Born in East LA

My dad grew up in Los Angeles. I remember one of his Geezer Gleanings mentioned how much he enjoyed Cheech & Chong’s Born in East LA, because, he said, “That’s where I’m from.” In 1935 he hitchhiked to Berkeley to enroll at the University of California, where, in 1938, he met my mom at a student dance. He liked to say he hooked her with his Irish charm, though in one “Gleaning” he noted that she didn’t give him her phone number for nearly a year. Aside from several years during World War II, they were inseparable and as much in love on their 50th anniversary as their first. My mom is still going strong at 89, despite blowing out a knee in the ‘80s jitterbugging with my dad in the living room. Sadly, my dad passed away 15 years ago. He sure made my life fun and interesting. I miss him a lot.