For this assignment, the class was instructed to think of a childhood photo. We were told to write down the things that we remembered about the photo and what was going on when the photo was taken. We were to do this from memory and with no help from the actual photo. This is my recollection of my childhood photo.

In the photo, I am about eight years old. It is a sunny spring day. My oldest Brother Jesus Jr. "Chuche" is taking the photograph. The picture is of my family at Reingstorf Park in Mountain View. We are all here, my mom Aurora, my dad Jesus Sr., my brother Jose Manuel, my sisters Rosa Maria and Blanca Aurora. Even my Aunt Gloria, my uncle Zaccarias and their two children, Norma and Lorena, are here.

I am wearing a red pull over shirt and white pants, something straight out of the Brady Bunch television show. I can smell the Rotisserie chicken we just purchased from the Super Duper Market across the street. I can also smell the freshly cut park grass. I can hear people splashing in the swimming pool. Children are laughing, girls are screaming, adults are yelling at their kids. It is the beautiful sound of families enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the park.

Every once in a while I can also hear the train on its tracks just a rocks throw away from the park. It makes a stop across the street from the park and picks up a handful of people before heading off to the next stop. The sound of the train isn't as noticeable or annoying to me because we only live about three blocks from the train tracks. The loud ding ding of the train crossing at the streetlight and the train's toot are all too familiar to the locals.

I love Reingstorf Park. It has everything I enjoy in life. Several playgrounds that have swings, a merry-go-round, plenty of open space, grass, swimming pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, and of course the Super Duper Market is across the street. They sell the Rotisserie chicken I love so much. It tastes so good with fresh, store bought tortillas. The other kids with their peanut butter and jelly or baloney sandwiches don't know what they're missing.

We have arrived at the park no more than fifteen minutes ago. My mom wants us to take the Polaroid picture before I get all dirty. My mom knows that if we wait a few minutes, I’ll either drive her crazy or I will have my white pants full of grass stains. She regrets not checking what I was wearing before we left the house. My dad gives me a look that says "you better behave and listen to your mom or you’ll get it at home". I know he won’t do anything, not while my aunt and uncle are visiting. They are my favorite, of all of the aunts and uncles I have. They live in Santa Rosa and either they visit us on the weekend or we visit them.

Jose and I are feeling anxious for some action. We know that we won’t be allowed to go swimming for a while because we just finished eating (the Rotisserie chicken of course). Jose and I plan on playing catch with a Frisbee for a little while. At our age, that’s not enough activity to upset our digestive system. My sisters want to play with us but they’re just girls (they couldn’t catch a cold if it was the middle of winter). After tossing the Frisbee we will see if any of the other kids want to play football. Jose and I are getting pretty good at football and we want to show off in front of my Aunt Gloria.

My mom calls all of us together for the picture. My Aunt Gloria begins to act like she doesn’t want to be in the picture. She tells my mom that she looks a mess and that we should take it without her. This is just one of her ploys to get someone to tell her how pretty she looks. Even at my age I know what a ham my Aunt Gloria is.

My poor brother Chuche is almost always left out of the pictures. He was the first to learn how to operate the camera and I guess that’s his curse for being the oldest. Yeah, poor Chuche he has matured so much for a twelve-year old. Since my parents can’t speak or read English, he has to translate everything and help them fill out all kinds of paperwork. He gets away with more things than Jose and I but he is almost always left out of the pictures. Chuche beats me up all the time, but I feel sorry for him and all of the responsibilities he has.

Chuche positions all of us for the picture. My sisters Rosa and Blanca and my cousin Lorena out in front cause they are the shortest. Jose and I are just behind them. My uncle Zaccarias is on one side holding my cousin Norma and my Aunt Gloria is to the left of him. My mom and dad are standing behind Jose and I.

My brother Chuche does a count down for the picture. Three…two…one…and as he gets ready to snap the picture I make a face and stick my knee out in a crouching position. I guess my Aunt Gloria is not the only ham. This is not the first time I have made a funny face in a picture. Once the picture is clear I hear my mom yell out "mira que chistoso". She taps me on the head with her hand as Jose and I run off to play.

My mom won’t let my sisters follow us because they are still too young and they have always been prohibited from being more than two feet from my parents. My mom and dad worry about my little sisters much more than they worry about Jose, Jesus Jr. and me. Rosa and Blanca don’t seem to mind too much. They have learned some games at the school and childcare center they attend. They are anxious to teach my little cousin Lorena their new games.

Chuche is not as good of an athlete as Jose and I are so we leave him in the dust as we run towards the open field. As we toss the Frisbee around I can’t help but notice all of the noise the kids are making in the swimming pool area. Although I enjoy running around on the grass, I can’t wait to jump into the swimming pool.

Jesus Jr., Jose and I make our rounds around the park. We play catch with the Frisbee, play a little football, help out the tennis players retreat their tennis balls, visit the playground and the swings. Now we are ready to go swimming. It is a perfect day for a swim. The sun is hot and the running around has made us sweaty.

My sisters are too small and too scarred to go into the big pool, so my mom will sit with them in the small kiddie pool. My Aunt Gloria won’t let my cousin near the pool so they stay in the shaded grass area until we are ready to leave. Jose is getting braver each time we visit the pool. Today he is jumping off the diving board. I look in awe and hope that someday I can be as brave. Jesus Jr. is too scared to try it. He is the oldest but not the bravest.

Soon my mom tells us it is time to go home. It is starting to get windy and we have been in the swimming pool for about an hour. My aunt and uncle have to get going soon. They have a long drive ahead of them. My dad and mom have to work in the morning and Jesus Jr., Jose, Rosa, Blanca and I have to go to school.

I don’t want to leave but I know that I will be back soon, maybe next weekend or perhaps the weekend after that. As we pack into my dads Ford Galaxy, I look back at the park. I can still hear the kids splashing in the swimming pool and I can still hear the kids playing ball. I am already beginning to miss the sounds.