one that that I remember that was a uh [STUTTER] big deal for [COMMUNITY TOWN NAME]was the um SAC. 

Pardon?  

What was that?

Well, the the fact that um [CLEARS THROAT] it the bond went through so that we could have um the um football field and um [STUTTER] all of that activities [PHONE RINGS] stuff out there. [INTERVIEW STOP COMMUNITY MEMBER RECEIVED AN IMPORTANT PHONE CALL]

Basically speaking, it was um it was a uh [STUTTER] very big deal as far as um [STUTTER] you know trying to push it through. And it [STUTTER] went through. And I, if I remember correctly it was something, I don't know is uh many million dollar uh activity uh um for the activities Student Activity Center, which we call SAC.

The what?

The what?

The roles?

Where is that?

Roles and relationships. What I understand about that is [CLEARS THROAT] maybe I shouldn't say it, but [SIGH]

People putting in their relatives, their real close friends, into certain positions. Other people being strike as stricken out of being able to have a job because they're given it to a friend. That has been very common here. As a matter of fact, I will say this, my son in law was not given a job. And other people were given jobs, just I mean, he was highly qualified. But as they say um, things got better for him. Anyhow. He got a lot more money elsewhere

So it was a blessing in disguise. 

Well, now I'm retired. But um what I did when I was um working, basically speaking, I was in charge of the music department in a small Bible College here in[ COMMUNITY TOWNS NAME] that my father started in 1945. And um I was born uh. That first school year, I was born in 46. And so basically speaking [CLEARS THROAT] uh , it was um just really, very, very exciting. Very good.

Yes um. From high school, I went to uh Bible college, and I got my degree there. Then I went to [CITY IN MEXICO] and uh lived there for three years. And um uh enjoyed it thoroughly back then I wouldn't enjoy it, now. It's too big. But um basically speaking um uh I came back to [COMMUNITY TOWN NAME] in '73. And so I've been here ever since.

[ASKING IF PHONE WAS STILL RECORDING IN SPANISH]

How do what?

Connections? 

Like, like what, how do you understand that,

Cual es? [ASKING WHAT QUESTION IT IS ON THE PAPER]

Basically speaking, I would say that, anytime you do your job, you are going to be influential in some way or other with other people. And um, of course, you're always hoping that your influence is positive on their lives. But um basically um lot of times you are able to progress because of uh friends that you have known uh help you through your um daily walk of what you're trying to accomplish. 

Yeah, here basically speaking like I said, I was in [CITY IN MEXICO] [CLEARS THROAT]. And uh the, the man who was in charge of the music department was basically kind of trying to retire and get out and, and go do something that he had always dreamed of doing. So he stopped by and invited me to come back to my hometown [COMMUNITY TOWN NAME] And that was in '73. And so uh like I say, I've been here ever since um. And uh that's the way I, I got this particular job it was through um uh a man that worked with my father, but, but um my father had nothing to do with bringing me back.

I worked are close to 30 years.

Uh, a little bit, not not much.

But um mostly I was involved um with choirs, men's choirs, men's,uh ladies choirs, mixed choirs. I was also involved in teaching um music theory. Plus um, I did do quite a bit of voice training.

Well [CLEARS THROAT] , of course, as long as it was the class, there was a schedule I had to follow. But basically, where um [CLEARS THROAT]  a very large portion of my job was been dean of students, married students and single students, boys and girls, uh I was always in uh, in the middle of whatever. Like, you could say problems, some of them would have with each other. In other words, not to say fighting. But of course, you know, their, their differences of opinion. And so therefore, sometimes there are conflicts, but basically speaking, it was very good, because I was able to, you know, help all of them solve their problems.

And it was even uh having to do with them [CLEARS THROAT]  their health issues also.

What was that?

Really um, my job [SIGHS] didn't really [SIGHS] uh have much relationship with the community, other than where we [STUTTERS], I was with uh  choirs, many, many, many times, like in uhat Christmas time, we would go to the mall and sing, we would go to the old people's homes and then sing, and and basically speaking, you know, try to [STUTTERS] help people get a little bit of a uh little bit of joy and also uh a little bit of uh a little touch with what is basically uh at that particular time will Christian uh Christian Christmas music, the basically,

[CLEARS THROAT] Well, basically,[STUTTER] basically speaking, where I dealt a lot with with people, [MIC GOT HIT] it was such a satisfaction to be able to see that you you help them uh triumph in life. And the main thing I would say, is the satisfaction to see them uh go back to their hometown, or go to a uh various different uh places in the world um. To you know, basically, like all of our students would, would come from places like um Spain, Portugal, um not Portugal, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Central America, several, you know, from, like South America, and even Mexico, the Dominican Republic. Uh and now like several of the Spanish speaking people that the school has, have come from Africa, there's a Spanish speaking there in I think it's called Giana [GHANA?], or I can't remember but it's on the the west coast of of Africa. And and it's uh an area there that they do speak Spanish, that's what they speak. 

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Completely.

Oh, absolutely four.

[LONG PAUSE] No number one, I am an American above being a Texas.

One.

Absolutely one. 

One.

Uh, three.

I would say mainly growth uh. And um part of that has been because of the casino. The casino has brought in many, many, many hotels. And um like when I was here, there was maybe one or two and they were real, very, very small. And uh now it's almost you stop and think how can it be possible that there would be so many hotels and be filled? You know, it just it just incredible uh. And also the fact that that uh about 20 or so years ago, uh a huge mall came in and then across the uh street from the the mall uh a very large, like soft shopping center came in. And so it has been very, very huge and growing. 

Oh, yes.

I would say the the diversity of uh um even the races that are here we have Chinese uh, Filipinos uh, Africans uh, African Americans uh, we have um um just, you know, quite a few different races. But yet at the same time, [COMMUNITY TOWN NAME]has been known to be a very, very friendly community. 

[CLEARS THROAT]I think that the main thing that I um especially received was being able to be fully bilingual. And I'm so proud to be uh a even though I'm an Anglo uh uh , I have been very proud to say that my first language was Spanish. And uh yet at the same time, I'm going to brag, but it's true. I speak better Spanish than many, many Mexicans. I mean, it's incredible, though, a lot of times they will even ask me, Are you Mexican? And I will say yes. [LAUGH] 

In a way, I would say, yes, the traditional way of life has been um depleting, uh going away. And yet at the same time, I try to accept the fact that all the time there is change. And I do not want change to really [MIC GOT HIT] bother me. Although I will have to say that there are quite a few things that have been changing, that are very difficult to accept. And I'm going to say one of them [CHAIR SOUND]. I'm not going to state that about um gays and lesbians, but the one that does bother me quite a bit, is it is becoming very, very standard now, for a young boy and young girl to start living together before they get married. That that does bother me. It bothers me because I think that that uh you are cheapening yourself. You are really um um in in a possible way of your spouse, your, your friend all of a sudden saying "I'm not married, so I'm going someplace else." And generally speaking, this is my opinion, the one that gets hurt the most is the girl. And and so even when I was teaching Sunday school, I would tell them and tell them and tell them. And it seems rather strange that almost all of the kids that were in my Sunday school class today are living together. 

Pardon?

[LAUGHS] I am not a sportsman.  

As a person of sports very much at all.

 I do enjoy um seeing certain games uh. Sometimes I I have even watched golf. And I don't really know nothing about golf. [LAUGH] And and then some people say, How can you sit there and and watch the? I don't know, you know, it's just I guess,[LAUGHS] I guess I just, it's rather impressive that someone can hit a ball and make it fall in a hole[ LAUGHS]. Two blocks away.

[LAUGHS] But anyhow, no, I, I do enjoy uh. You know, some, but I'm just not really into into sports. I've, I've always considered myself a person that enjoys working more than than playing. And um that has been something in my life that that, that if I'm not working, people say, "Huh, you need to quit and then the rest?" Well, to me, that's, that's my sport. 

Pardon?

I would say yes. But you know, as a kid, when my father would put me to work sometimes I would think he was trying to have a slave. [LAUGHS] 

But that's just children, of course.

Did I have what? 

Chores?

yes. And I think that that was very, very uh fruitful. For me. I always had rabbits, chickens or something that I had to take care of. And the one thing that I learned from my parents, and even my grandparents, is, you know, like, when you go out to do the chores, remember, your animals enjoy fresh water, just like you enjoy clean water yourself. And um one day, I remember my grandfather chewing me out because I didn't really rinse the water container for the chickens. And he said, "Well, how would you like to be drinking water, you know, in something like this". And, and as I've been doing the chores, I've noticed that every time I go out to give them like fresh water, maybe even they already had water. But once you take them fresh water, they, they start drinking right, right away. 

Cows, sheep, chickens, they all uh they enjoy, you know? So basically speaking, when you have a chore to be doing every day, it's very important. And then I'll go one step further. With this hot weather. If you don't gather the eggs daily, they almost fry out [LAUGHS] 

in the barn.[LAUGHS] 

Worst chore?  

I, I guess I was the type of person that you know, you just did what you had to do. And uh [STUTTER] I really wasn't really a gripe or I'd just go ahead and do it. I don't really remember anything being special that I just did not like, 

Yeah, mhm.

Yeah.

What was that?  

[LONG PAUSE] I've never thought that's hard. 

[PAGES TURNING] I think that um basically speaking, it's almost a natural instinct for girls to like to visit with boys and even boys to like to visit with girls. So I've never considered that being something hard at all.  

In a way, Yes. Because uh I've actually heard people speaking about the gringo and so forth, so on thinking that I don't know Spanish. And then it's rather interesting for me to uh turn around and say,"Que decias?"

Uh not necessary. No, [STUTTER] because basically speaking, I've not really necessarily been an eavesdropper, someone that's always listening to what other people are saying. So basically speaking, no, I don't I don't think that's really been a big problem. 

[CLEARS THROAT]

Uh maybe once or twice, you know uh,I I think it's kind of uh natural that something coincidentally would happen like that. But  um basically, if I ever had have anything to say about somebody else uh, I, I would, generally speaking, I guess, you know, not necessarily, I, I would necessarily make sure that that um I was where no one was around other than the person that I was talking to.  

Of what now?

[LONG PAUSE] That that question is rather hard for me to answer because I don't read let's listen the 90s. See, I got married in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. So that would be when I had already been married about 20 years. So my oldest child would be close to 20, 21, 22 um. I don't really remember much about music like that. Being pop. 

Being pop. I really don't. I, I just can't answer. 

I really like classical music. I, I do kind of like the Luis Miguel type of music, you know, the the popular uh singers songs. But um I, I do remember that there were certain eras of of different groups of people that would sing that, that I really liked. But mainly mainly, it was back like in the 60s and the early 70s.  

But I would say really? No, I would say mostly in the 60s. 

When I was like in high school.[LAUGHS] 

I will try, I was never a good reader. But uh, if I can kind of look over first and,

Uh maybe then I would be able to read it.

[LONG PAUSE] And uh basically the thing I read what's here 

[CLEARS THROAT] I've lived in Texas all my life. I was born in Titus County. And when I was five, we moved to a farm near White House, which is south east of Tyler. I lived growing up in the country. When my chores were done. I'd ride my horses, pine trees, or hide down the creek, hike down the creek to fish or swim. One time we tried to rope a limb on a cypress tree and would swing out wide over the uh, swimming hole and drop into the water. I'd pretend to be Tarzan swinging on a vine. And in the spring, I'd fly kites and on the summer nights I'd catch fireflies, but we called them lightning bugs. Once in a while we'd have fights with corn cobs or pine cones. And the winner would build a fire in the fireplace and pop popcorn and roast peanuts and popcorn. I mean pecans. I guess I was a live wire. When I was 19 I went to work in Dallas at a fire uh, Firestone Tire store. I didn't like city life. And for a long time, I'd go home every chance I got. Mama would always cook my favorite food, fried okra, hoping John... hoping or hoppin john, hoping I guess, John's rice and black eyed peas and pecan pie. We had lots of good times. But going home is not the same now. After daddy died, Mama sold the farm and moved to Tyler. I'd rather be living on a farm right now instead of here in the city, but my wife and kids don't understand me. When I gripe about city life and talk about moving to the country, my oldest child says "Daddy, it's crazy. I just die if I had to live on a farm." I almost cried. When my first time, she said for the first time, she said that. I know Texas is changing. But I tried to make sure we don't lose touch with our roots, when we may live in a city, while we may live in a city, I want my child and my kids to have a good feeling of the land, have a sense of place and have time for being Texans. I've, if they lose, if they lose our ties to the land, the price of progress is too high.

Bueno. You are welcome. No problem at all.

I consent to being interviewed and audio recorded for this study? 

Uh, I was born in this community, from my parents, [BOTH PARENTS NAME]. And my parents we-, my father was from [COMMUNITY NAME]. My mother was from Mexico then came back. Uh, moved to [STUTTER], to the United States in the 50s.  

Uh, typical small town USA um. Only difference is we're a border town and, and, and our population is is high in Hispanics. 

Mm, as far as population it's, it's really grown. Uh, but we're still, I still consider ourselves a small town. It's easy, easy to get around. Compared to other cities. 

Oh, yes, yes. Businesses and industrial projects definitely have, have increased in our city. 

The fact that we're border town and, and, and our population can up to double during the day, with all the people coming in from Mexico, which greatly uh, influences uh, or helps uh, my line of work, which is a restaurant, but it, I'm sure it does the same for other businesses in town.

We do see the less traffic of course, less sales. But we also uh, the way it affects me is that a lot of my workers are from Mexico. So I have to worry about how they're gonna to come over. Otherwise, we're going to be short staffed. 

Uh, weaknesses? Uh, well, right now we're experiencing all the people that are migrating to the United States. And it's, it has hurt business. I think it's hurt um, travel into [COMMUNITY NAME], not from Mexico, but from people for some reason, I think are scared of what's going on here in town. And we have a lot less traffic like from with, within in the United States, not from Mexico, but within the United States. 

It's not as bad as they say in the news. Everybody keeps saying that it's bad. Even the people that come down and, and, and, and you see them on, you see getting interviewed on TV, uh. They say it's bad, but it's not as bad as everybody thinks. I think it, like I said, it hurts us, with my uh, workers coming over. But other than that, no. People said there was going to be high crime in the area. We haven't really experienced that, at least not me. 

Uh, roles and relationships? Uh. Well, since it's a small town, a lot of the uh, I know a lot of the high officials in town. A lot of them were in school with me and uh, my brother, but uh, he's with the police department at a high position. So uh, I do have a lot of contact with the, with the, the politicians in town.  

I am a father uh, I have three kids uh. Two of them have moved away. I got one that's about to leave um. And my wife also works here in town for the school district. 

I'm a general manager for a fast food restaurant, for [FAST FOOD RESTAURANT NAME]. I've been here for 37 years. 

Uh, as how I influence uh, well, a lot of the people that come down, the younger kids that come work here, uh I know their parents. So uh, I feel like we have like a bigger connection with them. A lot of them I actually, kids of people who started to work here when I first started back in the 80s. So I think I have a special connection to a lot of my employees. 

Actually, I left for, I left [COMMUNITY NAME] and when I graduated from high school in '85, I moved to [DIFFERENT SOUTH TEXAS COMMUNITY NAME] to go to [TEXAS UNIVERSITY NAME] I didn't do too good in school,[GIGGLE] which sent me back to town uh. And my mother told me like you didn't want to go to school, get to work. This was when [FAST FOOD RESTAURANT NAME] was a brand new business back in '87. And I, I walked over here and then gave me an opportunity and, and I was blessed that uh, with the family I've been working with. 

37 years. 

Oh, right now, [STUTTER] it's daytime. I got an early shift. I come in at five in the morning, which I love. And I'm out by at least 1pm. So I got the rest of the day free. 

I've worked. When I first started, it was basically the other way around, I was working night shift coming out like a two in the morning coming in at four or five in the afternoon.

Uhh. Now because of my family, and I'm able to enjoy them more, I, I think I like it better. When I first started, I didn't really care. If I got out late. Uh, the only difference was that I would get home like a two in the morning and my energy was pumping because I was used to being up late and my wife was asleep because she needs to go in early. 

Uh, well, I think that uh, I need uh, to be conscious of, of, all the teenagers that are working right now uh. And, and when I think that we always tell our, our younger kids that work in here that we've been in that position where they have to go to school, and work. So we just try to make sure that they um, work like uh, don't get out too late, because we know how hard it is to be studying and working at the same time. 

Oh, I think, I think we help a lot of younger generation develop. Some of them are really shy. So when they start, we notice that they struggle, but I think it helps them um, develop some of their character uh. And um, little by little they start learning or they can do things two things at the time, at the same time, as opposed to when they first started. 

Definitely, definitely. Especially because amazingly, we notice how much is kids struggling out with money, like with simple like getting change out of a dollar but uh, little by little here, they learn it and, and we know that helps them in school. And like I said their character building while they're working here uh, uh. Their interaction with the customer helps develop. 

The employees uh, all the employees I've gotten to know here uh, since I've been here 37 years, and I've been blessed with a great crew. A lot of my employees have been here for over 20 years, especially my breakfast crew. We've gotten to know each other's kids, we got to each other, to the parties uh. When they get baptized, we. So we, we really do feel like a family here. 

Personal relationships. Yes. 

Right now uh? At work you said right. I think right now my biggest challenge is the night, night shifts, night crew. But that's kind of, kind of like common sense. Because my night crew uh, the turnover is really high. Because it's high school kids that they know that if they quit here, they can go across the street and work at [OTHER FAST FOOD RESTAURANT] or go across the street and work at [ANOTHER FAST FOOD RESTAURANT]. So I do struggle with my night crew ,uh. But that's about the biggest challenge right now.  

We try to make sure that we retain whoever we do hire, that they stay with us for as long as possible. 

I- Oh, I completely agree.  

Uh- I'm not really sure how. I was born in the United States. So I consider myself, well I do consider myself an American, American, of course, but I know that I have some, some uh, some of my uh, my family was born in Mexico so I, I do feel uh, some part of me is, is from Mexico. 

I agree. 

Yeah, I do watch football but I think that's more American to me.  

Yeah, uh.   I'm trying to think like, because I was gonna say rodeo, but they have rodeos in other states. Yeah. I'm not sure what to answer that.

Oh, definitely. Yes.  

I think I'm American first and then I'm then Texan.

I completely disagree. 

Because uh, I consider my mom Texan, even though she immigrated from Mexico. And uh, she doesn't speak any English at all. But I do still consider her Texan. 

She started, she started living here when she was about 16 years old.  

Yeah. No, I disagree. 

Okay, I'm sorry, can you repeat that? That was confusing. 

I somewhat agree. But I think that your chances of, of, of advancing uh, more in life uh, in the United States is if you learn English. 

They did both. 

Yeah, I think so. Even though here uh, um. We sometimes get a lot customers that get upset that we speak to them in Spanish. We noticed that a lot. Um, and it's, it's customers that speak Spanish because I've spoken to them in Spanish before. But for some reason uh, their attitude is if you're in the United States, speak English. 

Population, of course, uh the size of the community, um the new businesses that are in town, the traffic in town has really increased. Um. 

I work my shift for about, like about I'm gonna say 12 years,

At night  No, I think, I think now we have more traffic at night in town than, than we did before. Because before uh, after 10 like the town was dead, like there wasn't that much traffic now you can see a lot more traffic. But I, I think it's understandable because now we have other businesses in town that stay open late so there's more people now. 

I think it's a great community. Honestly, I think it's a great, even though like I, I  sometimes convince my kids to come back. And they just like the life in [DIFFERENT SOUTH TEXAS COMMUNITY NAME]. Um, but as far as maybe because uh, I don't know, I was gonna say because I was born here, but they were born here. But I just like the, the slower pace of life in town. 

Okay, I'm sorry. 

The best part of being a kid in this community. You know, I think it's a little different when I was a kid uh, because for the same reason, life was slow. Um, the pace of the town was much slower ,um. I don't know if it's just in [COMMUNITY NAME] but when I was a kid life was uh, much simpler. We spent more time outside, I think technology had a lot to do with that, that were everybody is on their phone and doesn't want to go out. We used to stay out late, um. My mom allowed us to stay out late. But I think it's a little different now. But I, a lot of it has to do with technology. 

I, I think it was better as a kid, [CHUCKLE] you got to experience more, I think, I think growing up you got to mature a little faster. And because believe it or not, I used to have uh, when I ,when I first got married, and my brother in law was like, seven, eight years old. He worked, he used to go to [COMMUNITY NAME ELEMANTARY SCHOOL] you know,  [COMMUNITY NAME ELEMANTARY SCHOOL]?

The church is right across the street, uh. For some reason, my mother in law used to get me out of work to go pick up my brother in law to cross him across the street. So you can go to catechism.

 And I was like uh, when I was a kid, I used to be all over town [CHUCKLES] , at that age. I guess we're more over protective now.

I think it has, uh. But again, I think it has to do with technology. Let me give you an example, um. Growing up whenever we, there was dinner, breakfast or lunch served at my house, we all used to sit together at the table. And nowadays uh, like my kids, they want to go to the room, they want to get their food, go to their room, or eat later. And that's one of the things that I like insisted on. If I was picky on anything. I was like, we're gonna have dinner, we're all gonna have do it like as a family and put your phones away. I don't want you sitting at the table uh, with your phone in your hand. That was one thing I that got really strict on for some reason. Even my wife agreed, uh. It also allowed I think it allowed that that time to sit down with your family. You know, bonding, you get to talk to your kids find out what they're feeling what they're going through in school, instead of just sitting there because I've, I've gone to other family members houses and I see that everybody's sitting at a table but everybody's on their cell phones so like there's not much conversation going on. You don't. 

 Yes. But it's like if you're not there. 

Uh, any sport? [CHUCKLE] 

Oh, football, the Cowboys I guess. Texas teams I guess I'm Texan, Cowboys, basketball: Spurs, uh. I was gonna say college football. Yes, UT Longhorns. But UTSA long-Roadrunners because of my kids are at UTSA. I went to UTSA for one year so. 

The Cowboys have been struggling for a lot of years. [BOTH CHUCKLE] Spurs well they're rebuilding. Hopefully, they can rebuild fast so we can get those uh, championships this season's over, like we did in the past.  

And the Houston Astros but they're not cheaters.

Oh, definitely. It my, my father passed away when I was only seven years old. So my mother started working. And uh, since I was the middle child, I was in charge of uh, like my two older brothers used to work already. So I was in charge of my mom would get up early at five in the morning, cook breakfast, cooked lunch. And I was in charge of heating up all that food before my brothers went to work. And if they come home for lunch, I have to feed the work, and then clean the house while they were out, uh. But there were chores, but I- that I had to do. But I think it's, uh, also I needed to help my mom because I knew she was working like all day.  

One thing my mom used to do every summer is for some reason she wanted to paint the house. So every summer I had to paint the house inside and out. And it was always this crazy colors like a dark, a bright green or a bright yellow. Or next, the next year she wanted everything blue. So I hated painting it, to up to now I hate painting. Like I- if we have to paint something at home, I won't do it. 

I guess the housework uh, because even now I-uh, when I'm, everybody's at work, or my wife's at work, my kids are in school, uh. I like to do housework cause it-, put music on do housework and it gets my mind off of uh, work. Um I- the work I do here and, and just gets me to concentrate on something else.  

No, I don't think so.  

It shouldn't be? I think it is. I think it's a little hard because everybody's gonna have a different point of view. A girl has a different point of view as a boy. I don't think it should be hard for boys and girls to be friends. My wife for some reason, some of her best friends have always been boys, uh. I'm not the jealous kind. But I for some reason she'd always told me ever since she was growing up she was I used to for some reason, my best friends were always uh, boys for some reason.

Like speak behind somebody's back, and they caught me? 

Mhm. That hasn't happened to me. 

Of music? No, not the 90s. [CHUCKLES] The 90s you said right? 

To me. I think it's the 80s. That's the best, uh. Maybe because I was a teenager during the 80s and, um. I guess everyone's gonna have a different point of view. You're probably gonna think like, when you were a teenager, that that's the best decade for music. But besides, I think the 80s, uh, we had, uh, MTV was introduced, uh. A lot of different um, types of music started coming up uh, pop music, uh. It was the end of disco for sure. Uh, but we started getting like rap. A lot of different uh, genres of music started coming out. And um, yeah, no, I think the 80s, somebody from the 90 probably that grew up in the 90s came up with that question. 

A lot- a particular song? No. I just liked a lot of Bon Jovi, uh. But as far as a particular song, no, just no, yes uh. I like um, the song boys of summer by uh, I can't remember the name right now. But that was one of my favorite songs during the 80's, boys of summer. 

You know it was different back then because nowadays you can just look for the song that you want-

and it's there on your radio. Back then you had to wait for it to come out on the radio station or you had to go out and buy the,

The record, yeah. So it was different. Or, you could record on the radio but you always try to record where you don't hear the DJ talking,

So as soon as he stopped talking you started recording. And then that's how you would build up your collection.  

And then that's how you would build up your collection.  

Yeah it is, and, yeah. And there's something about purchasing the music, the records and actually putting them on, I think uh, I think it was something that a lot of people didn't experience, and I think they missed on. Experience other than that? 

No, I, I- still think uh, small town life is the best, uh. You know everybody, uh. If something happens in town, you always, you always find out like who it was and who they're related to. And I think I, I really enjoy it. The only reason I would move out of here is to follow my kids like, like to [DIFFERENT SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY NAME], but other than that I would still live in [COMMUNITY NAME]. 

Yes. 

"I lived in Texas all my life. I was born in Titus County and when I was five, we moved to a farm near Whitehouse, which is just southeast of Tyler. I like growing up in the country. When my chores were downe, at I'd ride my horse, climb trees, or hike down to the creek to fish or swim. One time we tied a rope to a limb of a cypress tree and we'd swing out, we'd  swing out wide over the swimming hole and drop into the water. I'd pretend to be Tarzan swinging on the vine. In the spring, I'd fly kites, and on summer nights we'd catch fireflies, but we call them like li-lightning bugs. Once in a while we'd have fights with our corn, fights with corn cobs or pine cones. In the winter we'd build a fire in the fireplace and pop popcorn and roast peanuts and pecans. I guess I was, I guess I was live wire. When I was 19, I went to work in Dallas at a Firestone Tire store. I didn't like city life, and for a long time I'd go home every chance I got. Mama would always cook my favorite foods fried okra, Hoppin' John-- that's rice and black-eyed peas--and pecan pie. We had a lot of good times, but going home is not the same. Now. After dad, after daddy died, Mama sold the farm and moved to Tyler. I rather be living on a farm right now instead of here in the city. But my wife and kids don't understand when I gripe about city life and talk about moving to the country. My oldest child says Daddy, that's crazy. I'd just died. I'd just died if I had to live on a farm. I almost cried the first time she said that. I know Texas is changing, but I try to make sure we don't lose touch with our, with our roots. While we may live in the city, I want my kids to have a good feeling for the land and have a sense of place and take pride in being Texans. If they lose our ties to the land, the price of progress is too high." 

Yes, thank you.

I be- y'know for you to. I like- I accept to being interviewed and audio recorded for this study. 

So I was born here. 

Yes. 1950. January the sixth, 1950. My parents, [NAMES OF INTERVIEWEE'S PARENTS]. 

Como?  

Oh yes, they always did. 

All their lives. It was small, and it keep on growing. And there are lessons that you learn. And people when they leave here, they will say "I'm so glad that I live here in [COMMUNITY NAME] because everything is peaceful. And there's a lot of work and a lot of help. That some of the people will help the people if you need it." 

There's a lot of, um, how to say- you start growing and more work. And the pay was, would grow, you know, they'll pay you more if they use- you know, growing like- [INDISCERNABLE] I started with $2.45 an hour. When I started working, and I would do it. I was the only one working with my two kids, the older and I did it and now everything is getting in- everything that you buy is more higher. They may pay you more, but its not the same when, you will work by yourself. Now two of them have to work. The husband and the wife, you know, but it's- it's okay, because I mean- they pay more. And, uhh, it's a good community. I love it. I always have, and the people that I live with. I never tried to get- get into trouble. And I want to teach my kids not to get into trouble. With my oldest one, and then I re-, uhh, I remarried. And I live forty years. And my husband passed away three months ago. And I had [NAME OF INTERVIEWEE'S CHILD #1] and [NAME OF INTERVIEWEE'S CHILD #2] my two kids- my two oldest- my youngest, and, um, all four of them are working. They have their own family, and I never interfere with their life. They, uh, they doing pretty good. I always tell them, you know, do the right thing all the time and teach your kids the right thing to- and not to get into trouble either. They say "Okay, mom." [LAUGHTER] 

 The strengths?  

There's more, uh- Not like when I was born, there wasn't a lot of buildings. And now it's more- That more people, uh, they go into college. A long time ago, they barely can go and now they do. You know, there's more support for them. Now there more, uhh, student- como se dice, loan. And, of course a lot of the parents will help them out until they get into- they would work, but only part time. Like my kids, they would work part time, and I will help them out. They had kids, I will take care of them. They will go to college. And I will always take care of my grandkids when they were small, so their parents can go to work. And, and I won't charge them. It's what's right. As long as I have my grandkids, that's all that I need it. Now my grandkids are older. And they work. And they always sit- one of them. She will always send me a letter and say, "Grandma, I'm so grateful that you take care of us, and you will feed us. And when you- when we were sick, you would take care of it even though you worked." Y'know, I don't mind because I'm happy to be at grandma, y'know? You can spoil them. [LAUGHTER] 

The weakness- when there's, uhh- there's- there's a lot of- there's some kind of some damages, uhh. You know, there's people that especially young kids they get into trouble and- oh they're doing things they're not supposed to be doing? And I don't know if they have their parents or they don't, uh, they just- the way I would you know, tell my kid "Don't get into trouble."

That what?  

Connections? Once I just- I was- I was always the most by myself because I already had time to be, uh, here I would help like in PTA or today give money to, uh, for the homeless in the community. I will try to help. And, uh, sometimes they sent me some cards are like, uh, patients that had, uh, cancer. I always help them out. I always send them a check every month. I try to help what I can. 

My job was housekeeping. Cleaning, I always did since I was 12. I will help my mom with the cooking. She showed me how to make flour tortillas. I would always confirm at school, I will wash the dishes cause she worked and my dad. So I always work. I mean, I like housekeeping. So that's what I get asked. It is what I get asked for me, all my life 

Uh, like I would work day shift for 12 years. It's more different than night in housekeeping. Because get in day you will have to clean and, uh, clean dismissals and clean office. And at night? It depends where they would put you. You will clean offices only and the other one would do, uh, this vessels. If I finished my job, so I will help you others on what they didn't. Because- it depends on what what area you're in. You will claim no dismissal. So I would finish mine and I'll go help. I always did. 

What they like for me?

Oh, it depends on the area they would put me. Like at night, uh, I worked 15 years in day surgery which in that area, I had to clean the rooms they use because they would put them into another floor. So I had there. I had 32 rooms in there. So every time they change a- the patient, I will clean the room and I will clean, y'know my little area they get- the nurse's station- that nurse, uh, the head nurse office and restrooms, public restrooms. 

Yes.  

Yeah, It was in a hospital. That's why I say I worked 42 years but I- in houske- in day surgery, I worked 15 years so I knew what to do. 

Because what do you- I always liked cleaning and I like the people that I work with. The nurses and I had nurse. They knew who- who I was and what I did and I knew them too, get alo- get along too very well. I just loved it. [LAUGHTER] 

Both chara- [INDISCERNABLE AUDIO] I mean- some of them would, uh, como que, would do less work. Because I mean, they, uh, had a lot of these pieces would do it in some kind they clean, uh, did, uh, outside cleaning like the offices or the restrooms. But I try- like I didn't mind helping them out. I always like to help so we can finish and not get out late. Because if you had a lot of work, like I- at night, I will get in at three o'clock in sometimes we'll- we'll get out at two o'clock in the morning. Because it was a lot of work. Because sometimes they will take me out from day surgery, so I can help them out with dismissals. So then I had to go back and hurry up clean day surgery. So I will try- I will try to help, we'll try to help each other. 

Completely agree.  

Why would I say? Because I'm very proud to be an American here, and I was born here. And I like the community from [COMMUNITY NAME]. 

A Texan? 

Well I was born in Texas, [COMMUNITY NAME], Texas. You know, and when dad settled down, we will go visit or, uh, do some work like in the fields. It was okay todo, you know. I get to be at- people get in trouble? They never did they go work over there. And we would, sometime we'll come back to where we were. We're from [COMMUNITY NAME], we will meet different people. 

I agree. 

The third one.  

You don't have, uh, to speak just English. You can speak both English-English and Spanish. Because it depends on your, uh, your grandparents, great grandparents. 

Mhm. [APPROVAL] 

No. 

Yep.

That's right. 

Sorry, I don't know what to say. 

Well just, uh, know, you know there's things that, uhh, come with it. That you get help and or you help people or just in between that you get to know, to another community. I mean because that they used to pay at very low prices, but that when the community is growing, well you get paid more, but everything will be.  

Mhm. [APPROVAL] 

Yes, 

You know, depends, I believe the kids let you know that right now they have games, like baseball, soccer, you know, for kids who won't be able to get into trouble, they have things that they learn, you know, especially with the parents we'll put them on. So they wouldn't get into trouble. [LAUGHTER] 

Mhm. [APPROVAL] 

What would you mean by that mija?  

What can I say about that? Probably depends on where you live. The higher you go into places it's more, sometimes it's difficult. And over here, what you just stay with what you learn from your parents, or your grandparents. I don't know. 

What mija, what do you mean? 

I mean, you know, if the years pass by, pues everything changed, it's not the same. You know, like, like I told you, that parents or their grandparents, they will tell your kids what to do best for themselves, because they're not going to be here all the time. So for them not to get into trouble, to do better for themselves, and to have a good life. [LAUGHTER] 

Softball.

 Yeah, it's where I met my husband. He always, was always the time with the softball. And he would take [NAME OF INTERVIEWEE'S KID] in [NAME OF INTERVIEWEE'S KID]  where there was more, he would take them with- with him. And I always tell [NAME OF INTERVIEWEE'S KID] "Be careful with dad." "Don't worry, mom. I know what to do." [LAUGHTER] She was something that was her dad with softball. But that's how I met my husband. 

I try to, you know, see it in TV because I keep always busy with the kids and their grandkids I just see it on TV because that's how I look- I tell them, that's how I met [NAME OF SPOUSE] Cause I'm very, you know, that's what I liked. So, baseball. 

Chores? 

Like at home?  

Oh yes. Well in summer, my dad will give us the lists for the three of us. For us to do. And I- my brother, he will not start his until he knows that my dad will be coming. He would go through everything- [LAUGHTER] to do his chores but my dad always gave us chores to do which was good because of that my mom and dad will be having a lot of things to do at the house or outside so we'd- we -we would do it. We would obey our parents. 

Of doing? Feeding the chickens. [LAUGHTER] We had to go inside there and get the eggs. Sometimes the chickens will not let us. Clear what the chickens, but we love it the three of us would get together. Yeah, my dad build a hole, and he would , como se dice, um, put a tub and he would put water so the ducks can get in and swim but it was fun. Being a kid, we learn by our parents. 

What was my favorite? Cleaning.

Cleaning, I always liked cleaning. 

I remember a long time ago. Every Saturday, you had to sweep and mop, clean the furniture. Clean the window and put wax on the floor. And I will do that. But nowadays different. It's not the same anymore. [LAUGHTER] But I always do that. And me and my sister and I, and, uh, and cooking my mom taught me how to cook and he would make flour tortillas when I was 12. I learned. but I was helped my mom because she worked and I didn't want her to be tired. She will be tired from coming to work and then come home. That's why I always help my mom and when I got married the first time she cried for me. [LAUGHTER] I'm like, "Why are you crying? Because I'm not coming to clean your house mom?" [LAUGHTER] But I'd always go anyway, would help her out. I will go in the bus and come to- to the house and and do her cleaning, and her washing them.  

Yeah, cause he knew he would get out until four o'clock. He knew so he would get away around 2 o' clock through the window and start his. Okay, so he knew he was coming. So me and my sister, but no, we would do ours. But anyway, we would help him out so he won't get into trouble. 

No. 

Not me, because I knew I had to do it. But that would do be on the weekends or in the summer, we will do that. It will give us at least work to do. My dad, so I'm very proud of my parents and my grandparents. 

To be friends?  

Well it depends. 

Well now, um, a lot of them go, uh, they will tell their parents, "Mama I'm going to this place." And then later they would know what you went through. Right? Okay, it's true. I mean, good enough, as long as I don't get into trouble. Because you know that. But you know, they'll say that "I'm going over here mom." And you end up going somewhere else. [LAUGHTER] 

I guess. 

It depends on the person that you be friends. Or you will know that that person would not, uh, say something about you. And then later on, you'll find out what that person said. So you had to be very careful. On what you say about that person. [LAUGHTER] 

Oh, yeah. 

It happened to anybody. 

You know, you would say, uhh, [LAUGHTER] life if you would go to another friend and you would tell her. Oh, yeah. "You know, you better not say anything. Okay, because either way, you're gonna get it. Okay, okay. Okay." And anyone else don't say you got into trouble. I thought it was okay. I mean- that you would not say anything you're not supposed to. Because you knew you get into trouble and with your parents especially. But it was okay with the friends I had. I try not to get into trouble. 

Yeah.  

What you mean mija about sings, songs? 

Well, it depends on the music that you will listen to. Like me, I like to hear music from the 60s 70s 80s because ahora, uh, mi familia core puro poodle Gritar. Just screaming. You hardly understand what they're saying, but there, that's just what a lot of kids now and days like. It depends on what, you know. 

Oh, well- I will listen to it. You know pero. I would rather listen to 60s 70s, 80s. You know, like- como la musica muy differente? That doesn't- like today. But anyway, I will listen to it with my great- with my great-grandkids listen to it as I listen to it. [LAUGHTER] But that's okay. 

Yeah.

Where do I read this? 

To read it?  

I live in Texas all my life. I was born in Travis County. And when I was five, we moved to a farm near Whitehouse, which is southeast of Tyler. I like growing up in the country- in the country. When my chores were done. I ride my horses, climb trees, or hike down on the creek to fish or swim. One time we tie a rope to a limb of a cypess tree, and we'd swing out  wide over the swimming hole and drop into the water. I pretend to be Tarzan, swining on a vine. In the spring, I'd fly kites, and on summer nights, we'd catch fireflies-- but we called them lightning bugs. Once in a while, we'd have fights with corn cobs or pinecones. In the winter, we build a fire in the fireplace and pop popcorn and roast peanuts and pecans. I guess I was a livewire. When I was 19, I went to work in Dallas at a Firestone tire store. I didn't like city life, and for a long time I go home every chance I got. Mama would always cook my favorite foods: fried okra, Hoppin John- that's just rice and black eyed peas- and pecan pie. We had a lot of good times. But going home is not the same now. After Daddy died, Mama sold the farm and moved to Tyler. I'd rather be living on a farm right now instead of here in the city. But my wife and kids don't understand me when I gripe about city life and talk about moving to the country. My oldest child said, "Daddy, that's crazy. I just die if I had to live on a farm." I almost cried the first time she said that. I know Texas is changing. But I try to make sure we don't lose touch with other roots. While we may live in a city, I want my kids to have a good feeling for the land. Have a sense of place and take pride in being Texans. If they lose our tie in the land, the price of progress is too high. 

Um I like, you know my kids know that my husband passed away. All the four of them would take one every week. I will go with one, go to the other one. They don't want me to be left alone. And like that, I can see my grandkids. Like this Friday, I told [NAME OF INTERVIEWEE'S CHILD], "I'm going to go to your house to be with the teacher. That's what my husband will call the little one: teacher. And [NAME OF GRANDKID] and [NAME OF GRANDKID]." I'm very proud of my grandkids and my four kids. That's all. Thank you. 

Yes you can.  

I would, I am in favor of, you um you um, I can't read, 

I consent,

Hold on, I don't know where it is 

I consent to the, for the form that we went over to use as a study. 

Uhh okay, I consent being interviewed and audio recorded to this study. 

I was looking at the top. You're like, how are you? [LAUGHS]  [OVERLAPPING SPEAKING]

In [COMMUNITY NAME] at [WORKPLACE] total or my community as a whole? 

My parents, my parents lived in [COMMUNITY NAME]. And so of course, when we were born, we stayed in [COMMUNITY NAME]. And we I've lived here, Well I'm about to be 66. But I probably lived here 51 years out of my 66 years. 

Um, [SIGHS] I guess we I could say when we began he, when I lived in [COMMUNITY NAME], it was a much smaller town, much smaller. And a lot of it was mainly and we had, we had both, we had Hispanic and white in the community. And there was no, it was really a very nice, calm area to live in. [COMMUNITY NAME] has always been very, very popular. And so I enjoyed living in [COMMUNITY NAME]. And I've lived in like I said, probably 51 years easily. 

I would describe the whole [COMMUNITY REGION NAME], not just [COMMUNITY NAME], but [COMMUNITY NAME], [NEARBY CITIES]. All you know, the different cities are surrounded. [NEARBY CITIES]. We all of course, our most of our area is Hispanic. But we also have probably just as much or half in as white. And now, in today's world, we got people from Japan, we have people from all over the world now that live here. So we really have changed our ways. Because we have so many people, Chinese people, Hispanic people, American, you know, white people. I mean, it's really made a difference in our world now, I think and it's a good thing, because people are learning all about Japan, or Chinese, or you know, people from other countries, Canadians. I mean, the list is endless. Uh and how many people do live in our area now today?  

It's, it's, it's, we go from [COMMUNITY NAME]. And you cross the street and you're in [Surrounding city]. You cross the street near back in [COMMUNITY NAME]. I mean, we are now one huge hub. We're over a million people just in this area alone. And again, because we have so many different people from all over the world now that do live in South Texas, it really brings a whole different aspect to our cities. Because now everybody can, you know, we've got you know, Indian food, we've got Chinese, we've got Japanese food, we have his Mexican food. I mean, our world now today. And even when they were to go to schools, they can not just learn one language, they can learn two languages, or even three languages in our public schools here in the Rio Grande Valley. So we have really expanded ourselves into you know, bringing in others to live in this area, not thinking oh my god, we're just gonna go live in Mexico. Well, you're not anymore, you're living in a wonderful area. It I still say is safe. It's got a lot of education. Now, there's many different ways to learn, not just going to one public school, you can go to different schools now in what you want to do. And so I think, like I said, our business, everything in this area has really is thriving. 

Our community, we're strong because we're strong with each other. Because we live in somewhat of a small area, but yet at the same time in a larger area, we know each other. We know anybody, a lot of the people live in [COMMUNITY NAME]. A lot of people that live in [COMMUNITY NAME], we are a community, we're just and we know each other and we all want it. We all pretty much have the same ideas to go forward. Now we're going to do is let's do it. I mean, it'd be great, you know, that would bring more people to the city of [COMMUNITY NAME] that would really help us for people to understand what we who we are down here. He used to laugh right after when I was in college. I would ask that my family my friends when I lived in [OTHER TEXAS CITY] and live in [OTHER TEXAS CITY], and I said, "Hey, I'm gonna go home for the weekend. I'm gonna drive down. Does anybody want to go?" "Me? Really? Can we really go? I mean, and where are we going to stay?" I said like "My house?" [LAUGHS] You know? And "Are there donkeys?" I said, "There are donkeys, there's horses, there's pigs, there's everything." You know, they used to be like, "God I really want to go," you know, and when they'd come to [COMMUNITY NAME], because they were from Dallas, or San Antonio or Austin, and never probably come south, not knowing where we lived, or what we did. And then they're like, "Oh, my God, this is amazing." This is yeah, we have a real home, you know, home just like y'all that we have. A lot of them weren't understanding where we were who we were at, you know, in the Rio Grande Valley, because we were so close to Mexico. I mean, they didn't know "Do we live in Mexico?" Where do we, you know, and I was always like, "Okay, you can't really be honestly telling asking these questions," but they did. And they, I mean, you know, and a lot of them "God I wanna come back." And not only because we were in [COMMUNITY NAME] for a couple of days in shopping and everything, but we could actually cross the border with no problem and go shopping in Mexico, that I think to them was the greatest event that they had, while they were here. So I remember those days a lot, a lot. 

Um [SIGHS] Gosh, a weakness. Some of the cities even today, don't collaborate with the rest of the cities, they don't. It's their, that's their dome. And that's it for them. And I won't mention which one we think it is, but others, others always get together. And always like when when it comes to like the mayors or like the, you know, commissioners or, you know, those who are involved in politics or whatever, they make a difference, you know, like the county, county commissioners, everybody really likes to come back and make make sure that the South Texas is seen known and understood. And some of them just like they, it doesn't matter to them, you know, so there's one small area that that is that way, which is sad, but the rest everybody else I think in in the Rio Grande Valley, like I said, nowadays, you just cross the street and you go from [COMMUNITY NAME] to [NEARBY CITY] or you go from [NEARBY CITY] to [COMMUNITY NAME]. You know, because we're all we've really grown I mean, we have over a million people just living in this area alone. And that's a good thing because now we do have larger bigger bigger opportunities for education, bigger opportunities for job opportunities bigger up, you know, so much has grown in the in the Rio Grande Valley, that now today, it's not like do you really live in [COMMUNITY NAME]. What do you do, no, there's so much going on now. I mean, we have operas we have, you know, musicals we have everything that San Antonio has, Austin has, Dallas has. And we are now really in the tropical area that has grown in the right direction. 

I work for [NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION] and we are the voice for abused neglected and foster children. So on a daily basis, my my staff goes to court to make sure that these children who are abused and neglected and have lived in foster care or lived with one of their grandmothers and grandfathers that they're placed in a happy, safe home with someone who's truly going to love them and not beat them, or neglect them in any other way anymore. So some days are harsher. We always we were very happy the day we get to always ring the bell because that we know that that child is out of danger in is going to go to a permanent, happy home. 

Actually, a lot of people like "[INTERVIEWEE NAME], I don't know how you do it." And actually just why do you ask me? Because this morning when I went to breakfast, I've met two gentlemen that I had to work with this morning. And they just don't just like they said, "Okay, now we have you all by ourselves. Can we ask you questions?" Like, sure. And so they're like, "Okay, how do you do it? How? How do you because you're always happy?" And I said, "Well, first of all, I know that at the end of the day, my job and my, my employees are making a difference for these children. And I said because the day we receive them is the day is will probably our saddest day because we've seen you know, their bruises they have, you know, they broke their arm and they don't know how or who or why they haven't been fed, they haven't been bathed. There's so many different things that happened to these children, that when we get them it's like oh my god, you know, if I could I'd take them all home, because they just deserve such more such a better life. You know, they deserved a hug, they deserve a bath. They deserve lunch, they deserve schooling. They deserve so much to be able to thrive when they're older, not have to hide behind something because they're scared not have to be sad all the time because they've been beaten or they haven't been fed or you know the kids at school make fun of them because they don't have the same outfits that the other kids have. Because sometimes they have to go to school in the same outfit because no one bathes them or changes them." So you know, those kids have it harder, much harder. And we need to figure out how we can continue to make a difference with these children so that they're not, they're like, "Oh, there they come no, oh, hey, she's coming over here, come over." So you know, we have to, and little by little, I think we know, it's getting better, but it'll never go away. But we just have to make sure that we are getting there faster to take care of them. So they can have a permanent, happy home. 

I'm very blessed to know a lot of people within my community. And I think just knowing that, and putting it out there people like "Oh, here she comes [INTERVIEWEE NAME], y'all better take care of her." You know, because I have been very involved in my own community for many, many years. And I think that has helped. And now that I work in these areas, they're like, they call me all the time. "What do you need [INTERVIEWEE NAME]? What can we take you? How do we help," what you know, and that's a blessing, it really is a blessing. And then I'm not afraid to go out into the community and say, "I need I you know, please help me, you know, this is what I'm looking for." And 90% of the time 95% of the time, where they take it to you tomorrow afternoon. Is that okay? That's perfect. Yeah, thank you. You know, because we're always looking for stuff like right now look at the shoes, or we're looking for blankets, or we're looking for, you know, just clothing, whatever it is food, you know, some of these kids, I gotta tell you, it's it's a tough ballgame. And so as long as we can answer their their call their asks, I'm here to help. 

I got into this role, because the prior director really wasn't involved. And how could I say nicely say this. When I walked in, I had $335. The place looked like a mess. Everything was thrown everywhere. And I just basically the first three weeks, I said, don't pay me, leave me alone. And I went room by room and put everything back in place, cleaned it organized, it threw away a lot of trash. Put all the tables in the chairs where they belong, not thrown on the floor. I was to take him back. I was in shock. But I did it. And little by little I was calling people to come by and say what can we help you? And I said, "Do you know how to paint?" [LAUGHS] Yeah, I said, "Okay, can you paint the walls? Do you know how to clean it? You know, the floors? You know how to shine the floors? Do you know how to fix the state? Do you know how to do this?" And so And even today, I say oh, by the way, "Can you water my plants? Can you go fix the back?" The door fell down, can you you know, so I am always constantly making sure that [WORKPLACE] is thriving. And then [WORKPLACE] is everybody knows who [WORKPLACE] is today. Everybody knows what we do here. Because we've put ourselves out there and asked for help ask for donations asked for just everything, you know, presents for the kids for their birthdays, you name it, we go out there right now we're asking for shoes. I mean we're asking for shoes so that before school starts, we can do a shoe drive for all of these kids, because sometimes their parents will they don't have the money or don't want to use their money to take their kids to have good shoes when they go to school. I mean, you know, it's tough. It's tough. I do remember I was an educator. And I do remember one or two times when I looked down and the kids were like, he has holes in his shoes. So I'd very quietly just the next day and I go buy a pair of shoes and bring them back to school and say, "Oh look mijito somebody dropped him off." "Oh for me?" "It's like yeah, for you." You know, so they had a new pair of shoes. And sometimes, you know, one or two times. I mean, when they got home, they didn't have the shoes the next day because the mother took it away. You know, so you'd have to do a back and so just leave the shoe here. We'll put your ugly shoes back on when you go home and bring it back tomorrow. So you know, you have to know how to finagle and they were so excited, you know, so? Yeah, I mean, giving is always the best thing you can do for anybody. 

At [WORKPLACE] I have been here six years.  

It's crazy every single day. [LAUGHS] My staff is going back and forth to the courthouse. Someone's calling me I need to pay something. I forgot to do something yesterday. But you know and all in all, we get our work done. Actually we do. I-I-I impressed at myself that every day. I put it off. I put a note down on Monday before okay, this is the things I have to do for the tomorrow. And 90% of the time I do accomplish it because I know that the next day's gonna be just as crazy as yesterday was and I'm constantly, we're constantly working to make sure because since [LARGER BRANCH OF NON-PROFIT] takes care of us, we always had that, you know, submit a lot of paperwork to them, visit with them get things going to make sure we're doing we're on the wrong, right direction audits, you know, events to make sure that we keep making, you know, making money for [WORKPLACE], to make sure we could be able to fulfill some of their needs. I mean, there's just so much goes that goes on here, um it makes sure that we make sure that we say happy birthday, every one of our children take him something, to see a smile on their face for their birthday, you know, it might be two or three years and no one's even given them a gift. But we want to give them a gift, we want to give them things that they need. So again, so they can have a smile on their face and be like everybody else when they go to school and say happy birthday to them. I mean, you know, there's just a lot goes on, every day is a different day. 

Oh my god, it means a lot. It really does mean a lot. Um like I said, every time that we know that a child is going to leave, foster care, and actually is going to go home to a house or home to where their mom and dad and siblings and maybe not their mom and dad, but their mom. And these are the mom and dad that said I will adopt them I will take I will take care of them. I mean, that's huge. That's huge. These kids get so excited. And I mean, they jump up and down. I have a mommy, I'm gonna have a new Mommy, you know, and they're like, awesome, you know? And for us for those days. I mean, we have the bell. And we're supposed to ring it yesterday, [RINGS BELL]  but we'll ring it soon I'm sure. It's coming. So those like when we ring the bell, oh, my God it's like, wow, some of the girls, I mean, they cry, because they worked on that case, for nine months, they worked on a case for two years, three years, and then to know that finally they're going to go to a home, permanent home, or someone's gonna love them. I mean, that's huge. That's huge. So those are the good days.  

Seeing them get adopted. [LAUGH]

The biggest challenges that we get in work is making sure that we can actually do something for those kids. And like I said, sometimes it takes a year, sometimes it takes two years. And then you have the parents that they argue with each other every single day, they fight against each other. And they might not be together anymore. But they still argue why because if the mother gets the them, she gets the moneys, you know, the the Medicaid, all the Medicaid, what sort of resources that they can get goes to that mom, and then she helps the kids, sometimes they don't help the kid, sometimes they sell it all. And then it takes care of themselves for their drugs or whatever else it might be. You know, there's just so many different scenarios with these children. And then the father, there's three fathers to one mother with five kids. I mean, these situations are tough, they're very tough. And we just have to finagle how to go the right route in the right direction to be able to be to be accomplished and to make a difference for that child. 

100% [LAUGH] One.

 Four completely agree.  

Number four 

They're equally important to me. 

Four because I'm 100% English.  

Yes.  

I do. So I'm number four. [LAUGH]

I'd have to say three, 

Somewhat agree. 

Four  

Completely agree. 

What has changed in our community? Gosh, you know, most everybody in South Texas again, I think everybody really, we were different when people were in San Antonio and Austin, Dallas, and then they come to the value of x is a whole new world. We're just more engaged in each other, because we're somewhat of a small community, but at the same time, a large community. But we know pretty much the whole community in this small area, if that makes any sense. I mean, you can go from North [COMMUNITY NAME] to South [COMMUNITY NAME] and you still know everybody, you can go to HEB. And you'll see two or three people that you can say hello to, same thing will happen when you go to the mall, you know, people, you go to Dallas, [LAUGHS] you can go all over Dallas, never see anybody, you know, for days, because you're in different areas or whatever, you know, it's a large community. Ours is a larger community, but it's still small. And there's we're still a very cliquish neighborhood. You know, we know all our neighbors, a lot of other places don't know, their neighbors. They just stay to themselves. And, I mean, I think we're, I mean, we're very loving, giving, helpful in South Texas 

It is.

You know, in this community, for instance, if you play basketball, baseball, softball, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, all of those a lot of the times because if you you know, in [COMMUNITY NAME] or [NEARBY CITY], we go to the same elementary school from kinder to sixth grade, or kinder to eighth grade, if you go to private school, whatever it is, you're with the same kids all the way through most of the time. Sure, one or two come in, like, you know, like, "Oh, we got a new student or new we need to know this student moved to this house," I know this. And so it's very, it's nice, because your families, your friends, the parents, they get together and you become a small community, and you're with each other where you take care of each other where you can, you know, you're okay with each other, you know, you you're not afraid, you know, you trust you trust the other neighbors are gonna pick them up. Okay, you know, and a lot of times, you can't do that in the big cities, because who's your neighbor? Here, you've been with your neighbor since kinder all the way to sixth grade or all the way to eighth grade. And so you know, those, you know, him and that they help each other. And that's how our community becomes bigger because every "Oh, you haven't met John, he's been here for three years now." You know, that's right. You want to you know, I mean, that's all being here. Our community, you can go to HEB you can go to the movies, you can go anywhere. And you can say hello to somebody if you don't, it's ra-rare. Okaayy, You know, as we have grown though. [WORKPHONE RINGS] 

No.  

Because so many of us are here and and have gone away, come back and we're still, we go back to our world. 

Oh, I don't have one. [LAUGHS] Longhorns? UT Longhorns, I guess.

They're good. They're good. 

All the time. 

Probably laundry, no, ironing, [WORKPHONE RINGS] I never liked to do ironing never. I never liked to do ironing.

Uh I like to wash dishes. I like to, I still clean the house. Clean the house, wash dishes. Umm, no anything. I don't mind. And I now am ironing. I won't go outside and cut the grass. But [LAUGHS] 

No. Mmm. No. Thank God. 

I think they're crazy. No, I had tons of boyfriend, friends, boy-friends. Yeah, yeah, I know. I've always I've never I've never had that. And even today, I have three that are and two named David. Yeah, no. Mmm.

I'm sure I did. [LAUGHS] I don't know why, but I'm sure I did. 

Well no, I wouldn't remember now today, but I mean, somewhere along the line, I'm sure I was always in trouble. [LAUGHS] I was always in trouble. I went to a private Catholic school, so it's- um yeah [LAUGHS]

Well, I liked music regardless. So, I guess I mean, if they feel that way, go for it, but,

No.

No.  

Yes, ma'am.  

Sure. 

I live in Texas all my life. I was born in Hidalgo County. And when I when I was five, we moved to a farmhouse near White House near to a farm near White House, which is southeast of Tyler. I liked growing up in the country. When my chores were done, I'd ride my horse, climb trees or hike down to the creek to fish or swim. One time we tied a rope to a limb of a cypress tree, and we'd swing out why over the swimming hole and drop into the water. I pretend to be Tarzan swinging on a vine. In the spring. I'd like to fly kites and in the summer nights we'd catch fireflies but we call them lightning bugs. Once in a while we'd have fights with corn cobs or pine cones. In the winter we'd build a fire in the fireplace and pop popcorn and roast peanuts and pecans. I guess I was a Livewire. When I was 19 I went to work in Dallas at a Firestone Tire store. I didn't like city life, and for a long time I'd go home every chance I got. Mama would always cook my favorite foods. Fried okra. hoppin john that's rice and black eyed peas and pecan pie. We had lots of good times, but going home is not the same now. [Sneeze] After daddy died, Mama sold the farm and moved to Tyler. I'd rather be living on a farm right now instead of here in the city. But my wife and kids don't understand me when I gripe about the city live and talk about moving to the country. My oldest child says Daddy, that's crazy. I just die if I had to live on a farm. I almost cried the first time she said that. I know Texas is changing. But I try to make sure we don't lose touch with our roots. While we live in a city. I want my kids to have a good feeling for the land. Have a sense of place and take pride in being Texan. If they lose our ties to the land. The price of progress progress is too high. 

Thank you ma'am. 

I consent to being interviewed for this audio [CONFUSED TONE & SHORT PAUSE] study. 

I was born here. [PAUSE] In 1960, December 16 1960, at the age of three years old, or 1963, we moved to [CITY IN ILLINOIS] where we lived approximately 10 years, we moved back to [COMMUNITY NAME] Texas in the summer of nineteen seventy- [THINKING IN HEAD, SHORT PAUSE] two. [SHORT PAUSE] 72 or maybe 73. 

My parents were, were [SHORT PAUSE] um, always panning on moving back to Texas, it was [SHORT PAUSE] uh, my mother's decision. There's various stories, but one was-one possibility is that my mom never could adapt to [CITY IN ILLINOIS]. And the other possibility is that economically they had arrived at a place where they were comfortable. 

It has a small town [SHORT PAUSE] you know, ambience to it. [SHORT PAUSE] Very small town, although it's no longer a small town. Um, it's approximately 80,000 people now, when I arrived here was about 30,000. So it's grown considerably. Um, [SHORT PAUSE] It had a rural atmosphere to it, even in the city limits Uh, it was very, very, very different from [CITY IN ILLINOIS], which was a booming city with lots of industry factories, and, uh, all kinds of amenities. [COMMUNITY NAME] was lacking, [SHORT PAUSE] uh very much in the amenity department back in the early 70s. [SHORT PAUSE] But that was-that was about it [WIDENS EYES AND NODS]. 

Three words for what?  

Quiet, [SHORT PAUSE] growing. Uh, [SHORT PAUSE] Um, and affordable. 

Technology was backwards. [SHORT PAUSE] Very, very backwards. It was [SHORT PAUSE] pretty much the land that time forgot. There was [SHORT PAUSE] two television stations. There was [EMPHASIS] no FM radio. There was [SHORT PAUSE] Uh, poverty, like everywhere. Uh, there there. It was. Uh, [THINKING] It wasn't- tt was a very quiet, rural community. Very, very quiet. Since then, it has [SHORT PAUSE] not just in [COMMUNITY NAME], but in the [SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY NAME]. It's, uh, it's become very populous. Uh, amenities are, um that-we're not lacking. It's sort of an area though that [SHORT PAUSE] is kind of left for last. Although it is increasing in [WIDENS EYES] in popularity and population and as a-as a tourist attraction.  Uh, Industry is is booming. I think the area right now is probably one of the leading areas in the United States because we continue to grow. Other areas that are that were considered, uh, Like [THINKING] were considered like, uh, [SHORT PAUSES] Metroplex you could say was like [DIFFERENT SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY NAME] and, uh [DIFFERENT COMMUNITY NAME] and those [DIFFERENT COMMUNITY NAME], Texas and those in those communities are shrinking. Shrinking. Uh, not only in population, but, uh [STUTTER] in industry and technology wise. 

There's no other direction. There was no other direction this place can only grow. It can only grow and because it is economically affordable for [SHORT PAUSE] most people [CONCILIATORY TONE]. It's just the it's a- it's a-it's a booming industry. Uh, [SHORT PAUSE] I believe in the in-the future will be on the map as [NAME OF SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY], not [COMMUNITY NAME], [DIFFERENT COMMUNITY NAME], [DIFFERENT COMMUNITY NAME], [DIFFERENT COMMUNITY NAME], it's going to be one giant Metroplex. I believe that.  

Another mitigating factor would be that its proximity to the border is like, [EMPHASIS] unbelievable. So, either way we go whether we go technologically advancing, yes. But also consumer because, uh, Mexico, uh, retail wise. Mexico keeps us in, in in a [SHORT PAUSE] boom. 

Growth [WIDENS EYES]. [SHORT PAUSE] And I believe that its [SHORT PAUSE] growth, and I think that the rest of the nation is taking notice. To this area. I think it's like, Uh, it's, it's not unusual to find something that says, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, [COMMUNITY NAME], where normally it wouldn't fit in. And now it's something like, it's got potential. great potential. 

Oh, it's as as [SHORT PAUSE] from what I can see, crime is probably the biggest factor. There is a lot of [SHORT PAUSE] uh, smuggling and there's a lot of potential terrorism here. Uh, not because of the border, or because of Mexico, but because this is a it's easy to get in, into the US from from here, because it's not developed alongside the border. Uh, crime, whether it's organized or disorganized, or random. Crime is pretty high here. I think it would be noted that- [SHORT PAUSE] Uh, unfortunately, it's it rises with alongside the population, you know, [SHORT PAUSE] not as much as the good parts of the valley, but it's still it's still there something to focus on. 

[SHORT PAUSE] Uh, very Texas. it's very Texas it's very like uh, there's a lot of guns. There's a lot of there's a lot of uh, [SHORT PAUSE] organized crime, not quite syndicated but still organized. Uh, and there's there's there's uh [SMACKS LIPS] political corruption pretty much in every city, every school district, unfortunately. 

I worked for 37 years with the [NAME OF AGENCY]. I started in [DIFFERENT COMMUNITY NAME], Texas, where I worked for 19 years. And I transferred for family reasons I transferred to Uh, [COMMUNITY NAME] Texas, where there was more day work, work in the daytime. And I worked at the [COMMUNITY NAME] [NAME OF AGENCY] office for 18 years. 

Mail Clerk is fine.  

[LONG PAUSE] Well, it was a good job. [STUTTERS] It was-it was-it was above the economy. Um, [SHORT PAUSE] When I started working for the [NAME OF AGENCY], I started roughly about $10.25 an hour. Um, [SHORT PAUSE] minimum wage at the time was $2.65. So-I was you know, I was pretty-pretty way above the economy. Um, [SHORT PAUSE] The hours were long, and there were [COUGHS] the number of days it was at least six days a week that you would that you would work. Sometimes you would go as, as far as 14 days in a row. Uh, it was formulated that way. But you could [STUTTER] it was possible to work 14 days in a row. Um, [SHORT PAUSE] but it [STUTTER] it, it, it provided well, it had benefits and retirement, all of which I'm presently reaping, but it was also, uh, [SHORT PAUSE] it was also a career. Even though it was blue collar labor, it was still a- it was career oriented. Uh, most people that started working for the [NAME OF AGENCY] continue working for the the, um, duration of their [STUTTER] their, their retirement. I mean, like, up, leading up to retirement. So it was very, very [SHORT PAUSE] Uh, easy to make a living working there. I dropped out of college because one was I never had time to study. The other one was like, Well, I was making the kind of money that most college graduates [LOWERS VOICE] were making. So. [NORMAL VOICE] It was, uh, it was good. It served their will- Served uh. [SHORT PAUSE] My family well, served me well. Uh, was-it opened up a lot of doors. So economically, I could say because of the area and how how, uh, [SHORT PAUSE] it wasn't exactly [THINKING] an expensive place to live. I live very very comfortable because of my income.

Well, I I, uh, [SHORT PAUSE] I started off in 1983. When I was released, I was discharged from the military. And I took all of the government exams. Most of them unfortunately nobody [CHUCKLES] called me, uh, [SHORT PAUSE] until two years later, when I was called by the by the [NAME OF AGENCY], and I almost missed my chance because, uh, I was seriously contemplating re-enlisting put into the army instead of the Navy. Um,  But, um, Uh, fortunately, I was called. I started off as a seasonal employee [SHORT PAUSE] Uh, the plant manager which is the number two man in the office, he uh [SHORT PAUSE] he noticed that I was a, a good worker. And he approached me and asked me if I wanted to work there permanently. To which I said yes. And, um, [EYES WIDEN] that's how it started. [SHORT PAUSE] Um, but it was it was good. It was a good place to work. 

37 years.  

Well, it was different every day, but it was routine. [SHORT PAUSE] It was the same things happening, they just didn't happen in the same way. Our main objective was to distribute mail, and then collect mail, and then, uh, [SHORT PAUSE] distribute mail again, out to the world. So it was it was every day we had that we would receive mail for our office. And then we would distribute mail to our office, they would collect mail, it was worldwide. And we would we would ship that mail out. Um, I met a lot of really good people. I had some pleasant and I've had some unpleasant experiences there. Um. [SHORT PAUSE] Technology took over the [NAME OF AGENCY] somewhere around 1987 88. In our local area, we were still way behind the other, uh, [SHORT PAUSE] offices up north. Pretty much one of the last areas to to gain, uh. technology, but it's in full swing. For me, unfortunately, technology kind of [SHORT PAUSE] kind of took away the [SHORT PAUSE] pride of working for the Postal Service because it was, uh something that was done manually, something that was done with, uh manpower, and technology and machinery. Uh, some took over. But a typical day there was long. And it was [SHORT PAUSE] Uh, it wasn't hard work. But it was constant work. But it wasn't hard work. Uh, I don't [STUTTERS] I although I do for like 12 years. I unloaded trailers with forklifts by hand, uh pushing [SHORT PAUSE] carts and, and postal containers and bins and all kinds of other uh, moveable equipment. We worked with conveyor belts, we worked with, uh [SHORT PAUSE], pallets and we worked in various other, uh, methods, mostly manual labor. It was the best times I've ever had- it kept me very, very strong. Uh, 12 13 14 hours of that per day, keeps you on your toes kept me healthy. Uh. Uh, and again, the the pay was was good. So we always look forward to a hefty nice, pretty paycheck. So 

[QUICKLY] Well definitely had its perks. Definitely had perks.  [PROUDLY] I met all kinds of people, beautiful people, all kinds of people. It-everywhere I went, there was somebody that knew me. Uh, we have we still had that small town appeal. And whether it was grocery shopping, whether it was, uh, at church, or whether it was at at, uh in-just out in public people would always approach me, "Are you the man from the post office?" And I go "Yes, I am." Just like, "where do I know you from?" the [NAME OF AGENCY]. And I still get that now even though I've been retired for four years. Uh, people still approach me and say things like "Where do I know you from?" I say, "probably the [NAME OF AGENCY]? Yes, yes, yes, yes. They're enthusiastic and, and, uh happy to have bumped into me. Um, and of course, I appreciate it very, very much. It did shape me as far as my personality is concerned. It did, I saw people who were indigent, who were illiterate. Uh, when they were illiterate, but old, I went out of my way to help them. Because, uh, uh, education back when they were growing up, wasn't as, as important as it is now. [SHORT PAUSE] Uh, when people would struggle with handicaps, I would go out of my way to to help them. Elderly, always, always ready to help the elderly. Uh, [SHORT PAUSE] The most I will do for people who I've felt, should know, without any, was just explain things to them. But no actually do it for them. "You need to fill this out, this is where your name goes, this is where your address goes. This is how you write your address," but not really doing it for them. For the older people that couldn't read, they would come like "I got this letter in the mail. But I don't know what it means." I would read a form much to the ire of my bosses. But I would never I could never, I never had [STUTTERS] the, the, the lack of compassion to the just ignore them. That-it was some some of the things that fundamentally they weren't capable of doing. Uh, [SHORT PAUSE] I met good people, I met some bad people. Uh, I think one of the best things that it taught me was the ability to defuse someone who is angry. [SHORT PAUSE] In fact, I defuse people pretty well, that many of my co workers, would send them to me, "Go talk to that guy over there, he can help you out." And, uh, most of the time, it was just by saying, uh,  something stern, but polite, like, Well, okay, well, first of all, let's get down to the root of the problem. And let's find out what happened. And once they heard that, once they felt, or they saw that you were really [SHORT PAUSE] helping them, it would calm them down [INTERJECTS] didn't take away their anger, but it would still calm them down. So it was easy to, uh, it was easier to assist them. Most of it was lost mail lost packages [INAUDIBLE], or things that they didn't get on time or what have you. But for the most part, that was that was one of the greatest attributes that that it provided for me. 

Well,  what would you say, well fortunately, and unfortunately, I spent more time with my coworkers than I did with my family. There were many events in my family that I, I missed. Because I was at work. We had parties in my own house that I didn't get to go to, because I couldn't get out of work. Uh, but I met some really beautiful people, a lot of really beautiful people, people that I still keep in contact with now. Uh, a lot of us are older. And some of the people that I met when I was younger, have passed on. And some of the people that that uh, were younger, are now looking at it the way I saw, it's like it's almost, I'm almost, you know, reaching my goal, which is retirement. Uh, but but it was, it didn't. I cannot say that it that it didn't shape me it definitely shaped me uh, considerably. You know, as far as who I am and how I am and things I do. I know some of the traits you're born with. But other traits you also develop, you know, as you go along. So it was it was a good thing. And and again, I'm forever grateful because it provided very well, for my family. We're not rich, [SHORT PAUSE] but we're far from poor, we never lacked, and it was a lot easier for me than it was for my my father to be a provider. Because there was there was plenty and there was more than enough and enough is plenty, you know, I didn't have to go strive like my dad did, you know? So [INAUDIBLE] it helped out quite a bit.  

[EYES WIDEN] Oh, God. [SHORT PAUSE] [SLOWLY] I think the worst thing I ever [SHORT PAUSE] faced was [SHORT PAUSE] the people who got [SHORT PAUSE] promoted, but the way they were promoted, not that, not them individually, per se, but [EMPHASIS] how you were promoted, and I just, I could never, I never got them. I just refuse to be that way. I think one of the politics of the postal service were were present every day, um, a lot of my bosses were more like, had more of like a prison warden, attitude than a manager, attitude. As and as my years increased, and my knowledge was greater than theirs, as to how things [EMPHASIS] really work. And my lack of reliance on a computer or paper that said, I had to reach such goals, I was more realistic than that. And [SHORT PAUSE] I think he just consumed the [NAME OF AGENCY]. And the people who are behind it, were because they understood computers more. And I don't think that a computer can can compute [SHORT PAUSE] human-the human aspect of, of the [NAME OF AGENCY], I think it can only base you on numbers. And it can only base you on goals, but it can't achieve those goals for you. It takes [STUTTERS] a,a,a  human aspect is a way bigger part of of the [NAME OF AGENCY]. Than than what is, uh attributed? Yep. 

Performance?  

Yeah, you could say that. There was corruption in the Promotion Department. [SHORT PAUSE] A lot of corruption. [SHORT PAUSE] Not criminal, but corrupt. [SHORT PAUSE] obsequent people were the probably the most dangerous. Uh, and there was [SHORT PAUSE] morality and things like that, that, mmmm, [LOOKS TO THE SIDE] you kind of want to shy away from, I refuse to look at them now. Because I'm a different person now. But, uh,  Or, I'm in a different area now. So in my life, so I would, I would rather just wish them well. Just wish them I kind of like, Don't dwell on it anymore. It's like, okay, I accepted it, that I would never be promoted under those kinds of circumstances. So I just. uh, didn't pursue it any longer. 

It's volunteer work. But it's it's the rewards are more spiritually oriented. Uh, but it's all I don't make a dime of it. But it's something that I that I love to do. My religious convictions are, are there my spiritual convictions are are prevalent to everything that I do. There is no there's no uh, uh, there's no other source. It's all to me. It's all spiritual. But it's also, uh, uh I think that [SHORT PAUSE] characteristically I have changed [SHORT PAUSE] quite a bit. Quite a bit. I'm more in contact with, uh, let's just call it reality. But it's also I'm more in contact with people now than ever before. Even in my my personal personal hobbies, most of them are attributed to helping other people. Um, my spiritual aspect with the church has skyrocketed into areas that I would like unbelievable, I never thought I would see myself in those areas in those fields. But again, it's it shapes me spiritually. Uh. My character characteristics of and, uh, I call it discipleship. And I encourage it with everyone or to everyone that I meet. Know. I encourage them to be followers, I encourage them to be disciples, and I encourage them to continue to grow in faith. And I believe that my life now is more faith oriented than ever before. 

Well, I work with health ministries, and I visit the the sick, I also visit the dying. And, uh,  I've been able to, uh to learn to, uh, to comfort people, when they're, when they're, uh when their lives are [STUTTERS] at uh, at uh, at uh the most tragic point. You know, of course. It's ridiculous, but it's also very, very, uh, so it's, uh [INAUDIBLE STUTTTER] I do a lot of Chaplain work. But I also do a lot of of of  disciple work. Uh. The [SHORT PAUSE] I'm more accepted in the community now, because the community approaches me, knowing full well that I, you know, I'm I'm I'm , I'm a servant, I serve people, that's what I do. I serve people. So even as I climb up, [SHORT PAUSE] in [SHORT PAUSE] even as I climb up in, say, positions of the church, it's actually climbing down, the higher up I go, the more I have to serve. But it's always that I always have to be beneath everyone, so that I can serve them. So so, uh, that it didn't take long to grasp it. But it's not always easy, because people want to see you as some sort of authority figure. But you're not. You're not you're a disciple, you're below, you're here to serve. You're not here to be served. 

Chaplain.

I get a manifest of all the people who are in. And I visit them to try to provide some kind of, uh, spiritual relief for them guidance. Some are [SHORT PAUSE] ill [SHORT PAUSE] some are recuperating, some are very ill, some are terminally ill. And some are in uh, in, uh, like a hospice stead state, where the end is is very near. So, uh, we kind of tend to to, uh, spend more time with or longer periods with them than with the people who are, uh, just ill. They all they all need some kind of spiritual guidance. They're all they all have some kind of fear. Um. But [SHORT PAUSE] the larger degree of fear is, you know, terminally ill, uh, in the hospice. 

Oh, totally 100%.  

Uh, well, it's, it's rewarding, but it's again, it's a reward it's a reward that doesn't have like, uh a monetary value, obviously, no, it doesn't have a monetary value, whatsoever. Even if you were getting paid for it, it doesn't. It doesn't do anything for you economically. But it does, but the riches are in spirituality. And that's it, it's one of the most rewarding things I have ever had the, uh, the the pleasure to do. Um. I believe that [SHORT PAUSE] Uh, God has taught me a great deal of humility, because of it. Uh, I can I can honestly say now that I, I appreciate life, way more than I ever did. And just because like, looking back and say, like, you know, even when you see a, say, a 90 year old person that's going into the afterlife, you know, you you, you look back and say like, you know, 90 years compared to the world, it's just a drop in the bucket. You know, so it's a Um, it-it's a benefit, to benefit. And I think that it's, it's, it's inspired me to want to be a better person. 

[SHORT PAUSE] I guess just the feeling that in some form or fashion, you're able to provide for a person that is [SHORT PAUSE] a total stranger to you. Some sort of comfort, some sort of comfort. Uh, and and it's just an amazing, uh feeling when someone that you don't know, is is relying on you. You know, uh it's it's very nice. I've met [SHORT PAUSE] some people who were more grateful than people I've known for a long, long time. In just a few short minutes, uh we average a long stay with a person who is ill is probably about eight minutes, 10 minutes at the most. But in those 10 minutes, you can provide them with a comfort [SHORT PAUSE] [STUTTER] and, and, and and a peace of mind. That tranquility that they have never had before. That doesn't work on everybody, but it works on the vast majority of them. And they find a tranquility that they've struggled to [SHORT PAUSE] connect with. So it's it's it's rewarding in more ways than one.

The the a the biggest challenge is the ability to try and keep composure? Sometimes they're hurting and and and it trans relates to you it's like you feel their pain. You feel their fear, you feel their anger, you feel their, their bewilderment. And it's it's I mean, if you use sense that you can, you can feel yourself being along side them. And,and , uh, when a person does pass, that pain [SHORT PAUSE] automatically transfers to the family. And so now that that that pain didn't subside that confusion doesn't subside the the agony of of of, or the desperation of the situation doesn't go away. In fact, it escalates. Because the person who was passing into the afterlife or he's in the afterlife, he or she's in the afterlife, they're comforted, they're they're, they're no longer suffering in pain, but the pain goes immediately to the family because no matter how [SHORT PAUSE] um, no matter how difficult it is to let go of a person, um or how you prepare, knowing it's the best thing that can happen, um The shock. When they're gone, [SHORT PAUSE] the shock is all yours. It belongs to the family. So it's, it's it. Again, it's rewarding, but it's a very different kind of reward. It's it's, it's satisfying. But it's a different kind of satisfaction. It's it's not something that, uh, uh, I don't know, at the risk of being like arrogant with it. It is not something that you kind of [SHORT PAUSE] it's not something that any just anybody can do. And why I received the privilege of doing such a thing is unbeknownst to me, but I'm glad that it was it was, uh, it, uh, I'm glad that God gave it. 

Strongly agree, 4 

Oh, I'm very proud of my country. I served my country. I don't. I've had the privilege to go to 14 different countries. And I've never seen any nation like the United States. Never. There might there might have been some that were comparable. But it wasn't the US. And as as bad as people think the US is now you have no idea how good we have it. So I strongly agree I love my nation. I love my country. 

4. I'm proud to be from the state of Texas. I think Texas is, uh, a nation all of its of its own. Technically it is but, um, we still consider ourselves part of the United States. But we have an individuality that that is Texas allows us to be whatever it is that we want to be. And that's a good thing. 

Being Texas and American are equally important to me.  

Because no matter, Texas is just where I was fortunate enough to live. But I think that if you ask anybody about their home state, whether it be Alabama, or Montana, or, or Connecticut, they're all they all have a connection to it that because that's what that's the area that shaped them to whom they are now. So I would say that first and foremost, we are Americans. But first and foremost, I'm a Texan. So I would share the same, the same, uh I, America would not be America without Texas, but Texas would not be Texas without the United States. So. 

I somewhat disagree. No matter where you are, it is pertinent and and important to know, more than one language. Even if your other language is American Sign Language, it doesn't matter. It is important to be bilingual. You know, even if it's TRY-lingual, that's T-R-Y it to try to learn different, uh, languages is to me is very, very important. And the statement, I say it boldly, but cautiously that Americans speak very bad English. And Americans speak very bad Spanish. And I think it's very important that that everybody should try to sound or to be eloquent in either language, in any language that you speak. Even if you don't speak, uh, a second language. You should be eloquent in your first language. 

I somewhat disagree. Somewhat disagree. Because Spanish is important and vital, especially in the area where where we live now here in the, in the lower end of Texas alongside the border. And I think it's, it's beneficial, very beneficial to learn to speak Spanish, but, uh I I don't think that English is [SHORT PAUSE] the official language of Texas or the United States, but it's definitely the primary language. And you should be able to speak English better than Spanish. Speaking an eloquent Spanish is just beneficial. Okay, but we have visitors in our area, that speak French, we have areas in our, in our, in our state, that rely on German, so it's nice to know, and be it's beneficial. We also have visitors from Canada, that speak French. So if you could at least learn to say, you know, "Merci beaucoup" or to be polite, you know, in a different language is good. 

Well, I think the more languages you are acquainted with, or you know that you are talented with, uh, the better person or the more important person you become, because you're you have one of the greatest life skills, uh, available, which is communication. 

I have to agree [SHORT PAUSE] I have to agree. Even though the primary language here is English it's, it is beneficial to know Spanish but it so it's also pretty much required, you know, and the more fluent that you are in, uh, Spanish, the better, the better that you are not just to serve in your community, but to communicate with other people. For us, it's vitally important because, um, we have relatives that don't speak English, or don't communicate well in English. So it's, it's important to be able to communicate with them in the language that they're suited with, which is more than likely Spanish. 

I somewhat disagree. Things in this area are no-traditionally, I think we've lost a lot of tradition. Uh, one of the things that painstakins me a lot is the people who want to forget their roots. "I'm an American, I'm not a Mexican," but what's wrong with being Mexican American? I don't find any discrepancies whatsoever. My roots are from Mexico. My history is from Mexico, this [REFERRING TO THE COMMUNITY]  was Mexico at one point, my family goes back many generations as you know, in this in, even in this area, when it was Mexico, so, uh, I don't see anything, uh, uh [SHORT PAUSE] that I think I think it's very important to keep in contact with your culture, uh. Culture is a big important factor in people's lives. Uh. The little things that give you, uh [SHORT PAUSE] cultural value, like say, Quinceañeras, bailes, music, entertainment, uh, [EMPHASIS] food, reasons to gather you know, and celebrations that we that we have in our culture. Uh,[SHORT PAUSE] I don't oppose sweet sixteens but I don't approve of them. I think quinceañeras are more cultural, we can identify with a quinceañera-we really can't identify with the sweet 16 It doesn't make any cultural sense to me. Uh, [SHORT PAUSE] foodwise- we have some of the most [EMPHASIS] delicious food on earth. You know, we cook with a spirit of[SHORT PAUSE] being [EMPHASIS] mexicano. It's very important to be mexicano and to be to relate to it. So most of our, our diet and our traditions are, are evident just by who we are. Uh. language wise, I believe we should say words that are in Spanish in Spanish, you know, and, and don't, uh, don't [SHORT PAUSE] change the value of the word because you pronounce it different. For for example, uh for a-good example. A little town like San Juan is [PRONOUNCES NAME WITH MEXICAN ACCENT] San Juan. It's not [PRONOUNCES NAME WITH AMERICAN ACCENT]San Juan. It's not San Juan. It's [PRONOUNCES NAME WITH MEXICAN ACCENT] San Juan. Okay. My last name is [PRONOUNCES LAST NAME WITH MEXICAN ACCENT]. It's not [PRONOUNCES LAST NAME WITH AMERICAN ACCENT]. Okay. [PRNOUNCES NAME WITH MEXICAN ACCENT] Sandoval is Sandoval not [PRONOUNCES NAME WITH AMERICAN ACCENT] Sandoval. [PRONOUNCES NAME WITH MEXICAN ACCENT] Davila is Davila not [PRONOUNCES NAME WITH AMERICAN ACCENT] Davila. Okay. It's, I think those kinds of traditions, we should [SHORT PAUSE] we should place more emphasis on and embrace them as as they are, as they were, as they should be. And that not sort of, uh, uh, for lack of a better term, Americanize them, uh like like anglicize them, we we have a tradition we have, we have a culture and I think the preservation of our culture is very important. 

[RAISES BROW] Oh, God, everything. Everything has changed. Uh, while it still, for the most part, been able to maintain that little small town feel. Um. Like I said, when I arrived here was about 30,000 people in [COMMUNITY NAME], and everybody knew everybody, you know, and now, it's roughly about 85,000 people. So that's 50,000 people more. And I think that census is incorrect. But that's a political thing. Uh. [SHORT PAUSE] It could never stay the same. Technology has to come in and has come in and pretty much has dominated,uh, the growth. Okay, uh. Very, very, uh. as we as we became more populated, the demands were more, um, necessary. Um. We were able to think, and memorize things much better back in the day. But now because of technology, we, have uh, everybody has a phone. Everybody has more than one TV, everybody has more than one vehicle. Everybody has, uh, uh, a a household income, a two household, two income household, the vast majority of us are like that. We're more career oriented, things like that. So so a lot of the b[SHORT PAUSE] a lot of the things that were not present in the 70s, like, uh traditional home values, per se, for and again, for lack of a better term, they're kind of they kind of dissipated along the way, where education was not something that was pushed by by my parents generation. Uh, I know that we were pushed to graduate from high school, which was like a major accomplishment. And it's now like a stepping stone. Uh, more, we're geared more towards educating at the university levels at the college levels. Uh. More than more than ever before, uh. which is a good thing, which is a good thing. But we also have to remember that that, uh there's nothing wrong with being a plumber, there's nothing wrong with being a mechanic. There's nothing wrong with being  a-working, produce or working. I mean, it's they all serve purposes. But it's also, uh, beneficial to be an engineer, to be a lawyer to be a doctor to be a, uh, an accountant. You know, of course, almost everything ties in, everything ties in, there's way more of that now than ever before than ever before. I remember, even,uh, at the at the time that we were in high school, in our little town of [COMMUNITY NAME] that 30,000 people to my knowledge, there was only a handful of beauty salons. You know, beauty salons, my sister [SISTER'S NAME] works as, as a beauty salon person, whatever they called- a cosmetologist, you know, and then all of a sudden they're a dime a dozen. They're everywhere. You know, like Yeah, it's good. It's good. Uh, but there's, I mean, you have to work really, really, really hard. Not that the other jobs don't require hard works it is very different work. You work there's more mind work than there is physical work, you know, but as far as the area's concerned we have all kinds of amenities now that were unheard of, uh or unthought of, you know, I was I was fortunate enough to to witness the change from black and white TV to color TV. From color TV to these giant screen TVs. I was fortunate enough to see the, uh  black and white pictures go to colored pictures to go to Polaroids to go to cameras on your phone that take much sharper images than than the cameras that we had back then. So very fortunate to see the telephone system is skyrocket, skyrocket cable TV versus UHS and VHS. We have FM radio here now, I still don't like it. Uh, But it's still it's, it's something that we never, I like as a kid, as a 13 year old teenager, FM radio was the thing. In [CITY IN ILLINOIS] we didn't listen to am radio, you know, when we came over here was all a ham radio, which is, uh a very different circuit. So, so it's it was the modulation was different. And so the sound was different. And it wasn't clear and it was, if you went under an overpass it would cut out because it was amplified. Okay, and now it's frequency modulated so so all of that is going into, took it to a different area. But even that has changed, because now it's satellite satellite has a lot to do with it. Or what we know now is Bluetooth, all that kind of stuff. Well not Bluetooth, but uh what do you call like Spotify?  

Streaming, streaming. All of that is, is the new era. So like, we're not [SHORT PAUSE] far behind anymore. We're we in fact, we're on pace. We're, um, we're definitely on pace [PURSES LIPS] with modern technology. So as far as that is concerned, like the old the old [COMMNITY NAME] versus the new [COMMUNITY NAME]? Well, it we're better off now because of the the availabilities of all these things here. But the quiet simple life is something that we all [SHORT PAUSE] kind of wish we could go back to. And then once you get a glimpse, or is it like, oh, man, this is so peaceful, so tranquil, so serene, and then come Monday, we're back into the Madhouse of technology, modernization. 

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Despite all the comments that I made about, about the corruption and all that stuff, there's good wholesome values here, that still outweighs any corruption that could possibly be here. Uh. Good, wholesome values. Uh-I don't see them as prevalent in in in, uh northern states. I [SHORT PAUSE] In fact, the [NAME OF SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY] is something very unique in its own sense. Because once you leave the[NAME OF SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY] things are changed. It's completely different. Completely different. This is an area that's very, uhm still has a lot of tradition, you know, a considerable amount of tradition. And that's because it's multicultural, and is predominantly Mexican. You know, even though we're becoming more Americanized, we can't escape or we-and I don't think we ever will-escape our Mexican roots or Mexican traditions you know, which is prevalent in our entertainment industry, where the majority the vast majority always goes back to Spanish to Mexico. Pretty much.

Oh, the camaraderie that I've developed throughout the years I [SHORT PAUSE] I didn't fit in when I when I got here. I was a big city kid. I was into rock music. And that wasn't available here. Uh. I had to learn about all of them musicians and music, uh, through magazines and oftentimes had to special order, uh, albums or records that I wanted because they weren't available here. Um, so, a lot of that came in, uh. I wore tennis shoes. They wore, people here wore boots. I wore pants, people here wore jeans. I wore T shirts people here wore shirts. It's kind of odd. Because now I wear shoes and I wear, uh, pants I wear jeans and I wear T shirts more than than than anything but now I wear shoes, pants and shirts and [SHORT PAUSE] As far as like, music wise, I'm more culturally diverse now- still struggle in this area, because nothing is available B but streaming sure helps, um. So, growing up here, I would say the here once you have a friend that's a friend for life, same to be said about an enemy. Once you dislike a person here, you pretty much dislike him for for life. Unfortunately, you know, but that doesn't mean you don't know them. That just means you don't like them. You know, it's a big difference, uh. It was more serene. It was quieter, it was there was- we were able to escape the city by just going two or three miles past the city limit. You know, now you have to go 20 30 miles, 40 50 miles, if you really want it quiet in areas that will you don't, you don't know anyone. You know, so. So, uh, a lot of those things have changed. But as far as growing up here, as far as growing up here, I think that I was able to maintain good family values, good family values, good family traditions, good family upbringings. Uh, I think that I've raised my children well. I am I was I wasn't a strict parents were strict as, as my parents were very, very liberal in that area. But still, I I, um, I'm glad to see that I was able to give my children good home values, that I think in the bigger cities, they're kind of they they kind of dissipate a lot more than this area here. 

I don't think it'll ever go away completely. I think that because of our roots, and our ties, uh. it would maintain a, uh, a good[SHORT PAUSE] percentage of our values. I think, uh, uh, [SHORT PAUSE] spiritually, I think that that is almost an impossibility. Although we are getting more modern religions and what have you, uh, things of that nature. But no, I don't I don't foresee us going into a, uh, a complete different way of life. No, I don't think so. Not at all. 

Ah! [GRINS] The Chicago Cubs, the Chicago Cubs. This is what I was raised on. Uh. For anyone who might know, the movie, The Sandlot. And, uh. Smalls was the was the oddball- well I was the oddball I was Smalls, but we loved baseball. And we played in the empty lots, the sand lots. We played all those in those kinds of things. And our team was the Chicago Cubs. And I was never able to let go. I love the Dallas Cowboys, but no other sport. And I love love, love the San Antonio Spurs, but nobody could take the Chicago Cubs. 

I don't want to talk about it [LOOKS DOWN AND LAUGHS] 

[FAST] Well, yeah, yeah, we definitely had to do. Yeah, absolutely [RAISES BROWS, NODS]. There was no getting out of it. We've my parents were like, home first. You know, I think it was in my rebellious teens like 16, 17, 18, but it didn't really last long because I you know, I left for the military but no, we we had to cut our own grass. We had to throw out the trash. We had to clean our rooms we had to we had to wash the cars. We had to do all that kind of stuff. It was it was part of, uh, it was like the unwritten rule that you are obligated to do so.  

The worst chore? I think the worst chore was [THINKING]   Uhhh, think the worst chore was probably- probably cleaning the house. I didn't really care for cleaning the house too much.  

It was indoors. I'm an outdoor person. 

Uhhh. The chore I didn't mind doing so much was probably cutting the grass. 

[SCOFFS] Absolutely. I was a kid.  

Huh? 

Uh. Probably cleaning my room. Uh probably taking out the trash. Uh things like that, you know?

Oh, my dad was not, my dad was not. My dad believed in corporal punishment. He believed in corporal punishment. 

Oh, that's ludicrous. Ludicrous. I have as many girl friends as I or female friends as I d, uh, male friends. You don't treat them the same way. You don't say thing. There's certain things you don't say to to a girl woman lady that you can to a man. Men are much easier to get along with. Uh. I like rugged people which you can be rugged with with women. You know, uh, there's there's you can't you can't- it is disrespectful. But But, uh. I found, uh. Women coworkers were easier to talk to, uh professional wise than men. Because men always had a macho attitude towards everything. And while I believe that, uh, being a "man" man is very important. Extremely important. "A man is a man, act like a man" Uh, being able to to to [SHORT PAUSE] coexist with women is very important. They're more gentle, they're more, they're more, uh, they're home more homey, more homey, more pleasant. Men can be rough men can be mean, [QUICKLY] women can be mean too, women can be mean too. Don't get me wrong. Some of the two biggest bullies I know of were women. Uh. But, but, uh. women for the most part are very pleasant. And men for the most part are very, I think men are really actually more genuine, because that's who they are. That's who they are. And women. You can't identify everything with a woman that you can with a man. Men, for instance, are my brother in law's I love being around them because it gives me an opportunity to act silly to act stupid, you know, and with my sister in laws or my you know, uh, women, relatives, you can't you don't have that luxury, you you have to be you have to behave, you have to be honorable, respectable, minded, you know, you have you have to be of of, of um have [SHORT PAUSE] good values with them. And with men, you you can you can be more earthly, more worldly more that we live in. So, but but no, I think it is very important to be able to, to establish a rapport with both men and women. 

[LAUGHS] Of course.  

Well it would happen a lot at work. Where [SHORT PAUSE] people that tend to shrug work off, you know, are people that tend to think that they do better than you and you know, like, I think the most the worst experience was, uh, this lady that I worked with, she was my boss at [DIFFERENT SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY NAME] state bank. I worked in the vault, and she was not a very friendly person. [SHORT PAUSE] And I mouthed off one time. Not directly at her, but I mouthed off one time saying these really bad things about her in Spanish. Thinking that she didn't, she couldn't hear me or know me. And then I, I saw her one time speaking to a customer from Mexico with the most fluent Spanish I had ever seen an Anglo lady speak. And then after the conversation was over, she told me, "and yes, I understood every single word you said about me." And I felt like oh, my God [PUTS HEAD IN HANDS] [CHUCKLES] But yeah, that was the worst experience I had with. 

[SCOFFS] Strongly disagree. That's when I just started hating music. 

Like, oh, God, like no, no, no, nothing, nothing, nothing could ever match the 60s and 70s. Nothing. Nothing that even comes close. I think music started to become more of a noise, uh, rock wise. In 1985 on or about. In fact, I stopped listening to rock music altogether, and listen more to progressive and alternative jazz. Uh. Because it was it was more musically inclined, they showed off their talents. And in the 1980s, I saw them- uh. You didn't have to have talent, you just have to have a good body. And you had to have the, the, the, the will, to show off your body. And that made you a good performer. It's like you had no musical skill, you can't sing. You can't play, you can't do anything. You know, but you can't even dance or you can do strip, you know. So- uh. that made you a good musician. Now with the 90s, where vulgar words, were starting to be more acceptable. Uh. The more you curse, the better performer you are. And that's simply not true. In my day, you have one or two songs that said a curse word. And they were automatically great songs. But I learned it from way back then. That no, it's not a good song. It's pretty much pretty lousy songs. You know, it's like, like you didn't really, you didn't have to say that. You know, one word, one song, in particular "Hair of the Dog" -horrible song, horrible song, but if you listen to the lyrics, it's over and over and over a curse word. So everybodys like, "ah, that's a great song. That's a great song." No, it's not. It's a lousy song. You liked it because it said something that you weren't that you weren't supposed to say or hear. So like, was it more descriptive? Was it more liberal? Most definitely. But no. The 90s was pretty much a curse of music. 

Sure. 

Reading passage: Growing Up in Texas.  I lived in Texas all my life. I was born in [SLOWLY] Titus County. And when I was five, we moved to a farm near The White House, which was southeast of Tyler. I like growing up in the country. When my chores were done, I'd ride my horse, climb trees, or hike down [BREAK IN SPEECH] to the creek to fish or swim. One time we tied a rope to a limb of a cypress tree, and we'd swing out wide over the swimming hole and drop into the water. I pretend to be Tarzan swinging on a vine. In the spring, I'd fly kites, on the summer nights we'd watch fireflies but we call them lightning bugs. Once in a while we had fights with corn cobs or pine cones. In the winter, we'd build a fire in a fireplace and pop popcorn and roast peanuts and pecans. I guess [QUICK PAUSE] I was a Livewire. When I was 19 I went to work in Dallas at a Firestone Tire store. I didn't like city life. And for a long time, I'd go home every chance I got. Mama would always cook [BRIEF PAUSE] my favorite foods fried okra. hoppin john, that's rice and black eyed peas, and pecan pie. We had lots of good times, but going home is now not the same now. After daddy died, Mama sold the farm and moved to Tyler. I'd rather be living on a farm right now instead of here in the city. But my wife and kids don't understand me. When I gripe about city life and talk about moving to the country. My oldest child says Daddy, that's crazy. I'd just die if I had to live on a farm. I almost cried the first time she said that. I know Texas is changing. But I tried to make sure we don't lose touch with our our roots. While we may live in the in a city, I want my kids to have a good feeling for the land. Have a sense of place and take pride in being Texan. If they lose their ties to the land. The price of progress is too high. 

No. 

I do [LAUGHS]. 

In this [COMMUNITY NAME]? Okay. I um, I moved to [UPPER GULF COAST REGION COMMUNITY NAME] to go to college. And then I came back when I retired, and I was looking for a retirement community and I found one. But since I had, since I was a widow, I had lost my husband the previous year, the one that I found for before, it was mostly couples, and I was uncomfortable. So I sold it, and then I looked for something that was not so couple-oriented, and this was the one that I found [CHUCKLES].  It was just I was very, I was still very much in the grieving process. And I guess that's what determined my, my selection. 

Oh, because I was born and raised here. And I went, my first two years after graduation from high school, my first two years, I went to [TEXAS UNIVERSITY NAME], which then was a community college. And I wanted to be a nurse and there was no programs, any closer than I think there was one in [DIFFERENT SOUTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY] with [HOSPITAL NAME] hospital. And then I went to, picked [UPPER GULF COAST REGION COMMUNITY] because then, um, [STATE ORGANIZATION NAME] assisted me with a [SIGHS] um, small scholarship so that I could promise them that I was coming back and work here. Well, I did not keep my word. I stayed in [UPPER GULF COAST REGION COMMUNITY] for 40 years, and then I came back. But I did come back after 40 years [LAUGHS]. 

Oh it is changed a lot. It used to be just a very small. In fact, this area where I'm living now, it used to be an orchard. And um, citrus was the main and it still is the main resource here. And um, the population has doubled since I left. If not tripled, I don't think we had more than 10 or 20,000, I were up to 85,000. [SIGHS] So it has, it has developed a lot more. We have had more stores come down, restaurants. Um. In fact, our our own hospital has enlarged we there was a [COMMUNITY HOSPITAL NAME] when I left, and it moved to place that it is now and um, to show how small it was. I think that that building is now used for administration for the school offices, administration for the school district. So it really went it just flourished, I think, which is good. And the um, businesses used to be every everybody was involved around the [COMMUNTIY PRODUCE EVENT] and citrus farming. And so now there's a lot more businesses and things that people can get into. [FAN BUZZES IN THE BACKGROUND] 

I think we still retain the uh um, uh family unity. Uh, We still um retain a lot of the a lot of the residents still are very close to their church, their churches. And two of the big churches that are maybe a little bit more, but I only remember when I was growing up there was the Catholic Church and there was the Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church, but they were small little Baptist church, but those were the main big ones. And uh we still retain that core. You know, so I think that, that it's it's still a very religious oriented community, I think, which I love. [FAN BUZZES IN THE BACKGROUND]. 

What do you mean?  

Well there is still a lot of poverty in the [COMMUNITY NAME], I think that, um, it started with the people coming from Mexico and being very uneducated. When I was growing up, there was a lot of discrimination. It was mostly the whites and the Mexicans. And we were very, the Mexicans were very discriminated just as much as you saw the Blacks in the north. In fact, when I joined the brownies when I was a little girl, and I remember coming home because, crying, because they they were going to, we had a pool, community swimming pool, and the brownies were being taken to go swimming. And of course, there were two little girls from our little parochial school that were me and another friend, my best friend, and we were not allowed to go into the pool because we were Mexicans. And I remember coming home and crying, you know. It was hard for my mother, how do you [DEEP SIGH]. But there was a lot of discrimination, even, even within ,the, my Catholic faith. There was [FIRST COMMUNITY CHURCH NAME] which, is, was in the south part of [COMMUNITY NAME], and in the north side was a [SECOND COMMUNITY CHURCH NAME]. All and [INAUDIBLE] school associate, parochial school associated with each of them. And what was so funny is that the nuns that taught [SECOND COMMUNITY CHURCH NAME] were living in the convent because they didn't have a convent at [SECOND COMMUNITY CHURCH], they were living in the convent for [FIRST COMMUNITY CHURCH NAME]. But yet, it was like all of the Anglos went into [FIRST COMMUNITY CHURCH NAME] schools and we went to [SECOND COMMUNITY CHURCH NAME]. So even in our own faith, there was discrimination.  

I started Catholic school in 1944.  

[AGREES VERBALLY] 

I am very active with my church still. And I, um, used to participate in in distribution as a Eucharistic minister. Now I just, because they remodeled my church and, and the altar is so much higher and there's no nothing to hold on to. And I'm afraid to go up the the altar without, something to hold on, so I don't do that very much anymore. Unless there's nobody else there at the mass that I'm going to. But I do still, um, I'm still a Eucharistic minister and I take the Eucharist to the homes of homebound people. I pray funeral rosaries that, um, at the funeral homes all around here. And um, with my family, that's basically which I think I'm more active than most people. [CHUCKLES] 

Um, I was a trained to be a registered nurse. And I worked at that profession until I retired and came down here and [PAUSES] so and basically from early 60s to 95 or 96 when I retired. And now I don't do that of course. 

I don't think it has. I see the need here, and I saw the need before because of financial resources. I, I work most of my, most of my professional working was in [UPPER GULF COAST REGION COMMUNITY NAME] with with the indigene [UPPER GULF COAST REGION HOSPITAL NAME]. And it was, it was so nice to see that people did not go in need of medical attention because there was a resource through the hospital being a, um, county hospital. And so they got all their their monies, to, to be able to take care of this, but and of course we had two nursing, I mean to medical schools. We had [TEXAS UNIVERSITY NAME] was had the residents training there, and [SECOND TEXAS UNIVERSITY NAME] had theirs. So this, this tool will actually would have we had three hospitals they were [DOOR OPENS IN BACKGROUND], they were taken care of by students from this two schools. And then when I moved here and I see that there is no help for this indigent people. I think there is a small, I've never researched it, but I think there is a small resource available through the county, that they, um, pay the hospital for taking care of the indigent. But nothing is organized in this as we have in big cities like [NORTH TEXAS REGION COMMUNITY NAME] and [UPPER GULF COAST REGION COMMUNITY NAME]. And I wish we could get something started like that. If I were younger, I would probably work on that. [CHUCKLES] 

What is the [INAUDIBLE]? 

Oh, I, I just love my, I've always wanted to be a nurse. And so I, I, I worked with when I worked at when I was training at [UPPER GULF COAST REGION HOSPITAL NAME] I did my cli, my clinical training at [UPPER GULF COAST REGION HOSPITAL NAME] And I was like, they had two buildings, the building for the indigent and the building for the private patients. And I always did my clinical with the indigene, because I wanted to come home, and, and know how things were were run and done there. But fortunately, or unfortunately, a year after my graduation, I met my, my husband, and he was born and raised in [UPPER GULF COAST REGION COMMUNITY NAME]. So and he was working there, so we stayed in [UPPER GULF COAST REGION COMMUNITY NAME]. And I never fulfilled that dream because I didn't come back until I was retired [CHUCKLES]. 

Four.  

Four. 

The third one is fou- yes. [CHUCKLES] 

I think so. 

Four. [DOOR OPENS IN BACKGROUND] 

Oh, no. I don't agree at all. [CHUCKLES]  

One. 

Mhmmm, in my community here, I would probably put that at uh, I wish there was uh, it was one to five, so I could say three [LAUGHS], middle of the road. [LAUGHS] 

One.  

Um, business. Um, I think that probably education. And I would put medical third. 

Yes, four. 

Well, it wasn't only the fact of living in this community, but maybe the time will, will will. My answer is dependent because the time that I was growing up, which was the 40s, it was very different than maybe a person that was born and raised here. And growing up in the 50s, our lives were completely different. You know, so going with mine, I think it was probably a, probably a two. Because there was so many handicaps in everything was [PAUSES] was leaning towards whether you you belong, whether you were Anglo, or whether you are Mexican. And that's what, now there's, hopefully I don't see it, but now I don't think that that's a problem anymore.  

No.

The people. 

Of course the Houston Texans. [LAUGHS] 

Yeah. Well, you know, right now we're not in really, in the uh, where. The Houston Texas are not doing as good maybe as other teams because they haven't been in the Super Bowl. But because [ICE MACHINE IN THE BACKGROUND] I [INAUDIBLE] When I grew up here, baseball was the number one team, everybody supported, and they even had a whatever they call a junior league for. And um, and my father was a big baseball fan, so of course, I was introduced to baseball first, and I still like the Astros and I still like baseball. But to me, I, my husband introduced me to football. And I grew up with the Oilers, and the, the Texans. Oilers than than Texas.  

Do I have what? 

Unfortunately, no. I was the baby of the family and I was treated as a baby and doted upon since I came along when my mother was middle aged, and she had grown children. So they all doted on me, and I never had any. And I remember wishing when my friends at school would say, "I had to do the dishes last night" , and I was going "I never had to do anything like that", you know. And then I came home and I paid [STUTTERS] My mother had a housekeeper pay the housekeeper quarters, so she would let me wash dishes. My mother was furious when she found out but I wanted to be able to go to school and say, "Oh, I had to wash dishes last night." [LAUGHS] 

Not as much at my age. I'm already almost 86, and I don't do too many chores. 

I can't remember. No. 

Oh no No, no, I think it's, I have a lot of, in fact, growing up all of my, all of my friends' boyfriends were my, you know, their actual romantic boyfriends were my best friends. [CHUCKLES]. I think it's very possible to have boys be friends. 

Mhmmm yes, probably. 

Let me get my glasses. 

I have my kitchen glasses, I have my glasses in my, in my on my desk by the computer. [RESIDENT SITS BACK DOWN] But I don't normally need to have glasses. I don't need them for driving or anything, just close up. 

"I've lived in Texas all my life. I was born in Titus County. And when I was five, we moved to a farm near White House, which is south east of Tyler. [CHUCKLES] I like growing up in [STUTTERS] in the country. When my [STUTTERS] chores were done, I'd ride my horse, climb trees or hike down to the creek to fish or swim. One time we tied, we tied a rope to a limb of a cypress tree, and we'd swing out wide over the swimming hole and drop into the water. I pretend to be Tarzan [CHUCKLES] swinging on a vine. In the spring, I fly kites and on summer nights we'd catch fireflies, but we call them lightning bugs. Once in a while, we have fights with corn cobs or pine cones. In the winter would build a fire in the fireplace and pop popcorn and roast peanuts and pecans. I guess I was the live wire. When I was 19 I went to work in Dallas as a Firestone Tire store, at a Firestone tires store. I didn't like city life, and for a long time I'd go home every chance I got. Momma would always cook my favorite foods fried: okra, Hoppin' John, that's rice and black eyed peas, and pecan pie. We had lots of good times, but going home is not the same now. After daddy died, mama sold the farm and moved to Tyler. I'd rather be living on a farm right now instead of here in the city. But my wife and kids don't understand me. When I gripe about city life and talk about moving to the county, to the country. My oldest child says, "Daddy, that's crazy. I just die if I had to live on a farm" [CHUCKLES MIDSENTENCE]. I almost cried the first time she said that. I know Texas is changing, but I tried to make sure we don't touch, loose touching with our roots. While we may live in a city, I want my kids to have a good feeling for free land, for the land, have a sense of place and take pride in being Texans. If they lose our ties to the land, the price of progress is too high."  When I read, the first thing that jumped out at me when they're trying to say they [INAUDIBLE] moved to Tyler. Anybody that moved to Tay-Tyler that was Hispanic would have a big problem.[CHUCKLES]  Because Tyler was not only very much against Mexicans, it was also, in my time, it was also very much against Catholics. [CHUCKLES] When all my friends that started dating, when the well, she was my daughter's father in law- mother in law, she's passed away. And she told me a story about that when when she went her, intended well, they ended up getting married, but they were in high school. And so this this guy is calling her and her his best friend is saying,  "Ask her ask her, ask her if she's a Catholic". And so he said, "Are you Catholic?" And she because there was very few people in Tyler, Texas. And this was like probably in the more like in the 40, no, no, she was a tiny bit younger than me so it had to be the 50s. And she she said that, he asked her and she said "Yes I'm [INAUDIBLE],"  "Hang up hang up, she's Catholic!" [LAUGHS] And I thought, boy never have I, I've seen discrimination with race but never with religion, but Tyler, Texas is very. But uh, it is true farm life, if you grew up in the farm, and [COMMUNITY NAME] was almost, I have no idea how I had this in my mind. My mother and her sister, her only sister were very close. And when my grandparents moved to [COMMUNITY NAME], they bought a lot that was sort of rec-rectangular. And as we grew up [INAUDIBLE] I, when they grew up my mother and her sister. And, um, they ended up getting married here in [COMMUNITY NAME]. And they, they build their houses in that lot. One was facing the west side and the other one was facing the east side, and they shared a backyard. And in that backyard, man they had, after a while my uncle had opened a store and my daddy had, he built a little store there. And my father had built a little service station type of repair shop that's what it was. Yeah, auto repair shop. And I when I came back from college and I was, the, the place was up for sale, and I was, really wanted to buy it. I wanted to keep it. My son said "Mom, you're crazy. You know, it's, it's it's a bad neighborhood," I said, but it wasn't bad when I was growing up! And then I went to look at it anyway. And I have no idea how small both our houses could have been because there's only room for one nice house that my uncle built because he ended up owning it. And a backyard and how do we had two businesses, two houses [LAUGHS]. But yeah, [LAUGHS] I wanted it, I wanted that property back, because it would remind me of my childhood. 

Speak Clearly

July the 9th

I agree? I consent to being interviewed and audio recorded for this study.

Well, for as long as I can remember, I was born here in [Region]. And I am a true [Region] girl. I've never left the [Region]. Of course, I've visited many cities outside the [Region], but I've never lived outside the [Region].

In terms of [City], I promote [City] as a progressive city. I think the entire [Region] now is progressive. But [City] is really spearheading, and leading above the rest in terms of progression. We had a big urban sprawl way back. And so it hasn't stopped. Many years. I know growing up, I knew this as a farming community. But no longer do we promote it or recognize it as such, is very much retail oriented. Um And we truly rely on the Mexican shopper to help us offset our costs.

Um...It's grown fast, it's changed. Um...And I may say it's lost a little bit of its culture because and I say that only because, like I mentioned, it was a, you know, a nerd culture community, very rich in uh produce. And now uh it's just a bypass of the produce, because we have the, you know, the produce terminal where the, the fruit and vegetables come from Mexico and other parts of the country. They, they freeze them here, and then they, they, they distribute from here, but it has become a destination community. We have [Inaudible] with us both on both sides of the border. And so that's something growing up, we didn't see, you see it now. And again, very heavy, like we were talking about, on the retail side, they they're very big. Also, the city is on quality of life, and making it a better place to live and visit for everyone

I do. I really think that it is a strength of the of our community. I know the city leaders, not only in [City], but I think that the region has has kind of agreed or partnered on promoting a better quality of life. And um I say that because we started with the the uh hike and bike trails here and in [City] through [Street] along the drain ditches and then that's caught on to the City of [Neighboring City] of some one far and all the surrounding communities. So now there's a big partnership throughout the different throughout [County] anyway, where we're making the kind of activity for those hike and bike trails. We've created, we as a city and just in general, have created more of entertainment opportunities for for our, for just our residents, our community in general, because we recognize that not many people can afford to go and out of the [Region] to go experience a you know, a, an art, an art, an artsy theater, you know, the the, the performances that now through the [City] performing arts. So we bring a lot of that that opportunity to our community here, right. We're promoting a Oh, there's now uh the bout the bikes, the cycling routes, right, we've created a lot of the five K's and, and the 10, k's and we create the, the Macy's Day Parade in [City]. You know, the holiday parade,

So we bring a lot of that to our communities, especially those underprivileged, but ever, it's really for everybody to enjoy. So it's an opportunity to, to have a place to go to have a place of community that that is safe, because that's another thing that that has changed throughout the years. We are we try, we really try hard to make every event a safe event. So through public works, we're able to provide those, those safety nets, if you will, by placing our heavy equipment during routes, you know, the the drive by shootings and people driving their vehicles into crowds and things and so, unfortunately, that has been one of those concerns, concerns that we cannot overlook. And it's got to be top priority. Community Safety

The Well,

Yes, yes. You know, technology really has, has changed things, but not necessarily for the bad, it's really has changed. From my perspective, for the better. Oh, I use technology. I'm not very techie. But I can tell you that I value technology, and I welcome it. In fact, we use it every day here at public works. With all of the programs, we've all the services we provide. Believe it or not, we use GIS to help us determine the maintenance as we go maintaining our streets, we, we have a point at GPS point, for every trash bin in the city. Every recycling bin in the city, we have created routes efficient, we use technology to help us organize our routing system. So we are more efficient. We have cameras in our, in our vehicles, we have all our vehicles, GPS. So at a moment's notice, I can tell you where everybody is. We can tell you, if there's an accident, we record it, if there's um if you're contaminating our recycling bin, per se, so the drivers are out there, they take a picture and immediately send it via technology right to us. And so when the customer say hey, you remove my bin, or whatever the case is, you miss my bin or anything, we can verify that we can see where everybody is, we if you will, if we truly missed your garbage, then we say You know what, there's a truck in the area, let me you know, ask that for that driver to go back. So I that's what I mean by a lot of the we don't we've we've um really, really improved our efficiencies with with technology. And what's the downside to it is the the um the daily communication, you lose it, but anyway, there's good too bad. Go ahead.

I have been working for the city for 42 years. And within my 42 years of service, I started at the bottom. And throughout the years, I have made some really good relationships. And I have taken advantage of a lot of opportunities. So I, that has opened doors for me to meet many people throughout our community will always been blessed to um to serve I mean, I have a servant's heart. And so wherever I can assist, I will have never turned anybody down regardless of whether they're asking me to assist them with my daily responsibilities, but anything outside my realm, so I've helped with the regional academic health system, I was a runner for them, and I saw I got to meet a lot of people in the hierarchy um of the medical community. um I've been an ambassador for this city. and promoted [City] in different areas of Mexico. I have helped promote business and retail in, um in Las Vegas and in Dallas in different retail, different retail retail conferences. I've been involved with emergency management and so I've met you know, the emergency management side of things which has helped me tremendously in providing services to, to the city of [City]. In fact, now I'm the Deputy emergency management coordinator for the city, it but outside the city, I've made really great relationships, lifelong relationships with the educational community through [Education Institution], I am part of their advisory council for the bachelors program. I am a product of [Education Institution], I, um I received my bachelor's degree um later in life, I was not your typical, um you know, your typical student, I went to college and received my, my, my bachelor's degree when I was 40. Because I was told this is as far as you're gonna go [Interviewee name], unless you get a bachelor's degree, you can't grow anymore. So I was very grateful that I was told that it was honest, I thought, you know, I can do that. It's within my control. Most people would get upset about it. But I was very grateful because it was something that I felt was within my control. They weren't asking me to grow another leg or chop off my nose or you know, grow another eye or ear. So I thought you know what we can I can do that. And so it taught me a lot about time management. And how I because I was able to um, I was able to get it all. With the I was a full time mom, full time student full time employee, as a volleyball coach for my daughters. My daughter, my son were both in um in outside activities without outside the school district, competitive squats and different things. So every two weeks, I had to drive around everywhere um for their activities. And so I um learned through [Education institution] that they had a lot of I did a lot of research and learn that [Education institution] was the school that afforded me more online courses than any other university. And so that's why I chose [Education Institution]. And the other thing was they had just opened that bachelor's program. And the professors at [Education Institution], I mean, [Other Education Institution] were were moonlighting over here, right? So as a man, that's a no brainer, I can do half the price I can do.

So that opened doors for me to um to meet that that educational community, right. And so that's also been opportunities. I'm an advocate for education period, period. And in different forms. It does not necessarily always have to be through formal education. Because I worked at [Local Community Job], the community block grant. I was the contract coordinator there. And so um I had to audit and monitor the funding that the government was sending the city. And so um many of the nonprofit um organizations were offering educational programs very simple, such as teaching the moms in colonias Transcribed by https://otter.ai- 5 - to, or underprivileged areas, to bake, and then, you know, decorate the cakes and then sell them. So they would become self sufficient, right? The others were,

they were teaching them to grow their own vegetables. And so I thought, man, it doesn't matter what type of education there is, as long as it's teaching them something to be self sufficient. And through that, [Cough] I became an I I do a lot of volunteer work too. I love volunteering. So I I worked with United Way I helped out Salvation Army on board members United Way I was board member of the the [Regional Detention Center], volunteered there and just through church, I am involved with community events currently mo in a food ministry program. And so that's how I will work with the community.

I'm going on. [Laugh]

It I think it's important with that it's important to share a little bit of the history because the younger generation don't understand what we you know what it was like

and what it all has So, what it all takes to get

to where it is today? Because the model is yes, because history dictates where we are today

Really does. [Inaudible].

So I am the public works director for the city of [City]. What does that mean? That means that I'm in charge of ensuring that the team work safe, that we provide exceptional customer service to our community, the service that the services that we provide are essential services, right? It's essential for a community you run and run efficiently and safely. Um Because if we don't, if we don't pick up our garbage, right, that leads to health issues. So we're very conscious, cautious and conscious of that service. And another thing is people are paying for that service. So we have to make sure that that service is providing that service. So let me back up a little and tell you Public Works is comprised of four funds, right for four separate government funds, the funding comes from different places. Um And there's 14 departments within public works. But Public works is just the name of the operation. It's the the name of the umbrella. But individually, we have 14 functional departments. And they're all funded differently. We've got 298 employees, so we have a big a big group. um And so we have the general fund is, is funded, we have streets, drainage, graffiti, sidewalk construction, and street sweeping, right. So that service is we offset it by using taxpayer dollars for those five departments. And then we have solid waste sanitation fund. So that's funded. We don't use any taxpayer dollars. To operate this, we operate it as a business, because it's called an enterprise fund and government. And so all it means is it runs like a business brings in revenue, and has expenses. Because we charge for the services. That's the money that we use to buy every everything, pay for employees. Everything is in in that fund operates like a business um. The internal services fund is our fleet operations and materials management, fleet operations, they repair all the fleet throughout the city have over 1000 pieces of equipment. And it's more like 1200 pieces of equipment. The only thing we do not maintain is the buses, the the green Metro buses, those are the only ones because those are federally funded 100%. So they require certain certifications for um for, for for the trucks to be worked on. And so it's it's the only thing we don't repair with fire engines, fire trucks, motorcycles, everything in the city, loaders, dozers, every single piece of equipment that we operate, we repair it here. So what we do is we charge the department for that service for repairing their vehicles, right. And that's how we sustain that as well as materials management is basically an inventory. department if we we buy and we buy in bulk. So it's a cheaper. So it's a it's a it's more economical for the entire city if we buy in bulk. So the departments come here and they buy the products from from us the only thing we don't carry is um office supplies we did for a while but we hired an intern to help us find out what were our efficiencies and inefficiencies were in our materials management and what was worth carrying in terms of inventory because inventory can be waste. We learned that through the through, you know the Six Sigma program. And so we learned that office supplies was something that was not uh efficient for us to carry because all these Office Depot and OfficeMax and all these stores, staples and all they have a delivery service and so it's easier and cheaper for them just to get it deliver when they need it and so that was the only thing that we don't carry uh. What else the then we have the sanitation fund. The sanitation depreciation fund is for on sanitation all the garbage trucks and everything that we run through the sanitation fund, we charge a um rental fee, if you will. It's is for every vehicle we purchase, we set aside 15% annually of the cost of that unit. So at the end of its depreciation cycle, we have the mney to buy it up front, we don't lease any of our equipment, we buy everything, cash, everything we buy in the millions. Because we've built it, it hasn't always been that way. Remember, when I first started here would not like that the cost of that unit. So at the end of its depreciation cycle, we have the money to buy it up front, we don't lease a

It was not like that we would buy everything. um At auction used equipment, it was hard to operate um. But because we've been running things lean and efficient, and we're frugal with our money and very fiscally responsible, we now have those funds to help us buy that, right because it became, it came to a point where it was not safe for them, for us to buy used equipment. And not only was it sit not safe, but it was wasn't fiscally responsible, because we would buy them upfront, you know, 37,000, for example, for a loader, but in a period of five to six years, you would spend over $100,000, maintaining it to keep you going and at the end of the day, it's not really the right thing, right. But that's what we could afford at the time, once we build up the fund. We can, but you got to be looking at it. Because one thing can tip over the other. Right? The what we learned through COVID was the price hike was astronomically crazy. So we went from saving 10% of the cost of the unit to 15 to be able to fund it because we were short, in the hundreds of 1000s of dollars to buy a piece of equipment. So we went from buying a trash truck that was costing us $180,000 a year to now we pay close to $400,000 a year, it's a big increase. So we're having to take the hit for it um to be able to fund it at the time of depreciation. So anyway, those you've got to be always looking, always always looking at not only your annual budget, but also looking at your assets. We've got hundreds of millions of dollars and assets. So we have to make sure that we're taking care of them. monthly, weekly, daily, because whatever we don't take care of it may cost us.

it's not here, it's gonna be you know,

it has to we have to maintain.

Yes, we have. Yes, our annual operating budget is about um 48 million annually. That's what we asked for annually, right. But then we're back to 53 million, but but the assets that we have here are hundreds and millions of dollars.

Because our equipment is just

as expensive. It's very big. It's costly to maintain. Right. And, and um always, I'm always wondering budget, I always talk to the city manager about um the maintenance side of things, right. So we're building new streets, we're building new businesses, and you do you see all these new um subdivisions

popping up everywhere, right? The multifamily complexes and all that is an impact to us. Right? If we're going to spend billions of dollars asking for Bond to help our drainage system was a hey, Sir, give me two to 3% of what you're what you're investing um. I said because you have to protect the investment. You have to protect

that investment. And how do you protect it as what maintenance

we do. Right?

We don't build we maintain. We were in the building when we built all the art, the regional detention facilities

to help us with our drainage system. What we did is is we partnered with the school districts, so that's why you see like [School Name] and [School Name] Elementary,

where they have those big holes

for lack of a better word. You know, those are retention facilities. And they during school hours, their parks, I mean their their city use mean parks

during working during during school hours that belongs to the schools

or they use them for their activities. And then after schools after 330 or four o'clock whenever the school then it becomes

the city parks. But because it's open land and it's an it's it's designed to capture the water uh so that it drains slowly and we protect property and lives and everything. So, anyway.

Why did they wanted to build an a hole. Yeah. Because

Yes

yeah. And I see the county has done the same thing there. They came in and they widened all the uh all their drain ditches to hold the water to

Yes. And so the county system is, is the one responsible to capture all that water and send it to where it needs to go.

because the drainage system has been impacted. And so everything drains from the E the west, towards the east.

And so their system was had last less capacity than what we are dishing so anyhow. But they this all the improvement have helped us tremendously, tremendously. Tremendously. I'm sorry. [Interviewee referncing her eyelashes]

Yes. Can you see it?

fake eyelashes.

Really? I love it. I love it. But right now mira, it's, it's just running now. [Inaudible] ? Okay, I'm sorry.

Ok I'm ready

Okay. So, I come in the morning, a lot of almost always, I-I am always planning. So every day, the night before I look at my schedule, okay, what are, what do I have going on tomorrow. And I do that, because that determines how I dress or whether I need to have a change of clothes. Like last week when the hurricane was coming and not coming in the forecast good and bad. So I'm always prepared. So I have my suit, my, my my work clothes. And that's why I have a little closet, as your mom told me, you know, it'd be great even to do to have a little closet because I will be changing in the restroom, putting

on my work clothes, and whatever. But most of the time, those are during hurricane season, I'm always prepared. But every day of the week, any typical day like today is um as I come in on soak I've got these are these four things to do whatever it is, and I come in, and it never fails, I have an open door policy. So everybody will come in,