719...Something In The Water, Part 1

When I was around nine years old my father moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to live with my uncle. Being the youngest of three children and the only male I wanted nothing else but to live with my father. A year following his departure I was allowed to move to Colorado Springs, affectionately known as the Springs to the locals. I did not know what to expect when I moved out to the Springs. I was a kid from the pre-gentrified Lower East Side of Manhattan, the ghetto. I lived down the block from Alphabet City one of most drug riddled areas in the city and around the corner from the crack vile infested Sheriff Park. It was literally like something out of the movie New Jack City. When this is the status quo it all just seems so normal to you. I did not realize that I was a ghetto child until I moved to the Springs. But even there I was in the hood. We lived in the Hillside area in the South Side of town. The first friend I made on South Arcadia street was a boy named Mark Bobian. Mark's grandfather lived across the street from my matchbox sized duplex and we instantly hit it off. He was fascinated by a kid from New York that talked funny and I was just looking for a friend. Mark went on to become one of the leaders of the Chicano gang the Sureños and has since been murdered in an altercation at a house party. Mark was a great friend to me and he introduced me to a kid that would become one of my closest friends growing up named Juan Gallegos. Juan was a brawler and was always heavily into sports. He is currently a stand out player on a semi-pro football team. He always excelled in sports and has always managed to stay heavily active in that area. He has always been above average in almost everything that he has attempted. There must be something in the water.

I spent over ten years in the Springs before returning to New York City in 2001 and during that time I had the opportunity to be around some very talented and amazing people. The Springs has produced a wide array of creative and talented people from teachers, musicians, authors, and artists to photographers and radio personalities. And that is just to name a few. I plan to dedicated a handful of blog posts showcasing some of these individuals. Some of the individuals showcased I may not have known personally but I am sure that we share a common affection for the Springs. I do not know what it is about Colorado Springs that has produced so much talent and has received almost no notoriety but I'm proud to say that I came up there. All I can say is, there must be something in the water.

Please stay tuned and I hope that you enjoy this Mid-Western Ride! The blog post prior to this one features one such talent, Mr. J. Medeiros. Click here to check it out.