Born in Salinas, raised in King City, grew up in Stockton.
I couldn’t wait to leave King City when i was a kid but now I can’t help but miss it. I miss how close we were to Santa Cruz, every other week would be concluded with a trip to the beach, a hike in the redwoods, or eating at Carpos. The public library would give out free tickets to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, quickly snatched by a 5 year old Daniel‘s little fingers. San Lorenzo park had enough space for me to dream for more. My abuelita’s salon filled with the smell of hairspray, bottles of moco de gorila, racks and racks of cds, fridges fulled with gansitos and jarritos, and my brother and I wrestling in the back.
There’s nothing there for me and thats good. Since my abuelo passed, abuelita reminds me how she won’t be here one day, the salon has been closed since covid, and the only aquarium tickets are the ones you pay for. This is good. My time with this city has passed. There’s nothing there for me. This is good.
just feeling nostalgic and desperate for a good hike in the redwoods with that pacific ocean air on my neck
(also here’s a picture of baby me, my buelito, my brother on the left, and my cousin on the right)
