A little bit of nostalgia with my son

Today me and Ev went on a daddy adventure to the exercise equipment store, Toys R Us, and the gas station. It wasn't your ordinary gas station, it was the one in the neighborhood I grew up in. We had taken a detour right by the street I lived on in Carmichael and went by the fire station that probably started it all for me and my career.

Any time I pass by that "hood" as we all called it, I remember back to a time of playing Hot Wheel cars in the dirt, riding Big Wheels, and building the biggest jumps to hurl our bmx bikes off of. Usually, we would crash and sometimes we made it. It's a trip because you see places around there where it all went down. Crazy situations that would blow your mind, and simple ones like building forts in trees and fighting with fake guns. I like it when places you've been to or relics you remember are still there.

A side note on this is that I am watching Metal Mania while writing. Also a fond memory of past times there. Hair metal will never go out of style for me, or you.

So me and Ev went to the Am/PM gas station to fill up. He wanted to get out and pump gas with me and I was stoked. I used to do the same thing with my dad at the same gas station. He was super cute pulling the trigger and seeing how it all works. I remember going to that AM/PM and getting hot dogs and burgers before drag races, rafting trips, or going out on the boat. Even when me, Jake, Joey, and John were derelict teenagers, we walked up there and got sodas and candy there.

So we drove down Fair Oaks Boulevard to a caw wash not far from the gas station and we washed my truck by hand. Evan likes the spray gun so I let him try it. He got blown back so I held it while he pulled the trigger. This is another retro moment for me because I also used to do the same thing with my dad. I remember washing the old black El Camino with him and he let me handle the brush and sprayer.

It's weird to think of how much history from my life is packed in such a small area of town. Places I've lived, schools I went to, and hang-outs. I am more or less in contact with all the guys I grew up with there and hope to see them in the near future. I'm not big on the "remember when" conversations with people but it would be fun with these dudes. Too much shit went down to forget it and it's probably defined who we all are to a point. I am glad I get to share little things like that with my son, even if he doesn't get it right now. I plan on sharing things like that with my daughter when she is older, and if she's into it.