Nicolas Reyes:
CLASS OF 1973
Our Lady of Victory SchoolClass of 1973
Bronx, NY
Theodore Roosevelt High SchoolClass of 1976
Bronx, NY
Nicolas's Story
AT ABOUT HALF OF MY LIFE LIVED, I AM HAPPY BECAUSE OF THE MANY CHANGES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND SURPRISES THAT LIFE HAS SERVED ME. MY LIFE DREAM WAS: "LEAVING BEHIND THE BRONX", TO CHANGE MY WAY OF LIFE, TO ATTAIN GOALS, AND SEEK LIFETIME OPPORTUNITIES...ALL THAT HAPPENED. I ALSO MARRIED AND DIVORCED A CLASSMATE (EVELYN TORRES) WE HAD THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN GISELLE, NICK, AND CHRISTY. I LIVED , A REALLY INTERESTING TIME IN THE MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT... THE SILENT WARRIOR HEROE TYPE. THAT 30 YEAR LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE HAS TRANSFORMED ME INTO A DIFFERENT HUMAN BEING... SO MUCH FOR HEROICS, AND SUCH. I NOW CHERISH EACH DAY OF MY LIFE, ESPECIALLY SHARING WITH REINA VICTORIA MY LAST LITTLE ROOT (DAUGHTER) WHO WILL BE FIVE YEARS OLD ON 11 SEPT. 2008 I LIVE IN PANAMA, WHERE I INVESTED MANY YEARS AGO, AND WAITING FOR THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY TO CASH IN.SO IF YOU WANT TO BUY SOME BEAUTIFUL RETIREMENT LAND IN PANAMA NOW IS THE TIME, TO CONTACT ME, HAHAHA. THESE DAYS I ENJOY A SINGLE`S LIFE, YET I HAVE MY GIRLFRIEND (WIFE TO BE)"ALEX" IN COLOMBIA, DURING THE YEAR I LIVE IN BOTH COUNTRIES. I LIKE FISHING, BOXING,THEATER,DANCING PAINTING AND WOOD CRAFTS I ENJOY MY VISITS WITH MY DAUGHTER VICKY, AND OUR OUTINGS ON WEEKENDS, BY THE WAY WE ARE AT THE MOMENT BUILDING A BOAT TOGETHER. YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF IT IN MY ALBUM,I NOW SIT AND LAUGH ON MY FAT BELLY DAYS, WHEN KIDS CALL ME FAT OLD MAN, ... IF ONLY THEY KNEW ... THEY PROBABLY THINK TWICE ABOUT THEIR COMMENTS, BUT YES MY OLD FRIENDS FROM "OLV" 1508 WEBSTER AVE. TIME IS QUICKLY CATCHING UP WITH US, AND WE BECOME HUMBLE AS WE REACH THE MID LIFE CYCLE,SO.... WE MUST FINISH THE CIRCLE OF LIFE, AND MAYBE SIT AROUND IN A CLASS REUNION TO REKINDLE , TO RE LIVE THOSE TRIALSOME BRONX DAYS. TODAY I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A TIME TO DESCRIBE AS THE CLINT EASTWOOD MOVIE THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY ÷1.THE GOOD: FATHER MARLOW, FATHER CARWAY, MR. BRECIA (HUMM SOMEWHAT GOOD) "LA CASITA" BEHIND THE SCHOOL YARD WHERE WE SAW VOLUNTEERS LIKE, MARGARITA BONILLA,ROSE'S MOM, CARMEN GOYTIA,SUSAN'S MOM AND AN OLD LADY WHO I CANT REMEMBER HER NAME,GOD BLESS THEM WHERE EVER THEY MAY FIND THEMSELVES TODAY. GOOD ALSO WAS,PLAYING STICK BALL BEHIND OLV, SPINNING ALL AMERICAN TOPS, AND BUYING JELLY DOUGH-NUTS, MOON PIES, HOT TAMALES, GUM YARD STICKS, FIRE BALLS, WISE POTATOE CHIPS,ANIMAL CRACKERS,GINGER SNAPS, RED PISTACHIOS FROMTHE LITTLE MACHINE, (I ALWAS THOUGH THAT THEY REALLY WERE RED) DRAKE'S YOODLES AND RING DINGS, MINT CANES,ESKIMO PIES,SUGAR MAMAS, AND SUGAR BABIES,CHERRY , APPLE, AND PINEAPPLE PIES, BABY RUTHS,PECO STARS, MILLION DOLLAR BARS, AND KNACKS AT TITO'S , PLAYING AT LUNCH TIME IN THE WEBSTER PROJECT'S ELEVATORS. PLAYING OUR 45,S AND LISTENING TO COUSIN BRUCE MOROW ON WABC. LISTENING TO WBLS R&BS THE MUSIC WAS GREAT REGARDLESS OF THE TASTE, ROCK, SOUL, SALSA,(HOT PANTS, I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE,ABC,ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOL YARD, ROCKET MAN, CANDY MAN, SHAFT,PAN Y AGUA, JUANA PENA, TORO MATA) IT ALL WAS GOOD, OUR PARENTS WOULD LISTEN TO RADIO WADO WITH POLITO VEGA,IT WAS GOOD TO SIT BY THE TV AND WATCH CARTOONS, SUPERMAN, THE GREEN HORNET, AND BATMAN ON WEEK DAYS....OHH AND THERE WAS SUMMER , THE YELLOW BLUEBIRD BUSES PULLING UP IN FRONT OF O.L.V MEANT OUTTINGS TO:BEAR MOUNTAIN& 7 LAKES,PALISADES, AND RIDE BEACH PARKS, BRONX ZOO, ORCHARD BEACH, CENTRAL PARK AND HALL OF SCIENCE, WALKS WITH OUR TOWELS UNDERARM, ACCOMPANIED BY MONITORS TO CROTONA POOL, AND TAKING THE 12 BUS ST. NICHOLAS TO HIGHBRIDGE POOLS , D TRAIN TO YANKEE STADIUM,OPENING THE WATER "POMPAS"IN THE STREETS TO COOL OURSELVES DOWN FROM THE SCORCHING SUMMER HEAT, PLAYING BASEBALL IN WEBSTER PARK WITH TEAMS LIKE JACKS, LUQUILLO, METS ECT., THE REAL SOFT ICE CREAM AND BANANA SPLITZ,FROM THE SOFTEES ICE CREAM TRUCK, PIZZA SLICES ON BATHGATE AVE, AND ACCROSS THE STREET FROM "O.L.V."THE 5&10, THE FENWAY THEATER IN FRONT OF MY BUILDING ON WASHINGTON AVE,THE GRAMERCY BOYS CLUB, EL VIVERO,(WHERE OUR MOMS BOUGHT LIVE CHICKENS, GOATS, PIGS, ECT) SHOP WELL,AND FEDCO FOOD STORES,THE L TRAIN ON 3RD AVE,...Expand for more
FRANK`S SPORTING STORE, MARIO BROTHERS CLOTHING STORE, THE CLAREMONT PKWY BEAUTY SALON WHERE WOMEN WENT ON WEEKENDS TO HAVE THEIR HAIR DONE, AND GULP THE LATEST GOSSIP,THE TRAVEL AGENCY ON 3RD AVE, TO NAME A FEW ÷2. THE BAD: BLACK SPADES, GHETTO BROTHERS, JAVELINS, MAU MAUS, SAVAGE SKULLS, BLACK FALCONS,AND LATIN KINGS,PATROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, THE GYPSIE LADY ACCROSS THE BATHGATE FISH MARKET, AND THE INFAMOUS "HOLOPES" (HOLD UPS)TO SOME OF OUR FRIENDS AND, OR NEXT OF KIN, THE WORD MAKES ME LAUGHT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT OUR ETHNIC LAUNGAGES MIXED... THUS COMING UP WITH SOME REALLY WEIRD WORDS,LIKE:"EL SUPER" "EL LANLOR" "LA MARKETA" EL WELFEAR" "LA POMPA" DILE SARA MAMBICHE,(CALL HIM A S.O. B), IT IS TO SAY THAT IN MY FAMILY , MY UNCLE FELIX WHO WAS THE FIRST TO ARRIVE IN NEW YORK, ATE BREAD AND BUTTER FOR WEEKS CONTINUED... THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT HE DIDNT SPEAK ENGLISH SO HE WAS NOT ABLE TO ASK FOR FOOD AT ANY FOOD PLACE, SO A BUDDY OF HIS TOLD HIM TO ALWAYS ASK FOR "SOMBRERO EN BOTA" HE DID, AND SURE ENOUGH THEY WOULD ALWAYS SERVE HIM "SOME BREAD AND BUTTER" THATS BAD!!! AND LAST ÷3 THE UGLY: UGLY WAS THE BURNING OF OUR HOMES, MARKET, AND WORK PLACES BY THE LANDLORDS TO COLLECT ON INSURANCE. IN A WAY WE HAD NO CHOICE, TO "DO OR DIE" AS WE GREW UP WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS NO LONGER A GAME. THANK GOD OUR PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO SERVED AS ROAD MODELS,AND TAUGHT US THAT MORAL, AND VALUES WILL ALWAYS TAKE YOU FAR DOWN THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.WHILE WE GREW UP, AND PLAYED OUR 45'S ,DRANK MD 40-40 , OLD ENGLISH, AND EXPERIENCED OTHER LITTLE "THINGS", HANGING OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE SHOULD THANK GOD AND OUR HARD WORKING PARENTS, WHO WENT THROUGH HELL DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO GIVE US A BETTER CHANCE AT EDUCATION, AND A BETTER WAY OF LIFE. SOME OF US CHOZE TO FOLLOW THEIR WISHES, AND BECAME BETTER PEOPLE IN WHICHEVER WAY WE LOOK AT IT , AND OTHERS WHO ARE NOT WITH US TODAY , WERE VICTIMS OF LIFE'S S MISHAPS, OR CHOZE THE VERSA. AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH THAT CALLED LIFE. UGLY WAS THE DEATH OF OUR YOUNG FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN GANGS, KILLING EACH OTHER, AND INOCENT BY-STANDERS. DYING OVER NOTHING WHICH WE CALLED "TURF", UGLY WERE THE DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SOCIETY,AND FAMILY ABUSE THAT SOME OF US EXPERIENCED... STILL WE WERE DETERMINED TO OUT-GROW THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S COCOON, AND EMERGE ON THE VICTORY STAND. PUTTING ALL THESE IN THE BALANCE, I BELIEF THAT GOOD OUTWEIGHTS BY FAR THE AFORMENTIONED BAD AND UGLY. 20 YEARS AGO I TOOK A DRIVE AROUND MY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT WAS A DIFFERNT WORLD.. INDUSTRIAL PARKS, AND FACTORIES, NEW BUILDINGS, AND HOUSES,ARE NOW STANDING, YET I FELT REAL EXCITEMENT AND PRIDE WHEN I DROVE PAST MY BLOCK ON WASHINGTON AVE, AND CLAREMOUNT PARKWAY, LIKE A REFORMED WARRIOR MY BUILDING 1587 WAS THERE STANDING PROUD IN A NEW ARMOR WITH GALANT RED AND BEIGE BRICK COLORS,.. THE CHURCH WAS THERE AWAITING NEW CONVERTS WITH HIGH SPIRITS WANTING TO START A NEW WAY OF LIFE, LIKE US AT OUR TIME, AND MRS. P.S. 42 , ALONG WITH MRS. O.L.V.(WERE THERE AS TO ICONS, WAITING FOR NEW CHILDREN TO TEACH THEM ABOUT GOD,OUR GREAT HISTORY, OUR VALUES, AND OF PLACES IN THE WORLD), AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THERE WAS THE GOOD OLD OAK TREE IN FRONT OF MY BUILDING, HE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD, HE LIKE THE FAT BELLY OLD MAN HAS MANY STORIES LIVED, I PRAY THAT THEY NEVER CUT HIM DOWN.... I HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF THE OLD NEIGHBORGOOD. I CAN RETELL MANY STORIES, LIVED--- YET I DONT WANT TO BORE ANYONE READING THIS PERSONAL LIFE PASSAGE. I ENCOURAGE ALL YOU O.L.V. CLASSMATES TO LOOK FOR A PLACE AND TIME IN THE FUTURE WHERE WE CAN MEET AND RE LIVE OUR DAYS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD,TO TALK ABOUT HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO BE ALIVE, AND DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR US, AND FOR OTHERS, NO MATTER WHERE WE ALL MIGHT BE IN THE WORLD THESE DAYS, WE WILL ALWAYS BE GREAT EMBASSADORS TO OUR COUNTRY, OUR FAMILY, AND O.L.V. . I LEAVE YOU WITH THESE WORDS ""NEVER HOPE FOR ANYTHING..ALWAYS PRAY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WISH FOR". NICK REYES
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