Unheard L.A. (by William)

Unheard L.A. is National Public Radio’s (89.3 KPCC) In Person community storytelling program.  My dad and I went to the live show hosted in Baldwin Park.  It starred local people with their personal stories to share.  The stories were all different but every one of them were so vivid.

Elis Noemi talked about her childhood in Guatemala.  Whenever her family had reunions, which was every weekend, her grandma would make hundreds and hundreds of tamales.  Yes second, yes third, yes more.  Elisa would eat until her chair was pushed back from the table, and her buttons pop off.  Her grandma was not an affectionate woman, so Elisa was afraid to ask the recipe from her.  Unfortunately, her grandma died with her secret.  Elisa grew to be confident and learned how to make tamales from her mom.

Another lady in the program told her story about her career.  When she was young she decided to try woodworking.  When she joined the class, she saw rows and rows of saws.  She wondered, “I didn’t apply for sawing fingers off!”  She cautiously slid a piece of wood into a saw.  “Phew, no fingers lost… yet!” She said.  The next person helping her was named Joe.  When he put a hard hat on her head, she jokingly said her peanut head was too small and short for it.  It left her half blind.  In the end, she completed a stool and it now sits in her kitchen. 

I laughed a lot during the one hour and 30 minutes that I was there.  Every person has a story, maybe next time, I can sign up to tell my story at Unheard L.A.