A return to Norwalk, and the past that still lingers

NORWALK – “You can’t go home again” is an idiom meaning you can’t relive your past. Some people might disagree with that statement, as I’m sure we all know people who seem to make the same mistakes over and over again. That may not be exactly what it means.

For me, I had the opportunity today to revisit my past. It came in the form of a homecoming of sorts to the city where I grew up, Norwalk, CA. Sure, I haven’t lived in Norwalk for the past seven years or so, but today I wanted to visit for several reasons.

First, I visited the resting place of my mother and father at Little Lake Cemetery, just north of Norwalk in Santa Fe Springs. It’s something I had been wanting to do since I came last year for a family reunion and found the cemetery closed at 6 p.m.

For those who may remember, I used to contribute articles, commentaries and opinions about what was happening in Norwalk, surrounding communities and in my personal life. I wrote about my cancer scares, my long-term hospitalization after a partial amputation of my right foot and everyday news. I think back on the close calls, like hiding behind the wheel well of a car during a SWAT situation or riding my famous Raulmobile.

I wrote and published more than 340 articles for this newspaper from 2012 through 2019. I don’t remember every single one, but I do remember enjoying writing all of them.

I also attended an alumni luncheon for men of Excelsior High School here in Norwalk, my first non-class reunion event. We met at Frantone’s near Cerritos College. I didn’t know what to expect but was looking forward to what surprises were in store. I was not disappointed.

Every person there, to a man, was either gray-haired, graying or outright bald. Some faces I hadn’t seen in nearly 50 years and others as recently as last month. They were shipping and receiving clerks, educators, heavy equipment operators, software developers and even a freelance journalist.

Some had experienced bypass surgery, even triple bypass, amputations and life-changing diagnoses. The good news was that we had all survived those challenges.

Name tags showed our graduation years. While there were more from the ’50s and ’60s, about 20 of us from the ’70s — and the last class of 1980 — were in attendance. According to longtime attendees, the turnout of nearly 80 men was about 10 times the size of the original gathering five or six years ago.

I was especially excited to see classmates and former teammates. There were football players, wrestlers, track and field athletes, baseball players and even band members. I was a bit of all of those. The thinning hair and stories — both recent and decades old — brought laughter and sighs from everyone listening.

One of the most captivating moments came from a group of six or seven pilots surrounding Valley Ortega, who was the sophomore quarterback when I was a senior. He wasn’t talking about football, but rather a dramatic account of a close call last year involving a ruptured aorta that nearly killed him. I have to admit, he is one heck of a storyteller. The way he told it, everyone was hanging on every word.

Jeff Brinkley, a 1971 graduate of Excelsior, was known as “Coach” to many of us who played football and baseball. He went on to coach high school football for 34 years at Newport Harbor High School after earlier stints at Excelsior and five years at Norwalk High in the early 1980s. I played varsity football for him my senior year and managed the varsity baseball team as a sophomore and junior. I hadn’t seen Coach Brinkley in more than 40 years.

Like all good things, the luncheon eventually came to an end. After most had left, about a dozen of us stayed behind, continuing to share stories, laughter and memories for another hour.

My final stop was a community meeting at Sanchez Elementary, formerly Nottingham Elementary, regarding the renewed Hermosillo Park. While I no longer live in Norwalk — I now reside about 90 minutes south on Interstate 5 in San Diego — I decided to attend.

The meeting was held in the same auditorium where I had lunch from first through sixth grade. I didn’t know what to expect.

While there could be an entire article dedicated to the concerns raised, this piece isn’t necessarily that. Like many, I stay connected through online groups tied to Norwalk, Excelsior High School, Cerritos College and Cal State Long Beach.

Through those connections, I had seen posts and messages about the Hermosillo Park project. I didn’t know all the details, but it was clear there were concerns from people I knew from the neighborhood. I went to listen — both to city officials and to residents asking questions.

There was clear concern in the room. At times, comments were passionate and even heated. It seemed there were more questions than answers.

Norwalk City Manager Jesus Gomez reminded attendees that the city plans to hold meetings every two months to provide updates on the park’s reconstruction. Coming in without full context, I was content to listen and learn what I could.

There appears to be a lot of work ahead on both sides to reach a solution. One immediate challenge is the current state of the park, which has been cleared, leaving a 40-foot dirt mound covered with tarps where the amphitheater once stood. I hope both sides can find common ground.

As the day turned into evening, I freshened up and began the 90-minute drive back to San Diego. It reminded me of the final line from the movie Grosse Pointe Blank: “Get the hell out of Dodge.”