By: Bill Steinberg, Sunshine Gardens Resident
Texas A&M has a satellite on Pelican Island, a short bridge ride across from Galveston. I did most of my graduate work there. I had to do the last 12 hours on campus in College Station.
There was a problem with that. My coffers were a bit on the low side. I still had four children to worry about in El Paso. They were staying with Mary's folks and she was working for an Optometrist. Things were tight.
I borrowed a car, an old Chevy, from my brother. we had a pup tent, a sleeping bag and all of our old camping cookware to take with me. I threw all this junk in the trunk of the car and I was off to meet the wizard!
I didn't have a clue as to where or how I was going to live. It was going to be a very long semester.
Luckily the "old heap" was good on gas but it still needed some from time to time. I cruised around looking for a place to camp or a filling station. I was hungry, lost and almost out of gas. I also wanted someone to talk to. Most of the land was private and emphatically marked. I soon ran across the small "homey" looking gulf station that filled all my needs.
The proprietor and his wife were a very friendly older couple. They introduced themselves a s Mr. and Mrs. Franks.
I briefly explained my situation to them. They listened intently. While we were talking, a weathered Mexican gentleman entered. They introduced him as Ramon, their hired man. he tried to explain what he needed. They were having a problem communicating. I translated for them. Mr. and Mrs. Franks were impressed.
You speak Spanish, young man? Yes Sir, I speak some. I'm married to a Mexican lady. When they introduced us we shook hands and I knew I had just met an "amigo". He had friendly eyes. Do you think you could explain to Ramon what I need for him to do each day? I have a dickens of a time. Yes Sir, I think I could do that. Well then, whey don't you pitch your little tent back there by our barn? Ramon will show you where. He has a room in there, it's quite nice. He likes to cook and every time I've been in it smelled pretty darn good.
He'll probably invite you to eat with him, he loves company. I like to help vets who are going back to school. I'll furnish all the grub you guys need an I might throw in a 6-pack once in a while. It might help you study. By the way, you'll have to do that by lantern light as there's no electricity out there.
After directions, I found the main campus, it was quite impressive. Took me a while to dinf the Registrar. Due to the help of a special VA program, some meager savings, and help from certain relatives, I managed to have my tuition prepaid. I got my classes arranged and bought some used books. I already had homework and rather than go to the well-lighted library I couldn't wait to get back to the "barn". I enjoyed the old man's company and his cooking.
I had some potatoes, spam, tomatoes, and beans in my trunk so I took them to Ramon so he could work his magic.
Mr. Franks asked us each week what we needed. I let Ramon decide, he was the Chef.
I was truly studying by lantern light. I felt like a modern day Abe Lincoln, but I think we were eating better. True to his word, there was a 6-pack now and then. It did help me study. Ramon didn't drink "gringo serves."
One afternoon as I was "drinking and thinking there was a loud commotion. We both ran out to investigate. It was not good news--my pup tent was in shambles. It was not a pretty sight. I ran to the office to find out if they knew what happened. Mr. Franks said an officer stopped by to explain. Some criminal escaped from someplace and the mounted patrol was chasing him. My tent unexpectedly got in the way. All the holes vaguely resembled horses' hooves.
Before I could say "What the hell am I going to do no?" Ramon was in action. A new cot suddenly app reared, Ramon wouldn't tell me where it came from, but I had my suspicions. Anyway, I was moved in.
Ramon and I became very good friends. He taught me some Spanish, I taught him some English. The weeks went by quickly and I hated to see the semester end. I was more at home in that old barn with that old man than any place I'd been lately. I said at the beginning of this story that it was going to be a long semester--it wasn't!!
I passed all my courses so I finally had the elusive Masters at the ripe old age of 41. It all happened, because I stopped in a little country store for gas and directions. More important than the degree was the friendship of three wonderful people and a barn to live in. What a wonderful fight!
I didn't participate in any of the graduation exercises due to a lack of funds and time. I needed to get back to helping raise a family. I needed a job.
I finally had to say "adiós" to Tamon--I dreaded it!
I went to the barn a final time and when I got there, Ramon already had tears welling in his eyes. "Good-bye, y friend" he said in perfect English. That did it, the tears began to flow in earnest. I hugged that old man and he hugged me back--we were both bawling like babies.
We all had to say good-bye for good and I knew I would never see any of these folks again.
As a graduation gift, Mr. Franks filled the "heap" with gas and Mrs. Franks slipped a $20.00 into my hand.
I was on my way to El Paso a much richer man, with y eye on the future.
That's the story of an old man, a barn, and me.
P.S. Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.
"Skin Diving"
It all began one summer day when my two college friends and I decided to go fishing. I had my trusty pole along. But my friends had snorkels, fins, masks and spear guns. Away we went to Morro Bay, California. They dove into the water while I tossed my line into it. After a while they came up laughing and to tell me there were no fish near my bait. They already had several fish!
I decided right then and there to join them. My next problem was to get diving gear. Used equipment was available. I obtained my mask, snorkel, and fins and made a 'hawaiian sling' out of a broom handle and surgical tubing. Also, I obtained material to make a 'wet suit.'
Now for my first dive. It was in Cayucos, California (just north of Morro Bay).
The same two friends. We walked across a field to the water. They brought along a 'gunny sack' and three tire irons. The tire irons were to pry abalone from the underside of large rocks in the ocean. We swam out about 100 yards to the large rocks. Shortly after getting into the water we were surrounded by leopard sharks. They ranged in size from two to six feet. Hundred of them. We used our tire irons to fend them off. Eventually, they moved on. They were just curious. My friends later told me this type of shark was not a man-eater. Incidentally, we got five abalone each, the limit! Abalone is a delicacy. We frequently traded steaks for abalone at the local meat market!
And now for an adventure. We skin divers frequently get 'sea urchins' that measured four to six inches across. With the animal out of the shell and the shell soaked in bleach the remaining shell looks beautiful when you put a light in it. I had accumulated quite a few large ones. So I decided to go to some shell shops along the coast to see if I could sell them. The first place I went into had some sea urchins that were about two inches across. The owner looked at my samples and said, "I will give you 50 cents apiece for the four inchers and one dollar apiece for the six inchers, and I will take all you have." I was elated! I gave him 20 sea urchins and he gave me 17 dollars.
There were about 50 shell shops between Monterrey and Santa Barbara. Could I sell urchins to them too? I needed a partner and fellow skin diver. From the college skin diving club one was located. We went to the college dump. We located a car top to be used to boil the urchins. Next we found a truck inner tube and tied some 'gunny sacks' to it. Ready to dive in 30 feet to 40 feet of water to get the urchins. We got about 50 of them in two hours of diving. I loaded them in my 1957 Volkswagen and away I went. Hoping to peddle the sea urchin shells to the shell shops. I went to three shops and sold them all. That summer we made about $1,500 apiece selling sea urchin shells. This compared to $160 per month on the GI Bill.
Next, we tried giant starfish. They measured 2 feet to 3 feet across. The shell shops only had them ˝ to 1 feet across. We tried every thing to preserve them. But they finally rotted in the sun. And boy did they smell!
Another diver and I were diving for fish when we saw the biggest lobster we had ever seen - it must have weighed between 30 and 35 pounds. It was one week before the start of the annual season. We decided to tie it to a rock and to come back the following week and get it. We swam to shore. The Game Warden was waiting on shore for us. He told us he had been watching us through binoculars and the fine was $75 if we brought the lobster ashore. The following week we went back but the lobster was gone.
Two incidents I remember. In one I was resting on the surface in about 12 feet of water. Suddenly a eight foot blue shark appeared half way to the bottom. I froze! It apparently did not see me or it had a full stomach. Blue sharks are man eaters and will attack when its victim splashes in the water.
The second incident occurred as we were diving for sea urchins. We were in about 50 feet of water. I looked down from the surface and saw the biggest killer whale headed straight toward my diving partner about 100 feet away! I yelled at him to not move! The killer whale must not have seen him. Luckily my partner did not see the killer whale.
Five years of diving. It was wonderful! I moved to Omaha, Nebraska. There they dove in sand pits where there was nothing but wrecked cars. I sold my skin diving equipment!! 
