"Just a Thought" Column continues in La Prensa of SA, 3-13
Last week I wrote that I was accepted in
1960 to attend Central Catholic High School. I also mentioned I had just graduated
from St. Gregory’s Catholic School in Balcones Heights from eighth grade.
Besides my attending Central Catholic, many of my classmates from St. Gregory’s
would also be attending as well. We looked forward to being reunited once again
and continue our relationship throughout high school.
I was deeply saddened to learn that was
not meant to be. I was uprooted two weeks before school started, along with my parents
and five younger brothers and moved to Massachusetts over a thousand miles away
to what I considered to be a foreign land!! I did attend a catholic high school
for two years before moving two more times before college.
Ironically, moving back to San Antonio
in 1972 after a stint in Viet Nam and college in Fort Worth at Texas Wesleyan
College, (now Texas Wesleyan University) I was able to meet many graduates who
would have been my classmates at Central Catholic over the years had I stayed.
Besides former HUD Secretary and San
Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, radio personality and motivational speaker Sonny
Melendrez and former Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, there was my longtime buddy,
Oscar Zaldivar who passed away two weeks ago, a month shy of his 70th
birthday.
I met Oscar when I joined the San
Antonio Chamber of Commerce aka San Antonio Jaycees in the late 70s. For those
who might remember, the Jaycees were a non-profit organization of young men who
sponsored La Semana Allegre, the Annual Orphan Shopping Tour and numerous of
other community projects to help the community. Years later they changed the
by-laws to accept women as members and not just affiliates.
Oscar and I, along with 600+ members at
any given time participated in those events for over seven years since there
was an age limit of 35 to be an active member. We called it aging out. That is
why we were called Junior Chamber which was created in the 1920s.
Both Oscar and I served as the President
of the organization back to back. He was the first Hispanic in the organization
to be elected as President in 1980-81. I followed him as President in 1981-82.
As immediate Past President during my year as President we hosted the National
Jaycee Convention attracting 10-thousand delegates from the 50 states.
As the outgoing President he was
technically the host as we had many various discussions as to who was the
official host of the convention since it was approved under his watch.
President Ronald Reagan was the guest speaker months after the John Hinckley
assassination attempt on his life. San Antonio was abuzz during that visit by
the President of the United States!
Over the years Oscar and I stayed in
touch along with other Jaycees. Some
years ago he lost a leg due to a virus that infected his leg. His last ten
years he moved around in a wheel chair. Still smiling and upbeat he accepted
his condition and moved on.
When I was still a Justice of the Peace
a few years ago, he invited me to speak to his defensive driving class talking
about traffic tickets. Ironically after I left the bench I was issued a
speeding ticket and had to sign up for defensive driving. Guess who my
defensive driving instructor turned out to be? Oscar!
While in his class I thought he would be
easy on me. Wrong! He told me that when I was in court, I was bound to follow
the law and since I was in his class, I had to follow his protocol. I did and
passed the class as he hovered over me to insure I did what was expected by
law.
Back in the day we were also roommates
for a few months which was really interesting. But we survived it graciously. I
won’t divulge which one of us was the messy one.
I was thankful I talked to Oscar the day
before he died. As previously stated, He was one month shy of his 70th, April 2nd.
He was going to have a birthday party at his house with family and a few
friends and I was looking forward to seeing him on his birthday.
At the rosary I was able to say a few
words and pay homage to my good friend Oscar Zaldivar. I am sad I lost a
long-time friend who could have been my classmate back in 1960-64, had I not
moved. Adieu good friend.
Anyway, as always, what I write is “Just
a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the
Peace and Journalist.
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