Stories from South Texas: Olivia

Growing up in Brownsville, Texas was always an adventure; we didn't have much money and I remember finally getting a bicycle for my birthday when I was 15 or 16. It was a Murray bike that up until recently still stood prominently in my parents home. That bicycle provided me a sense of freedom that I never knew before since my family had no car and primarily used public transit. One of the places that I used to venture to was a close friend's home. He had two sisters (Olivia and Olga) that I liked very much. I really got along well with the entire family and often had dinner with them. My visits were frequent because I really liked the youngest sister Olivia. We were good friends, but I never had the courage to ask her out. I don't know if she ever knew that I liked her a whole lot. Once I went off to college I lost contact with her and her family. I hope that she had a great life and I wish I had been more courageous in my youth to have told her how I felt. I remember her as a very sweet person.