Return to Washington

PASCO

 

I traveled across country on foot for four days from Oklahoma to Washington. My route took me to New Mexico, and into Nevada, then up through Utah, Idaho and eventually back to Pasco, Washington. This was approximately October 23, 1975.

 

I should mention Mike Alder at this point. I was traveling through Ogden, UT, when he stopped and gave me a ride. He was a young man of Mormon faith, going to college studying biology if I recall correctly. I had just walked up to an entrance ramp to the freeway (there was snow on the ground I recall). I set my two suitcases down and turned around to stick out my thumb when Mike pulled over and offered me a very welcome ride. I rode with him all the way to Salt Lake City where he bought me lunch (a hamburger) and then to my amazement, he bought me a bus ticket and sent me the remainder of the way home to Washington! He said that I should just pass the good deed on to someone else and have him or her do the same. I have tried to do that many times over. I have provided help to other and always think of Mike Alder, a good person, who I never saw again. I did get his address and wrote to him several times before losing touch with him.

 

Mom was living at the “El Rancho” apartments at the time and did not have room for me to stay with her, so I moved in with Maria Pacheco and family. My Spanish greatly improved while I was living with them. Every Sunday was my “Spanish” day and Maria and I would go to the movies, “las peliculas” and watch a movie in Spanish. I was trying to get my life on track during these days and did not have any idea what to do with my future or where I was going. I worked for a while as a housekeeper for my mother’s close friend, Tamara (Tammy) Thompson, taking care of her two boys, Timmy and Mikey. Tammy paid me about $30 per week, so I made a little bit of money, but not much. Before that I had been working downtown at The Flamingo (a small diner) working as a dishwasher. I ended up getting mad at the cook at this job and quit my job… just walked out. That was the only time I have ever done that.

 

Christmas 1976 came along and I was still living with the Pachecos. Mom bought me an accordion, which I still have today (March 2002), though it does not play very well.

 

Nearly three months later I was getting very frustrated with my life and felt I was going nowhere and accomplishing nothing. I began looking into the possibility of joining the Navy. I took their tests and passed “with flying colors” (or so I was told). I wanted to go in to be trained in the field of CTI (Cryptology Technician – Interpretation) since I love languages so much. I qualified, but there was no opening for a couple of months and, being young and impatient, I went to my next choice, which was CTA (Cryptology Technician – Administration).  That rate was also to far away for my impatience, so I finally accepted my third choice of YN (Yeoman), which had an opening just two weeks away.