Kids in the Old Canal Zone loved pets! Dogs were a real favorite. My favorite breed has always been the golden retrievers... Over the years I have had the pleasure of adopting a few goldens. They are smart and can teach anybody a few things about life. If a Dog were your Teacher, you would learn stuff like... * When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. * Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. * When it's in your best interest-practice obedience. * Take naps and stretch before rising. * Thrive on attention and let others touch you. * Run, romp, and play daily. * Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do. * When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. * On hot days, lie down and rest. * No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout... run right back and make friends. * Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough. * Be loyal. * Never pretend to be something you're not. * When someone is having a bad day just jump in their arms and bring a happy smile. Greetings everybody and God Bless all here. Where were you in 1956? For some of you, it may be just too early. You may not have yet been a twinkle in your Dad's eyes. But for others we remember the 50's real well. Yes, Mon. The easy 50's are when everything was dirt-cheap. Imagine buying a hamburger made from scratch for only 25 cents. Now none of the freeze burned beef, no a patty that was made before your eyes. The lettuces and tomatoes were just a few minutes ago at the Chinese garden. Now I myself would always say hold the Mayo! Why? Well for me Mayo and I just don't get along! But hey there are all kinds of other condiments. Imagine that back then there were no little packages of this or that. You wanted Catsup you got a bottle. These when empty were refilled out of these giant cans of tomato sauce that were GI colored O.D. brown or just a plain white wrapper with black lettering in that government script on the can. Lots of stuff in the commissary was that way. But before I continue on this chiva... we'll get off and take the Canal Zone area bus to where you were and what were you doing in 1956? Well, if you recall in 1955 Rock and Roll was born with that memorable hit of Shaboom-Shaboom... then we had Jerry Lee Lewis and Hot Balls of Fire and then the King of Rock and Roll... the one and only Elvis Presley with Jail House Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, you ain't nothing but a hound dog and so on.... In 1956, Elvis also came out with his first movie..."Love Me Tender." Then he made a western called Flaming Arrow! But the real action was in Cocoli with music provided by the "Five String Busters." Now that was a fantastic group. They really had a sound that was unmistakably only theirs. That was when electric guitars were coming in and this group had the drums, a base and 3 electric guitars. Sometimes one of the guys would play a real mean saxophone. He had Boots Randolph down pat! They often would play at the Cocoli Gym. At that time I was in charge of the gym. I had the keys. It was a Navy MWR facility. I got some coins for doing it. I was everything from Chief Bottle Washer to program director. It was really a wild scene. It would last for another 2 years but Uncle Sam had called me so it wasn't very long when we were enjoying our first fabulous winter in the windy city of Chicago. But I am getting ahead of my story. The fabulous hey days, were still with us in the old Canal Zone in 1956. I was still Cocoli… Yes, we were enjoying going to BHS (Balboa High School) and being juniors we were in the rocking chair of decisions. There really was no rush for we still had another year at BHS before crunch time came and we had to decide to continue living the life of Riley in the old Canal Zone or push out into the deep and go fishing in life's giant blue lake. I started seeing kids leaving every couple of month. The music was still playing for me in Panama. One of the best things that has ever happen to me and many other kids while living in the old Canal Zone was adopting a pet. It could have been a black as midnight cat or a dog the color of gold. Well, for me it was the dog... a golden retriever to be exact. What a dog! We went everywhere together... but that was how it was living the life of Riley with one of your best buddies in the old Canal Zone. The Navy Recruiter and the Marine Recruiter were working on my resolve.... Yes, what to do next? While Lucho Azcarraga music played in the background. The question was could I really leave paradise? Wow, that was a tough one. We had the draft then and many kids were getting drafted. Not because of the Vietnam War… no, that would come later. I had considered going Army because all my uncles except one had gone into the Army during WWII. The one had gone into the Navy. Having grownup with Cracker Jack, I was partial to the sailor uniform. Besides when I was 5 years old I was given a little sailor suit to get my picture taken at Foto Wolf. Yea, Popeye and me appear in one shot. The sounds of the 50's and we all had our little radios tuned the SCN-AFR Panama to the "Hit Parade" bringing us the sounds that kept or feet jumping back in 1956. Oh, the memories and the music played on.... Can you hear it? This is a typical 4-family tropical quarters. If you were lucky your dog could sleep in your bedroom with you... if not in his little doghouse in the back yard. But hey, both of you liked sleeping indoors, especially when it rained cats and dogs! Yes, living in Cocoli off La Bruja Road was a real adventure... yes indeed. Siestas Siestas in the afternoon Power naps we call them Always welcome, don't you know In a hammock or in the bed, if too hot......then on the floor. Never say no to a siesta, Make it for hours, if you can, If not then 30 minutes will do just fine. Si! Very refreshing once it is done. Viva Siestas! One by one..... Have you had your siesta today?

To believe.....to reach.....to strive is to keep a dream alive. If you use each today as a chance to reach out, to learn something more of what life's all about....... If you follow your dreams, strive to make them come true..... Then life's sure to bring all the best things to you. ----Unknown

Panama Dreaming.......

Too Many Secrets

It has been a real pleasure sharing little more about Cocoli... my town and the goldens that many families adopted in the old Canal Zone. If you have time or want to take your dog for a walk then please check out another page.....you'll be glad you did! Take care and drop by again. Hasta la Vista. See you on the flip side.