First Day, First Race, New Kid
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| Young Davey |
West Lake Ave.
I have the great pleasure to finally sit down with him to talk, not just as friends, but as two people who’ve lived through some of the same chaos and grown from it. This story is about what it means to find your way, to survive, and to hold on to your roots even when everything around you is changing.
Here’s David’s story, from his first day as the new kid to the man he is today.
New Kid in Town: “I Just Wanted to Blend In”
Q: Do you remember that first day in 3rd grade?
David:
Hell yeah. I was nervous as hell. I didn’t speak any English, and everything was foreign. I didn’t know how to ask for help, didn’t know what the teacher was saying. I remember feeling like I was on my own even though the classroom was full of kids that spoke Spanish.
Q: But you didn’t really get treated like an outsider for long.
David:
Nah, and that’s thanks to people like you, for real. I didn’t know how to say much, but the playground changed everything. Once we started racing and playing soccer, I didn’t need words. That’s how I connected with everyone.
The First Race & Lunch Soccer
Q: That first race, man. I still remember you smoked everyone.
David:
[laughs] I remember just thinking, "Run fast and don’t fall." That was my way in. I didn’t have to explain anything. Just run.
Q: And then came soccer at lunch. It wasn’t just a game, it was life at the time.
David:
Facts. Soccer was the real test. It didn’t matter where you were from, if you could ball, you earned respect. Every lunch was sweaty T-shirts, arguing over fouls, and trying to one-up each other. I didn’t need perfect English to score goals and get passed y'all.
Q: That’s really when people started seeing you, not just the quiet new kid.
David:
Yeah. That’s when I started to feel like I belonged, like I had a space on the field and at the lunch table.
Silent Pressure, Big Expectations
Q: What was life like at home during those years?
David:
My parents were old school. Hardworking, no complaints, just get it done. They didn’t yell or try to control every move I made, but they had expectations, even if they didn’t say them out loud. They knew what hard work was, for real. Like, waking up before the sun, walking miles to work back in Mexico type of hard. I grew up watching that.
So even though I wasn’t getting lectures every night, I knew I had to carry something.
Q: That’s real. You didn’t get yelled at, but the silence had weight.
David:
Exactly. They didn’t say it, but I felt it. And I wasn’t gonna let all their sacrifice go to waste. Even when I was messing around, deep down I knew better. Like, when money wasn’t coming in from one direction, I’d step in. I gave up a lot of summers to work. While most kids were playing or chilling, I was on job sites, helping out, stacking what I could. Summer didn’t mean vacation for me, it meant responsibility.
The Rougher Days: “Not Everything Was Pretty”
Q: We had some tough moments too. You remember that day we almost got jumped?
David:
Yeah, I’ll never forget it. We were just leaving our 6th grade academy and waiting for a friend that was a grade above us. When two high schoolers rolled up and waved him down, before he could get to us he was already going back and forth with the high schoolers. It happened so quick. I remember watching him getting chased, knocked down and stomped out. We all just stood there. Frozen to the T. That was the moment I realized *** could flip quick.
Q: After that, it felt like we grew up faster.
David:
Facts. But it was always known, my brother would tell us everything and how it would go down in our middle school, he would say that it was worse before he dropped out. We were smart enough to just keep low and keep it pushing. Good first year of middle school, definitely was not the last of them moments we saw [laughs].
Where He Is Now: "Still Grinding, Still Learning"
Q: So what’s life like for you now?
David:
I’m working full-time as a Lead HVAC Technician. Been stacking up, taking care of my family and I. Bills do not stop, they just keep on coming. I’m also doing night classes to finish what I started in term of school. It’s not fast, but it’s steady.
Q: I remember you picked up English fast. You were smart,for real. You got placed in advanced classes, scored high on state tests. You had just got here, but you caught up and then passed a lot of us. What happened, man? Where do you think it shifted, or what do you think you needed to keep going?David:
Yeah man, I appreciate that. I remember those days, getting called up for awards, teachers always pulling me aside like, “You got potential.” I was hungry to prove myself. But somewhere along the way, life just started piling up. Family stuff, money stuff. I think what I really needed was someone to help keep that fire going, to guide me through it when things got heavy. Not just in school, but outside of it too.
I didn’t have a mentor or someone checking in saying, “Yo, you’re still that same smart kid, don’t lose that.” And I ain’t blaming nobody, but that silence? It can pull you away from your path real quick.
Q: What would you tell that younger version of you now?
David:
I’d say, “Take school more seriously.” There are times I wish I could go back do just try a little harder in school. It is what it is now.
And yeah, I would also remind myself again, you were always a fast learner. You picked up English like it was nothing. You were in advanced classes early on, and every year there was a new certificate or teacher telling you, “You’re going places.” That wasn’t by accident. That was you.
Final Thoughts: “Do not forget to be proud of yourself”
David’s story isn’t just about being the new kid or the fast runner or the lunch baller. It’s about growing up with real challenges, learning how to move through the world without losing who you are, and always looking forward, even when the past weighs heavy.
We’ve been boys since we were kids. Eighteen years of friendship, on and off, but always rooted in respect. It’s rare to see someone go from the scared new kid in 3rd grade to the grown man still grinding with purpose. And it’s even rarer to be able to sit down and talk about it all, like we did today.
He came to this Watsonville as a kid with no English, just drive. He caught up, stood out, and kept going, even when life got heavy. He took hits, made sacrifices, and never lost the heart that made him different from day one.
Now he’s working hard, still learning, still grinding, still showing up for the people he loves. And through it all, the wins, the setbacks, the chaos. He’s stayed true to himself.
You did good bro. |
| David Enjoying Life with some Apple Cider! |
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