Category

Chapters

2 min read

Chapter 15 – Mentorship Without Calling It That

Travis in Athens, Greece. We next to the house on the island of Cephalonia, which is where the Greek kids thought, and would not accept that I wasn’t, Chuck Norris. 16 year old Travis at the racing school the old Paul Ricard race track in France, during our two-month trip to Europe. Riding the trains […]

Written by

UncleB
2 min read

Chapter 14 – Talking, Listening & Letting People Open Up

Brandon on our flight to Spain around 1988. Brandon and I visiting his girlfriend, who also was an exchange student, at her host family’s house in Madrid, Spain. On the way to Madrid from Barcelona, Brandon had this idea to make grated tomato, pulp basically, sandwiches. Just grate a fresh tomato and put the pulp […]

Written by

UncleB
1 min read

Chapter 12 – Earning Trust Over Time

Greg’s friend, ‘Runaway Mike,’ who lived down the street from me in the same neighborhood, where I met Stephen and Greg and eventually the other skater kids.

Written by

UncleB
6 min read

Chapter 11 – How Relationships Actually Form

Liz and Natalie, Stephen and Greg’s mom and sister. They saw me fly by the window when I was painting the house and fell into a big bush and got stuck! Greg’s 240SX at my house. Gregory’s smile after removing his braces himself with a dremel and needle nose pliers. Greg’s car in my garage, […]

Written by

UncleB
2 min read

Chapter 10 – Family, Chosen Family & Showing Up

Brother Mike, Stephen and Greg (left to right) at their mom’s house in Moreno Valley, CA. Greg (left), Stephen (right) and their mom Elizabeth when the boys were young kids, before I met them as young teenagers. Stephen and Gregory (left to right) as young boys growing up, before I knew them. Stephen and Greg […]

Written by

UncleB
1 min read

Chapter 09 – Reading People & Situations

Mikey sitting at my office desk at my townhome in the skater kid’s neighborhood. Jason (standing) in the backyard of my townhome. 36 year old me when Mikey, Jason and I were workout buddies. Also around the time we played tackle football, without pads at El Modena high school in Orange, CA. I was sore […]

Written by

UncleB
6 min read

Chapter 08 – Looking At Things More Than One Way

First Exchange Student – Christian #1 My first exchange student Christian #1 (left) and his younger brother Sebastian at their home in Seeheim, Germany. Christian #1 went to El Modena high school. He was the first of my exchange students all going to Elmo. He also took AP classes and the obligatory German class I […]

Written by

UncleB
3 min read

Chapter 06 – Questioning What You’re Told

Travis school pictures (above) attending Elton Garrett junior high. 1983 -7th grade (above left) and 1984 – 8th grade (above right). Andy, probably late teens early twenties, visiting my mom’s house in Anaheim, California (left). Many years later, Andy as an adult arranged a free condo for Brandon and me to stay at right at […]

Written by

UncleB