Emeryville Stories

By Craig Webster

Hop on your bike and ride with Craig and Brian as they create and experience lessons and adventures. Sit on the wall with the whole gang and feel for yourself the warmth built from friendships and mutual experiences.

Emeryville, a small town, nestled between two big cities and the San Francisco Bay, provides the perfect backdrop for fun and adventure.

The author gives you a manual for growing up the right way with these memoirs from a different time, in a different place, in a unique way from an adult's point of view.

From the admiration of older siblings to the dedication of best friends. Talents discovered and utilized and put to good use in reminiscences of a wonderful reflection of the author's childhood.

Craig Webster combines memories, mirth, and shared ventures in this totally true, nonfiction, nothing-made-up book of memories from a childhood done the right way.

Enjoy your bike ride as you experience Emeryville Stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636928227

Book preview

Bike Rides

An Emeryville Story

(The statute of limitations has expired on any crimes implied.)

It was one of those beautiful days. After the morning haze had dissipated, the sun was shining with not a cloud in the sky. The color was definitely sky blue as only those of us lucky enough to live there knew it to be.

This day was long before Emeryville became the metropolis it is now, before Trader Joe’s and Ross and Disney’s Pixar Studio and all that hubbub. I’m talking when our stores were Mert’s on Sixty-Fourth and Vallejo, Peggy’s at Sixty-First and Fremont, and Jane’s at Fifty-Ninth and Vallejo, all owned by Asian Americans, but that’s neither here nor there, only to describe the times. When the doughnut factory was still on Stanford and Vallejo, Eastern Star Chinese restaurant was at Stanford, and Marshall and Hudson’s was at Stanford and San Pablo, with Al’s Men’s Shop right next door. After being reminded, you guys remember, don’t you?

Brian and I could hop on our bikes and ride all day. Our rules were, be where you could hear Mom if she called. Well, this day, Brian’s mom, Alice Rose, was at work in SF at the Lock Co., and mine was way in Hayward at Cal State Hayward, known by a different name now. CSUH is how I’ll always know it.

That being said, our day had no restrictions other than making sure we got home before either mom.

We rode down Vallejo and passed Sixty-Third, Thomas and Roger were out there, but we weren’t messing with them. Sixty-Fourth and nobody out but the Devine’s, and they kind of lived in their own world, within our world, so we kept riding. Around Ocean Avenue, where Smitty and Darleen’s momma was out, we said hi and kept riding. Back around to Sixty-Fourth, we talked to Woodrow, but he didn’t have a bike, so we rode on. As I reminisce, all the pretty girls we passed on our rides, our block of course, but then on Vallejo, there was Elaine Finch, Carmela was right across the street, and the Johnson sisters on Sixty-Third, Ocean Avenue, had plenty of girls, and let me remind you of Ramona Smith. Talk about fine! But I was young and was not yet appreciative of that type of beauty. No, the beauty we were after was of a different kind. Our neighborhood had great neighbors, factories, railroad tracks, and plenty of adventure. Brian and I were headed to the Marina.

Before the Watergate apartments and the police and fire departments, and the boats all pretty as they sit now, the Marina was Adventureland, and we were on our way. We passed the Hannah’s and the Canady’s on Beaudry. Mike Rakestraw asked where we were going but were too cool to want to go. Down Fifty-Ninth to Doyle and over to Powell. Up and over the overpass, we flew down the other side, having a great time! All we had to do was cross under the freeway, and we were there! I couldn’t wait!

Did I mention that we were only nine years old at the time? We kind of lost track of time.

Brian and I made it to the light just before crossing under the freeway. Our excitement level was way up, about to really get loose.

The problem was, time had gotten away from us, and Brian’s mom, beautiful Alice Rose, my mom’s best friend/sister, reached that stoplight at the same time! Auntie Alice didn’t get all ugly on us. She very calmly said, I’m going drop off Eloise, and you two better beat me home.

We did, and we both thanked God it was Alice Rose instead of my mom because it would have been much worse. Auntie Alice got home, scolded us, and threatened to tell Cora B. / Miss Johnson, who would’ve definitely said, go get my belt and take them pants off. We learned two valuable lessons that day. Watch the time and stay off the main streets.

Later that day, we sat on the wall at fire chief’s house and reflected on our day.

Yeah, those were the good old days.

Aquatic Park and the Marina

An Emeryville Story

(The statute of limitations has expired on any crimes implied.)

We could have multiple days of the most remarkable weather in Emeryville. I mean, two and three weeks could pass without a cloud in the sky. But whenever rain fell, we complained about it, unaware of how lucky we were for the weather we enjoyed. Yeah, that’s what it must feel like to feel entitled. Someone famous once said, Watch it, because every storm will run out of water. Our storms emptied out pretty quickly.

In our many adventures, Brian and I had a winning record of about 93–1. We did get caught that one time, but way more often, we made it to whatever adventure we set out to go on. Sometimes on foot and sometimes by bike, we explored Emeryville and beyond. When I think back on all the walking we did back then, I know we would be in great shape had we kept it up. I remember going to the orthodontist up in Berkeley with Brian when he had to see the orthodontist. Brian wore braces for quite a time. It was a good thing, I guess. But I sure felt for my friend when we visited. I would wait in the waiting room and could hear Brian’s moans of pain as the orthodontist adjusted his braces. Twisting the wires to tighten them as they straightened his teeth, I would imagine, was a very painful thing. It made me thankful for straight teeth. Brian never complained outside of the orthodontist’s office, as I’m sure he knew the braces were necessary. But while inside that orthodontist’s office, my buddy went through it.

Funny, we were given bus fare to go to the orthodontist. Being that it was always an appointment, we would catch the bus to the orthodontist so we could get there on time. But coming home, there was no time frame, so to have that bus fare as spending money, we would walk home. On the way there, we would catch the 72 San Pablo Avenue bus and get off at University Avenue in Berkeley. Crossing the street, we would then transfer to the 51 College Street bus and ride up to Shattuck. While on the bus, we would ask the bus driver for