Early Childhood Development

I went to kindergarten and first grade in Davis. The one of the only things I remember about it was a Halloween costume that I wore. It was a Mickey Mouse T-shirt, and pair of mouse ears and some whiskers that my mom had drawn on. It was better than a Ben Cooper plastic store bought one.
 I remember the teachers took us to the class rooms where the big kids were and my cousin Todd was really embarrassed of me. He was in fifth or sixth grade and I was in kindergarten. I think it might have had something do with my yelling, "HI, TODD!!!!!" 

Mickey Mouse shirt
very similar
to the one I wore

Life was great. I actually enjoyed being a little kid doing little kid stuff. Coloring, painting, make believe, and all the rest of the stuff that goes along with it. Little did I know that this wouldn't last. I'm not really sure when they reached the point of no return, but Bob and Bonnie were done. When I was about four or five, Bob had moved down to Southern California.My mom was dealing with losing her mother to cancer.  Bob decided to take advantage of the situation.  He decided that I should come live with him. 

 For some strange reason, I thought my dad really needed me. He kept telling me that he really needed me and I believed it. That's what I kept telling my mom. Reluctantly, she let me go. I  remember being really upset that I didn't see my grandma when I left, but I didnt know what exactly was happening at the time. I just remember crying on the way to the airport. 

Bob and Dave - early 70's

A new chapter started that seemed okay at first, but this new arrangement had some flaws. Bob liked to party and some times I would find left over beer and drink it. I was also found pot brownies. I guess they made little boys easier to handle. I was more of a roommate than a son. I think most people were fooled into believing he was wonderful. They thought I was living a "Courtship of Eddie's father type of life"

People let me tell you 'bout my best friend, 

He's a warm hearted person who'll love me till the end. 
People let me tell you bout my best friend, 
He's a one boy cuddly toy, my up, my down, my pride and joy. 

People let me tell you 'bout him he's so much fun 
Whether we're talkin' man to man or whether we're talking son to son. 
Cause he's my best friend. 
Yes he's my best friend. 
(theme song from the tv series, "The Courtship of Eddie's Father"

I'm not sure when it happened exactly, but I became an adult. We sort of switched places and responsibilities. I learned to take care of myself much of the time. For Bob, there was always friend's car to fix, a time for just the adults to hang out, people to impress. I was starting to feel like I was in the way and under foot. Pretty hard feelings for a six year old to have, but I had them. Not just once in awhile, but all the time. 

Ron, Rabbit, and Dave

 I remember we had different people living with us for a little while. People moving in. People moving out. His friend Ron and his wife, Cindy(who I later called Rabbit) came to live with us. Ron had a couple of kids from a previous marriage, but he didnt see them very often. His daughter, Lisa and his son Ron Jr. came to live with us. One thing I remember is that lights didn't always work. For the longest time I thought Cindy really liked candles. Candles were burning everywhere. I guess the real reason is that the light bill wasn't paid.

We actually had one this color and three brown ones

We also had some pet tarantulas that lived in the living room. Someone use to feed them crickets. I don't remember who they belonged to, but I do remember how it sounded like someone eating Doritos 

with their mouth open when they ate.