A PAGE FROM EARLY WATTS

ON THE DAY WHEN MOM GAVE BIRTH TO ME (May 7, 1923), SHE HAD ALREADY HAD ELEVEN PREVIOUS PREGNANCIES; ONLY SIX WERE STILL ALIVE TO GREET ME AND TRY TO HUSH MY BELLOWING BEHAVIOR. (SIXTEEN MONTHS LATER MY LITTLE SISTER, CORA ROUNDED OUT OUR CLAN). NINE MONTHS FOLOWING MY BIRTH, MY DAD TOOK HIS OWN LIFE AFTER A DISAGREEMENT WITH MOM, LEAVING HER, NOW A WIDOW, TO SHELTER, FEED, AND RAISE EIGHT OF US.

BECAUSE WATTS HAD NOT YET BEEN ANNEXED TO THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, MY CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH PONTIFICATES THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT AS HAVING TAKEN PLACE ON ALBERT STREET, WATTS, CA. FOLLOWING ANNEXATION OF WATTS TO MUSHROOMING L.A., ALBERT STREET LOST ITS IDENTITY AND BECAME 105th ST.

THE HOUSE IS STILL STANDING AND IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED.

DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF 1932, MOM OPERATED A NOTIONS/APPLIANCE STORE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF 103rd STREET, ACROSS FROM 102nd STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. MOM'S STORE WAS LOCATED NEXT TO THE HERNANDEZ TIRE RETREADING CO. BETWEEN WILMINGTON AVE & ANZAC STREET. OUR FAMILY LIVED AT 10314 Anzac Street; CONSISTING OF TWO MARRIED SISTERS, THEIR HUSBANDS AND FIVE CHILDREN, AS WELL AS MY TWO BROTHERS, ROY & ONOFRE (during 1942 ONOFRE changed his name to MARSHALL), MY LITTLE SISTER CORA, AND ME. ONOFRE (MARSHALL) SPENT MOST OF HIS YOUTH ROAMING THE STREETS AND ALLEYWAYS OF WATTS, USUALLY SACKING OUT AT GRANDMA'S 104th Street HOUSE. HIS CHOICE OF BUDDIES WAS UNIQUE.

THE GREAT DEPRESSION WAS IN FULL BLOOM, HAVING GAINED A FOOTHOLD ON AMERICA'S BANKRUPT FINANCIAL FOUNDATION THREE YEARS EARLIER IN OCTOBER 1929 DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF HERBERT HOOVER. LOOKING BACK, NOW, IT IS BEYOND BELIEF THAT A WIDOW MANAGED TO SUSTAIN HER EIGHT CHILDREN DESPITE SUCH AN IMPOVERISHED ENVIRONMENT.

DURING THE WINTER OF 1932-1933, THE MANAGERS OF THE ORANGE GROVES IN COVINA, POMONA, ONTARIO AND IN OTHER COMMUNITIES EAST OF WATTS AND LOS ANGELES, FIRED UP HUNDREDS OF SMUDGE-POTS LONG INTO THE NIGHTS AND THE WEE HOURS OF THE ENSUING FREEZING MORNINGS TO PROTECT THE IMPORTANT CITRUS TREES AND THEIR PRECIOUS CROP FROM DAMAGE BY THE COLD TEMPS. SOME MORNINGS IN WATTS, THE CLOUDS OF BLACK SOOT GENERATED BY THE SMUDGE POTS, OBLITERATED THE RISING SUN TO THE EAST UNTIL ALMOST 11:00am.

SUCH WAS A PAGE FROM EARLY WATTS-- HJ PAZ