Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Chuck1052]

I have visited Mexico only two times during my life, Juarez during 1971 and Tijuana during 1982. While taking a cross-country trip by bus between Ventura and Washington, D.C. during the summer after graduating from high school, I stopped off at El Paso and walked across a bridge to Juarez. The most memorable moments during that visit were when I was approached by some pimps.

During my visit to Tijuana, I saw a fight card featuring Jose Luis Ramirez vs. Ramon Avilia in the main event with the Mexico lightweight title on the line at the Caliente Racetrack on October 23, 1982. This second visit to Mexico was much more of an eye-opener than the first one because I had never been in a place with such poverty and bad infrastructure. The city buses were such sorry shape that I wondered if they were discarded by American schools many years before I saw them. Moreover, I wonder how any mechanic was able to keep such vehicles running.

Of course, Mexico was going through an incrediably rough economic period during my visit. For instance, the exchange rate was about one hundred pesos per dollar at the time. Up until the middle 1970s, the peso was worth about eight cents for many years. I remember when the peso was devalued by fifty percent overnight at the time Guty Espadas defended his WBA version of the world flyweight title successfully against Alfonso Lopez in a bout with a thrilling ending at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on October 2, 1976.

American currency was readily accepted in Tijuana during my visit. I remember that it cost only a dollar to take a taxi from the downtown area of the city to the Caliente racetrack. Moreover, I didn't have any trouble finding people who spoke English during my visit.

To Be Continued........

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

I have visited Mexico only two times during my life, Juarez during 1971 and Tijuana during 1982. While taking a cross-country trip by bus between Ventura and Washington, D.C. during the summer after graduating from high school, I stopped off at El Paso and walked across a bridge to Juarez. The most memorable moments during that visit were when I was approached by some pimps.

During my visit to Tijuana, I saw a fight card featuring Jose Luis Ramirez vs. Ramon Avilia in the main event with the Mexico lightweight title on the line at the Caliente Racetrack on October 23, 1982. This second visit to Mexico was much more of an eye-opener than the first one because I had never been in a place with such poverty and bad infrastructure. The city buses were such sorry shape that I wondered if they were discarded by American schools many years before I saw them. Moreover, I wonder how any mechanic was able to keep such vehicles running.

Of course, Mexico was going through an incrediably rough economic period during my visit. For instance, the exchange rate was about one hundred pesos per dollar at the time. Up until the middle 1970s, the peso was worth about eight cents for many years. I remember when the peso was devalued by fifty percent overnight at the time Guty Espadas defended his WBA version of the world flyweight title successfully against Alfonso Lopez in a bout with a thrilling ending at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on October 2, 1976.

American currency was readily accepted in Tijuana during my visit. I remember that it cost only a dollar to take a taxi from the downtown area of the city to the Caliente racetrack. Moreover, I didn't have any trouble finding people who spoke English during my visit.

To Be Continued........

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck,interesting observations.Your comment about the peso being devalued 50% overnight is the lynch pin to the way Mexico has become mired in an economic quagmire. I remember that day. It was the first time I saw Mexicans exhibit anxiety openly. It was on everyone's faces.It was then Mexicans started scrambling to get to the U.S. I remember where I was working in San Ysidro next to the border. They had to put a high mesh net on the freeway dividers because illegals were sleeping on the concrete. They were rushing across the freeway and getting hit by cars. You'd be in the line waiting to cross into Tijuana and all of a sudden you'd see dozens of Mexicans bum rush across the border to the U.S. side.

It's getting worse. When I hear the Mexican media and the government talk about how things are going to get better it's all wind and smoke. Commodities and food are more expensive in Mexico than they are here. Gas is more expensive in Tijuana than San Diego.

Tijuana has the same stores as San Diego.WalMart,Smart and Final,Costco,etc. Mexicans that can cross the border won't shop in those stores because the prices are higher and there is less variety. They shop in those stores here in San Diego.

The drug cartels run the show. They've got the politicians,the army,and the cops working for them. Don't think that a guy like Carlos Slim,the richest man in the world,doesn't get shaken down so he and his family are protected.And that goes for the politicians that are in office.

There isn't a greater contrast between two borders than Mexico and the United States.

[Chuck1052]

Roger, I also regard the sudden 50% devaluation of the peso as a big turning economic point in Mexico during the middle 1970s. Why is that event not mentioned more when discussing the current situation in both Mexico and the United States?

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Roger, I also regard the sudden 50% devaluation of the peso as a big turning economic point in Mexico during the middle 1970s. Why is that event not mentioned more when discussing the current situation in both Mexico and the United States?

- Chuck Johnston

Indirectly it is discussed.And this holds true for just about all of Latin America. When Nixon took our money off the gold standard in the early 70's,inflation began to be a problem in Latin America. In order to keep their economies floating,the World Bank started lending these countries money(Mexico).Because of corrupt governments and the World Bank, sponsored by the U.S.,these loans in reality,were never to be paid back. That opened the door for U.S. firms to go into Mexico to do business.(Maquilladoras for examnple).Government officials were bribed. They cooperated or trade restrictions would be imposed on their countries and their economies would even be worse off. Also the U.S. was granted trade negotiations and easy access on their natural resources. (Free Trade is an example).In the meantime the interests on the loans was compouding each year.Any money that was lent ,now or in the future, either goes into the pockets of the politicians or paid back to the World Bank just trying to pay off the compounding interest.That's why guys like the late Hugo Chavez,Morales,and Corea are trying to get out from under the World Bank. The World Bank doesn't look favorably with policy like that. Neither does our government which is behind the bank. In the meantime inflation,unemployment,crime,and sense of hopelessness envelope these countries.



Lazaro Cardenas,perhaps Mexico's last good president. He took away the oil from the Americans and British and nationalized it.(Standard Oil wanted FDR to send in the Marines) Cardenas was born in my wife's hometown,Jiquilpan,Michoacan.

[dagosd2000]

Two giants of the 20th century. Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.They were for the people and paid the price. Both were assassinated.

[Chuck1052]

I am an admirer of Emiliano Zapata, but not of Pancho Villa.

I can understand why the oil industry in Mexico was nationalized in order to seize control of it from American companies, but I am not a fan of having government-owned industries, which usually are too inefficient or corrupt.

I am not an admirer of Carlos Slim because I think that monopolies are bad for the regular
folks in the long run.

Mexico has so much potential and the Mexican people generally have an incrediable work ethic and tremendous heart. But for one reason or another, Mexico and its people can't get over the hump.

I have read quite a bit about the first great Mexican migration to the United States which took place from 1917 to the beginning of the Great Depression. Far too many Americans don't know anything about this chapter in history, let alone the current situation involving Mexican immigrants.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

I am an admirer of Emiliano Zapata, but not of Pancho Villa.

I can understand why the oil industry in Mexico was nationalized in order to seize control of it from American companies, but I am not a fan of having government-owned industries, which usually are too inefficient or corrupt.

I am not an admirer of Carlos Slim because I think that monopolies are bad for the regular
folks in the long run.

Mexico has so much potential and the Mexican people generally have an incrediable work ethic and tremendous heart. But for one reason or another, Mexico and its people can't get over the hump.

I have read quite a bit about the first great Mexican migration to the United States which took place from 1917 to the beginning of the Great Depression. Far too many Americans don't know anything about this chapter in history, let alone the current situation involving Mexican immigrants.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck,I'm guessing that you're not an admirer of Pancho Villa because he was once a bandit and commited atrocities during the revolution.When Villa was a teenager his sister was assaulted by the owner 's son where Villa and his mother, two sisters ,and brother worked and lived. Villa stabbed the owner's son and thus became a fugitive and an outlaw. As far as atrocities that he commited most of them were done after his army was defeated at Agua Prieta because President Wilson swung his favor to Carranza.Carranza was a double crosser and the people hated him. At the beginning of the revolution Villa would let captured federal officers free and then enlist the federal regulars into his army. Most of the atrocities during the Mexican Revolution were commited by the federal army.

As far as Zapata is concerned ,if he would have joined forces with Villa's army after Carranza siezed power instead of not moving out of state of Morelos,Villa would have been able to defeat Carranza's general Alvaro Obregon.Villa never wanted to be president of Mexico. He would have installed Felipe Angeles as leader of the country. Angeles was Villa's artillery officer,educated,and a very benevolent man. After Carranza finally removed Villa as a threat,Carranza had Angeles executed despite international opposition. But Carranza had the tables turned on him by his general,Obregon.Obregon led an uprising against Carranza and had him killed.

Pancho Villa was the only major Mexican figure during the revolution that didn't betray Francisco Madero and his principles of land reform.Madero was the first president after the revolution.Madero was betrayed by his general Huerta. Villa warned Madero that Huerta could not be trusted.

For 60 years the PRI party that emerged in power after the revolution discredited Pancho Villa as being a murderous bandit. The PRI was always afraid of Villa even after his death.They knew that the people would follow him. It was Obregon who had him assassinated in 1923 after the revolution was over because he was afraid Villa would re emerge because Obregon, like Huerta and Carranza, were corrupt. Ask any Mexican what Pancho Villa meant to the people. He is their greatest hero and legend.

As far as nationalizing the oil by Cardenas,the people of Mexico were overjoyed.The foriegners were thrown out. Let's face it Americans are fed up with Chinese,Japanese and Arabs taking over businesses here.Cardenas was a good man. He was also loved by Mexico. It's not a question of government owning something or whether it's privatization. If greed enters the equation then it doesn't matter one way or the other. Usually it's the big corporations and the banks that get to a government and put them in their hip pockets. It's a disease that's infected the world.

By the way. When you speak of monopolies,that's what's happening in the democratic countries of the world. The WalMarts and General Electrics are buying out everything and the competition .Utilities are being privatized.Natural resources are being gobbled up by guys like Warren Buffet. If you want a drink of water you'll have to pay him for it. So what's the differnce? Big business being bankrolled and bailed out by the taxpayer (while they pay no taxes).Sounds like socialism to me.

One last thing. I'm tired of hearing about Mexico's potential. Mexico has always been screwed by other Mexicans. The drug cartels have killed close to 50,000 Mexicans in the last eight years.Can you see that happenuing in the U.S.? Mexico has to fullfill their potential by developing their natural resources ,industrializing,and practicing the principles of a democratic government and society. In America we still help each other out even if gets controversial at times.We have safety nets like welfare,social security,medicare(later Obamacare),medical,food stamps,unemployment insurance,disability insurance. I can't stand to hear Mexican newscasters like Jorge Ramos talk about how illegal immigrants are treated in the U.S. Those poor people have more rights here than they do in Mexico. That's why they come here. They can get a better shake . They can put that "work ethic "here and make more money.I don't see Canadians storming across the border to the U.S.

I'll tell you why Mexico "can't get over the hump." They spend to much time screwing each other over from the bottom to the top. Just go down there and ask them. It's no secret.

[Chuck1052]

Roger- You know quite a bit about Mexico, probably a lot more than I do. Looking back, it appears that Mexico was doing relatively well economically and was fairly stable from 1940 to the middle 1970s. Of course, I thought that Mexico was such a poor country with some turmoil taking place while I was going to school in Southern California during the 1960s. Yet that period of time may be looked at with great fondness by Mexicans now.

I remember reading articles in the Los Angeles Times about the garment sweat shops operating in Los Angeles during the early 1980s. In such shops at the time, it was quite common for illegal immigrants to be working for less than the minimum wage in terrible workplace conditions. I was astounded that there was very little effort to enforce the laws in such workplaces. That is when it dawned on me that there was a huge problem that wasn't being addressed, leading to the massive illegal immigration problems.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Roger- You know quite a bit about Mexico, probably a lot more than I do. Looking back, it appears that Mexico was doing relatively well economically and was fairly stable from 1940 to the middle 1970s. Of course, I thought that Mexico was such a poor country with some turmoil taking place while I was going to school in Southern California during the 1960s. Yet that period of time may be looked at with great fondness by Mexicans now.

I remember reading articles in the Los Angeles Times about the garment sweat shops operating in Los Angeles during the early 1980s. In such shops at the time, it was quite common for illegal immigrants to be working for less than the minimum wage in terrible workplace conditions. I was astounded that there was very little effort to enforce the laws in such workplaces. That is when it dawned on me that there was a huge problem that wasn't being addressed, leading to the massive illegal immigration problems.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck,just about the whole world was more stable between the 40's and 70's.During and after Vietnam the world started to change dramatically as far as economics were concerned. The world started to become globalized. It wasn't government running things and representing the people. It was the corporations in cahoots with the banks that took over.And now if anyone gets out of line the U.S. military is the cops.

As far as illegals working for less than minimum wages,you can put that back on Mexico.Minimum wage in Mexico is around 6 dollars a day.An illegal can make more than that being exploited up here. He may get fed up with it and go back,but he knows in Mexico there is not much when it comes to honest employment. That's why there are drug cartels,rampant prostitution,kidnapping,robberies,and men from little towns trying to make it as fighters. Mexico has more registered fighters in the world than all the rest of the countries combined.

I've sat down with lots of Mexicans that know how it is in their country. It isn't something that's discussed for long. I don't bring it up. There's nothing anyone can do to fix it.People either live with it or try to get out.

I've kicked this thing around about Mexico being its own worse enemy with Gaspar Ortega and Rodolfo Gonzalez so maybe you can relate. They aren't going back.They're disgusted about what its turned into.

Try parking your car on the street. Keep something you don't want stolen out in the open. Go on a vacation and leave your house unprotected. Mexico's constitution is exactly like ours with one big exception. They have no Bill of Rights. You can get yanked off the street by the cops or the army,shaken down,and thrown in jail for nothing. Just about every poor Mexican I know has been in jail.

When I was coaching American football in Tijuana,one of the kids that graduated got on with Mexican Immigration. He was stationed in Chiapas. I asked him what it was like with the immigrants from Central and South America trying to make it up to the U.S.,first having to get through Mexico. This kid tells me that sometimes they shoot them and have some wild animal eat their bodies in the jungle,but most of the time they let them cross the river,then take them to the station and steal everything they have.And this kind of treatment goes on in every Latin America country.

It doesn't take much to figure why they want to come here.

[dagosd2000]

So Why Would I Go Down There?

The last few days I've been expressing my thoughts on our neighbor below the border. I doubt if the Mexican Tourist Bureau would enlist my services as a writer. But there is another side to it.

I've been married to my Mexican wife for 40 years.She's from the ranch.She knows what it's like to ride a mule into town instead of driving a car. Most people drive into town now instead of riding a mule or a horse,but that way of life is not that far removed.

Most people in Mexico have learned to live without big screen TV,a laptop,a new car,or a fancy sound system. They aren't constrained by the clock. I've never seen a clock on a wall where we live in Mexico.Mexicans live in the moment.It's how they feel at the time that moves or doesn't move them. It's contingent on impulse and inspiration.That's how I am.Sensing the mood is the key.It's living on instinct.

I live in San Diego in a fairly nice area in a fairly nice condominium complex. I'm on this home owners board. Everyday I hear complaints like the automatic sprinkler system get the side of my car wet.Or Ican hear my upstairs neighbor walking on his floor. Or I can smell the cooking smells from my downstairs neighbor. I don't like the color of the trim of the building.I saw a bee in the pool.

I go to the gym in the morning and hear someone complain to the manger that some guy didn't wipe off the seat of the Nautilus machine with disenfectant and a towel. People will sit around and gripe about how their cable TV service doesn't get the Padre games. The price of gas,taxes,pot holes,dogs not on a leash,not liking their boss,having to go to work.

When Americans travel abroad they are perceived as being self absorbed. The air conditioning in my room is too cold. The elevator is too small.Doesn't anyone around hear speak English?The number one complaint of American tourists is that there is no internet in their rooms or thatit's is too slow.

It's nit picky stuff like this that makes me lose patience with people.In Mexico if someone pissed and moaned like this,they'd get laughed at.Too much whining goes on here. In Mexico the big worry is that there aren't enough jobs. Not enough money to put food on the table.Forget the drug traffickers and the crooked cops. The broken promises of the government.People want to keep their kids in clothes. But the people don't make you suffer with their problems.

Tomorrow me and the wife will be gone for three weeks.Most people in Mexico don't have that much formal education. A part of being seen as someone who is educated is how you behave. Manners are are a symbol of an educated person. I'll say "Gracias amigo" more than any other words in Spnoish while I'm down there.

I need a change of scenery. I don't think I'll look at one of the boxing threads where people have nothing better to do all day but argue about a list of the ATG's. The ATG's. Like it's life or death.

I will miss my dogs. We'll leave them with our daughter in TJ. I'm sure my wife will call everyday to see how thry're doing. You see they don't complain.

[CNorkusJr]

Have a nice time Roger. Be safe.

[Chuck1052]

Hope that you have a great time, Roger!

- Chuck Johnston

[El Gallo]

"El Boxeo" - Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini . . .

On Sunday, September 8th - 11 am. the boxing documentary "El Boxeo" will be screened for the very first time at the Monica 4 Theater in Santa Monica. Filmmaker Alan Swyer just informed me that former world lightweight champion, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini will be in attendence, along with the biggest names in boxing from the past & present.

The event will be presented by the new West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame for the benefit of the Retired Boxer's Foundation. All proceeds will go toward this great organization. There will be limited seating, and tickets will go sale soon. An official announcement will be made later this week!

This will be California's biggest Veteran Boxer event of 2013.



Rick Farris
President, West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame

--------------------------------------------------------

It's all official now!
We will have Sugar Ray Leonard, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Jose Sulaiman & Mauricio Sulaiman, Bob Arum & the Top Rank crew who have committed to attending, many others coming from around the country. A great film, and a great place to watch a great film with the biggest names in boxing. And the Retired Boxer's Foundation will benefit!

[CNorkusJr]

"El Boxeo" - Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini . . .

On Sunday, September 8th - 11 am. the boxing documentary "El Boxeo" will be screened for the very first time at the Monica 4 Theater in Santa Monica. Filmmaker Alan Swyer just informed me that former world lightweight champion, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini will be in attendence, along with the biggest names in boxing from the past & present.

The event will be presented by the new West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame for the benefit of the Retired Boxer's Foundation. All proceeds will go toward this great organization. There will be limited seating, and tickets will go sale soon. An official announcement will be made later this week!

This will be California's biggest Veteran Boxer event of 2013.



Rick Farris
President, West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame

--------------------------------------------------------

It's all official now!
We will have Sugar Ray Leonard, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Jose Sulaiman & Mauricio Sulaiman, Bob Arum & the Top Rank crew who have committed to attending, many others coming from around the country. A great film, and a great place to watch a great film with the biggest names in boxing. And the Retired Boxer's Foundation will benefit!

Outstanding Rick !!!!! A huge event that will benefit many. You said that things will be different and better, and its all coming true, all in less than a year. Great planning.
All the Best from that day forward...

Charlie Norkus Jr.

[El Gallo]

Thanks, Charlie!
I can think of two people that are not very happy about the success of this project!
They will just have to get over it!
I'm truly enjoying everyday that I work on this, and honored at how the best of the West Coast boxing community are supportive!

-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

Puddles On The Seats

"I see they're going to have fights at the Palenque Saturday night. Do you and Chelisio want to go?"I asked my nephew.
"Sure",answered my nephew.
Jiquilpan ,Michoacan is like a thousand small Mexican towns.There's nothing much going on at night,but when there's a fight card there's sure to be a strong turnout.

The fights were all amateurs. Fighters from Jiquilpan were matched against fighters from neighboring towns with names like Sahuayo,Quitupan,Valle De Jaurez,and Cotija. It makes for good rivalries and the local crowd gets pretty worked up wanting their guys to win.

The palenque is where the fighting roosters,los gallos,are strapped up with their navajas and fight to the death.Every pueblo in Mexico has a palenque and the spirit that permeates the arena to watch the blood and triumph is as avid as the fighting between men in the boxing arena.

It had rained that night. The raindrops had dripped down through the seams in the tin roof of the palenque. There were puddles on the seats.

There were around 20 fights that night. Most of the combatants were younger kids. I know of one boxing gym in Jiquilpan,but I doubt if any of the boys trained there.The kids looked like they did most of their fighting in the street. None of the kids had mouth shields or protective cups. No boxing trunks or boxing shoes either,but that wasn't important. Each corner shared the same boxing gloves and head gear. When one fight ended, the sweaty gear was handed to the next fighter. The thing that stuck out in my mind though was that all the boys had their hands taped. That made them look the part.The boys would shadow box in the aisles waiting to enter the ring. Then when the fight would begin,they showed nothing of that flashiness they exhibited waiting to get started.

When one kid would win he wouldn't take his wraps off and he'd go up to the seats with the wraps still on his hands and the the little medal made of pig iron with a ribbon around his neck. He made sure he brushed by the girls with entourage of little followers behind him. The boys who weren't ready to fight or didn't have the nerve to fight.

I didn't stay to the end. The skills exhibited were crude. There wasn't a knock down or crisp punch thrown. All the windmilling became monotonous for me despite their willingness to engage.

"Chelis,"I said to my nephew."I'm going back home."
"I think I'll stay with Chelisio until the end,"said my nephew.


As I was diving back up the hill to my house,I was thinking of all the Mexican fighters that started this way. Fighting in these small arenas in these small towns with names that are hard to pronounce. Rodolfo Gonzalez told me he statred fighting in this region of Mexico. He fought in Jiquilpan.
He said he was 15 years old and was fighting a guy that was 29. He said if he didn't win he wouldn't go on. There wasn't room for failure. Rodolfo won that night. He fought in Jiquipan three more times. He fought in obscurity finally struggling to the top and winning the light weight championship of the world.

I wondered if any of the kids I saw that Saturday night would ever make it to the top. I wondered if they would ever fight in one of big arenas and the crowd wouldn't have to worry about puddles on the seats.

[dagosd2000]

The palenque Jiquilpan, Mexico

[Chuck1052]

Roger, I hope you had a great time while in Mexico.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Dewey Bozella. Served more than 20 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Was eventually freed after it was discovered that the police had hidden and contaminated evidence from his attorneys. He learned how to box in jail. Had 10 amateaur fights. When he got released he got an OK from the commision to engage in one pro bout. And he won! He was over 50 years old.

[dagosd2000]

Happy Birthday

It was important ,I guess, for my wife to spend her birthday down in her hometown in Michoacan. We were down there three weeks and when her birthday popped up her brother Juan brought over the nortena band and there was quite a good turnout. My wife is the matriarch of the family and unlike her brothers and sisters who have allied themselves with family fueds and shifting jealousies,my wife is nice to everbody.

Juan waited outside our house for the band to show up. Our house filled up with friends and family. There was plenty of food that my wife had been cooking all day and there was a case of beer and six bottles of tequila to polish things off.

The music got started and the band was taking requests. Everybody knew the songs and was singing. I knew the songs ,but didn't know all the words,but I could fake it enough where it didn't matter.

My brother in law Juan is in pretty bad physical shape. He's got diabetes to the point where the sores on the bottom of his feet don't heal and he's had a couple of heart attacks. But that didn't stop him from dancing,singing,and drinking. Toast after toast. He was leading the way.

My sister in law Teresa was there too. She lives next door in another smaller house we have and doesn't pay rent. She's a little touched in the head and has had a rough life.Well she wasn't shy about dancing and drinking and between her and her brother Juan it was quite entertaining to watch them get into the festivities. However with all the encouragement from the audience to see the make asses out of themselves they eventually couldn't stand up anymore and had to be taken home.

The band was paid up for two hours,but I told them to stay another two and put it on my tab. While I was figuring out what it was going to cost me,I saw my other brother in law,Arturo, cornering my wife in the livingroom.
"This is not your house,"he was yelling at her. "My mother lived here. It is her house."
Well it was never my mother in law's house. My wife owned the property and the makeshift house that was on it.When her mother passed away we built the house that is there now.
"This is my mother's house,"he kept going on.
Now my wife doesn't back down from no one. Her brother Arturo is the bad apple of the bunch and has everyone scared of him. He does and says what he wants thinking he can steamroll over anybody. But my wife was putting it right back on him. The attention had drifted away from the music and was focused on this battle.

Finally I had enough.
"Get your f-----g assx out of here,"I said to him in English as I walked towards him.
"No,no,no,"he reacted shaking his finger at me.
Now the band stopped playing and all eyes were on us.
"Get this ass hole out of here or I'm going to throw him out,"I said buliding up my anger. To think this c--k s----r isn't going to leave my house when I want him.

My wife finally got Arturo to the door. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the men in awe and the women smiling at me.Well I thought that was that. I noticed we were running short on tequila so I got in my car and made a run into town to buy some more. When I got back my wife took me aside.
"Arturo come back very mad."
"So?Where is he now?"
"I told him to go home."
"Well he knows where to find me,"I said. I didn't need this.
"Arturo come back with machete. He was very mad."
"It was all a show .He knew I wasn't here when he saw that my car was gone.Don't worry. It's all a show. He lost face. He wanted to show everyone he's macho."Like I said,I didn't need this.

Well the party finally ended when the nortena band's time was up. I paid them and that was it. I found out later the band charged me double than what they charged my brother in law Juan. The rest of the week I never saw Arturo again.I was kind of a hero to my wife's family for standing up to him. I didn't change my routine of getting up in the morning and taking my walk to the park. I didn't want to change nothing. I had another week to go. I thought about Arturo maybe jumping me from behind with the machete and his druggie friends . Like I said,I didn't need this.

[dagosd2000]

Ready For The Bell

[Expug]

Dewey Bozella. Served more than 20 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Was eventually freed after it was discovered that the police had hidden and contaminated evidence from his attorneys. He learned how to box in jail. Had 10 amateaur fights. When he got released he got an OK from the commision to engage in one pro bout. And he won! He was over 50 years old.

Hi Rog, I recently watched the documentary on Dewey. Very compelling stuff. He had to go through a pretty stern test to get that license as well. i thought he looked good.
Great portrait too by the way.

[dagosd2000]

Dewey Bozella. Served more than 20 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Was eventually freed after it was discovered that the police had hidden and contaminated evidence from his attorneys. He learned how to box in jail. Had 10 amateaur fights. When he got released he got an OK from the commision to engage in one pro bout. And he won! He was over 50 years old.

Hi Rog, I recently watched the documentary on Dewey. Very compelling stuff. He had to go through a pretty stern test to get that license as well. i thought he looked good.
Great portrait too by the way.

Thanks Brian. Saw that documentary too.Got to hand it to his wife(who he met in prison when she was visiting someone).I don't know if would have pulled it off after being denied a license the first time.She encouraged him to go on.

[dagosd2000]

Beans

"You mean to tell me beans are more expensive here than in the United States?,"I asked my wife surprisingly.
"Yes,"she replied. "More expensive here."
We were sitting at the table in the living room. It was that time of the summer when it was hot and muggy.It would rain intermittingly and that was good because that would cool things off. I saw someone through the glass in the door. It was her brother Juan.
"Pasate amigo,"I said to him as my wife opened the door.
Juan shuffled in and sat the table with us. He was suffering from diabetes and had had a heart attack several months ago. He had to sell one of his beat up old houses to pay the hospital bill.
"Maria,"he said to his sister,"I brought you the chorizo to take back on the plane."
Juan was very fond of his sister.When we would go down to Jiquilpan ,he visited her every day. Sometimes at night my wife and I would go to his house and visit Juan and his wife. Juan's daughter and two small cildren lived with him. His daughter's husband was in New York working. She hadn't seen him in three years. She was with him with the children,but couldn't take living in New York anymore. She never learned English so I spoke to her in Spanish. Juan's wife would sit with us at their house always wringing her hands telling us the latest "chismes." She would never come to our house.
"Maria,when do you leave tomorrow?"asked Juan holding his head in his hands.
My wife was at the stove cooking menudo for Juan to take back to his house.
"The plane leaves at five. We leave here at eight in the morning.Will you be here tomorrow."
"Yes,"said Juan looking down at the floor.
I wondered what Juan would be doing with himself during the day after we left. My wife was busy at the stove. Juan still was looking at the floor.
"Juan,did you know you can't get milk in Spain. None of the stores or restaurants have milk. There are plenty of bulls,but no milk. Can you imagine that?"
Juan still held his head in his hands. It was a long time before anyone said anything.

[dagosd2000]

Fritzie Zivic