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Still Cocoli
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Greetings everybody and God Bless all here.
Where were you in 1956? For some of you, it may be just too early. You may not have yet been a twinkle in your Dad's eyes. But for others we remember the 50's real well. Yes, Mon. The easy 50's are when everything was dirt-cheap. Imagine buying a hamburger made from scratch for only 25 cents. Now none of the freeze burned beef, no a patty that was made before your eyes. The lettuces and tomatoes were just a few minutes ago at the Chinese garden. Now I myself would always say hold the Mayo! Why? Well for me Mayo and I just don't get along! But hey there are all kinds of other condiments. Imagine that back then there were no little packages of this or that. You wanted Catsup you got a bottle. These when empty were refilled out of these giant cans of tomato sauce that were GI colored O.D. brown or just a plain white wrapper with black lettering in that government script on the can. Lots of stuff in the commissary was that way.
But before I continue on this chiva... we'll get off and take the Canal Zone area bus to where you were and what were you doing in 1956?
Well, if you recall in 1955 Rock and Roll was born with that memorable hit of Shaboom-Shaboom... then we had Jerry Lee Lewis and Hot Balls of Fire and then the King of Rock and Roll... the one and only Elvis Presley with Jail House Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, you ain't nothing but a hound dog and so on.... In 1956, Elvis also came out with his first movie..."Love Me Tender." Then he made a western called Flaming Arrow!
But the real action was in Cocoli with music provided by the "Five String Busters." Now that was a fantastic group. They really had a sound that was unmistakably only theirs. That was when electric guitars were coming in and this group had the drums, a base and 3 electric guitars. Sometimes one of the guys would play a real mean saxophone. He had Boots Randolph down pat!
They often would play at the Cocoli Gym. At that time I was in charge of the gym. I had the keys. It was a Navy MWR facility. I got some coins for doing it. I was everything from Chief Bottle Washer to program director. It was really a wild scene. It would last for another 2 years but Uncle Sam had called me so it wasn't very long when we were enjoying our first fabulous winter in the windy city of Chicago.
But I am getting ahead of my story. The fabulous hey days, were still with us in the old Canal Zone in 1956. I was still Cocoli… Yes, we were enjoying going to BHS (Balboa High School) and being juniors we were in the rocking chair of decisions. There really was no rush for we still had another year at BHS before crunch time came and we had to decide to continue living the life of Riley in the old Canal Zone or push out into the deep and go fishing in life's giant blue lake. I started seeing kids leaving every couple of month. The music was still playing for me in Panama.
The Navy Recruiter and the Marine Recruiter were working on my resolve.... Yes, what to do next? While Lucho Azcarraga music played in the background. The question was could I really leave paradise? Wow, that was a tough one. We had the draft then and many kids were getting drafted. Not because of the Vietnam War… no, that would come later. I had considered going Army because all my uncles except one had gone into the Army during WWII. The one had gone into the Navy. Having grownup with Cracker Jack, I was partial to the sailor uniform. Besides when I was 5 years old I was given a little sailor suit to get my picture taken at Foto Wolf. Yea, Popeye and me appear in one shot. The sounds of the 50's and we all had our little radios tuned the SCN-AFR Panama to the "Hit Parade" bringing us the sounds that kept or feet jumping back in 1956. Oh, the memories and the music played on.... Can you hear it?
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When Elvis Presley came on the music scene he was a big hit! At that time I was enjoying the good life living in Cocoli, Canal Zone and the kids needed a music idol. Well, Elvis did this and more! In fact for most of us Elvis still lives in his music. Back then most jukeboxes featured 45's and you could always a find a dozen or so Elvis's songs to play. Elvis music was always being played on AFRTS-Radio in the 50's. Then Elvis joined the US Army and many of us also wanted to enlist.
But it would be years before any us did that. Yes, in my book Elvis Presley is indeed the King of Rock'n Roll! Some time later in the early 60's I was traveling with my Uncle Sam in the Navy and our ship pulled into a very small Greek Village. We were on a mercy mission. Our luck the ship's crew got 2-section liberty. The second night I went a shore to check out the place. It was a bit warm that sunny afternoon and the sky was very bright. Well, we went into a small tavern or cantina and ordered some local beer. As we were enjoying our beer and wetting our whistle, I spotted a jukebox in the corner. I asked the owner if it worked. He said, "One moment and he turned it on."
Guess what almost all the songs on it were by Elvis. Sure Elvis would produce many more hits but that afternoon we had a really good time, listening to Elvis on the jukebox and kicking back.
Today, I still enjoy the King! Yes, although Elvis has left the building, he still remains as one of the most popular singers in the world. In my book he is still numero uno!
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Wow!when Elvis was called up for Army duty, we thought who will be next? So all of us living in Cocoli started thinking more seriously about enlisting in one of the branches of the service... we didn't want to be called up and then not have a choice.
This is a typical 4-family tropical quarters. The Cocoli VFW was a converted 4-family house... the real mystery is how did it get placed on the top of the hill off La Bruja Road... yes indeed.
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The number one watering hole on the west bank of the Panama Canal.
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The joint is jumping... Sammy draw one for me...How about a steak sandwich with fried onions on micha bread, for my friends here they would like 2 Balboas, 1 HB, and a Panama... Shorty, play G-12 on the jukebox...okay. Wow, the place is hot tonight... or is it just me...No, there is a Cruise Ship in and the birds are everywhere... Yea, Mon...
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Siestas
Siestas in the afternoon
Power naps we call them
Always welcome, don't you know
In a hammock or in the bed,
if too hot......then on the floor.
Never say no to a siesta,
Make it for hours, if you can,
If not then 30 minutes will do just fine.
Si! Very refreshing once it is done.
Viva Siestas! One by one.....
Have you had your siesta today?
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Yes, Sammy tonight the show at the Cocoli Theater was "Casablanca." What a picture show. Bogie can really
make you feel part of the action on the screen. Yes, indeed the airport scene was just awesome!
To believe.....to reach.....to strive
is to keep a dream alive. If you use each today as a chance to reach out, to learn something more of what life's all about....... If you follow your dreams, strive to make them come true.....
Then life's sure to bring all the best things to you.
----Unknown
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It has been a real pleasure sharing little more about Cocoli... my town in the old Canal Zone. Please check out another page.....you'll be glad you did! Take care and drop by again. Hasta la Vista. See you on the flip side.
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Photo Credits: Author, Bill Fall, Montana, CZ and PCC Archives
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