I survived my first year of junior high. It was now time to reconnect with my best friend from my brief time living in Arizona.
My friend was having his Bar Mitzvah, and I had received my invitation in the mail and would be his special guest. We had stayed connected over the years by phone. And now his big day was coming. In the Jewish tradition, turning thirteen marked the transition from boyhood to manhood. I did not know much about this, so I asked my mom to help me with learning more about this special celebration. I also looked up Bar Mitzvah in my encyclopedia Britannica. Yes, the collection of books now pitted with BB imprints.
So, my mom and I planned my trip to California including how I would get there. His family had moved from Phoenix to Beverly Hills and that is where his special celebration would take place. And my traveling to California would take me on my first solo flight.
After months of anticipation during the spring, it was time for my journey. My luggage was packed with my new and old clothes. The excitement of my journey to California filled my body. Five days with my friend and his family would be my first time without parents directing me to do stuff. Of course, I would miss my neighborhood friends, but this was a special moment for me. Missing them was acceptable.
We headed out to the airport. After parking, my mom and dad walked me in to do check in to get my official ticket. We then walked to where I would get on the plane. I was scared and excited both at the same time. This was my first time flying and I was flying by myself. I wore dark blue trousers and a button shirt for my journey to California. That is how you traveled back then when flying.
We said our goodbyes and I received my have fun wishes. I boarded the front of the plane. Looking up at the nose of the plane was exciting. A man behind the window in the front of the plane waved at me. After going up the steps to the plane, a stewardess helped me find my seat. During the flight I remember she was always coming to me to see. She would ask how I was doing and if I needed anything.
The flight was not that long. When the plane landed in California, I was wondering how I would get to my friend’s place. I wondered if this part of my journey been coordinated with his parents. To my surprise my friend’s family greeted me at the bottom of the stairs outside the plane. My friend was so happy to see me he ran up and hugged me as I stepped off the last step. I almost feel over.
All of us walked through the terminal to where I collected my luggage and then out to his family’s car. I did not know where we were going, but the roads we traveled were very wide and there were cars everywhere.
I remember turning into a neighborhood with big building and houses. My friend’s family lived in an apartment building. And I remember that their apartment was larger than our house. And they had a lady who kept the house clean. She also made dinner for us.
My friend showed me his room. He had two beds in his room. He told me which bed I would be sleeping during my visit.
We then went into his brother’s room, and I remember being amazed at his brother’s sound system set up. His brother showed me how the system worked. Suddenly music began coming out of these boxes that were hanging from the ceiling. He said that the boxes were Bose. I really did not know what that meant but it was cool listening to music in his room. And there was music everywhere you stood in his room.
After dinner, my friend and I talked about everything that had happened to me and he did the same. I showed him the scar on my arm and the fingers that were still numb. We reminisced well into the wee hours of the morning. We had years to share, and they were not boring years.
The next morning, we got up and ate breakfast. He wanted to show me places he liked going to when he need time to himself or with his friends. We began our day of exploration by heading out to Century City. I did not know why this place interested him. He just kept reassuring me that I will like what he was going to show me.
After we arrived at Century City, he told me to just follow him, and I agreed. We walked along a busy street and then climbed up a hill. Once we got to the top of the hill, I was shocked and amazed at what I was seeing. It was a field full of stuff that looked like things you would see in the movies. My friend told me it was a back lot for 20th Century Fox movie and TV props.
There was a fence that wrapped around this giant field. My friend took me to an opening and said, “Let’s go explore.” I agreed. This place was amazing, and I did not want to miss an opportunity to go exploring. So, we slipped into this place of sacred Hollywood memories.
I also have this memory of spotting a vehicle in the distance that looked like the same vehicle that was in the TV show “Lost in Space.” As we got close, I was surprised that it was. We went around it and then climbed on it. I was in heaven. This was one of my favorite TV shows. I wanted to be Will Robinson, and to be a space explorer. And then we got inside and pretended to be astronaut adventurers driving on a foreign planet. And we were lucky that we did not get caught by anyone at the studio.
That afternoon after we got back to my friend’s place, we changed clothes, and he took me to play tennis. The tennis courts were just down the street from where he lived. Tennis was something new for to me and I did not do that well. We had fun anyway.
It was getting close to dinner time, so we headed back. Dinner was incredibly good, but the big treat was happening after dinner. My friend and his friends, and me, were going to an ice cream party before his big day. I remember it was Friday night and my friend’s dad had rented out an ice cream store for this celebration. We could have any ice cream treat we wanted. And there was no limit.
The next morning it was time for the bar mitzvah ceremony, and it was at this place called a synagogue. It was like a church but was different. My friend told me about the ceremony and that he would get to read from a scared Torah. I remember watching him up on the ark and I was so proud of him. There were no big ceremonies in my life to remember, so witnessing his bar mitzvah was special for me.
After the ceremony we attended a lunch in his honor. It was not a big lunch and none of his local friends attended, only me and his family. The big event was later in the evening when there was a big reception in his honor at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
After lunch we went back to my friend’s place and lounged around. My friend’s dad suggested that we save our energy for the evening’s activities. We spent time together and did just that.
We also enjoyed New York Egg Cream sodas, not from a bottle though. We made them. My friend’s family had carbonated seltzer water in bottles with caps that you squeezed to shoot the seltzer water into the glass. We also shot the water at each other.
We mixed chocolate syrup, milk, and seltzer water together. I was surprised at how good these were. I drank multiple glasses over the afternoon.
It was now time to get ready for the big event. And we had to dress in nice suits, but not the suits we wore to the morning ceremony. Before making my trip to California my mom took me shopping for a new suit. My mom and my friend’s mom had talked over the phone to coordinate what clothes I needed to bring and that included a new navy-blue suit with a light blue shirt and this clip-on tie with diagonal stripes.
When we were ready to go, we all went outside to where this big, extra-long car pulled up to take us to the hotel. I knew at this moment just how special this night was going to be. It was my first time in a limousine.
When we arrived at the hotel the driver of the limousine got out and opened the doors for us to exit. The arrival at the hotel felt choreographed. A man greeted us at the hotel entry and a nicely dressed lady escorted us to the ballroom where the reception would be.
This room was large and beautiful. There were many round tables with white and blue tablecloths surrounded with chairs. All the tables were set with fancy plates, glasses, and silverware. And there were center pieces that were festive with table names. Yes, each table had a name.
In the front of the room there was this long table that was set on a platform. A waitress escorted my friend and me to the middle seats at the long table. And as his local friends arrived, the same waitress escorted them to the long table.
The waitress who would be taking care of us showed us some drink glasses that were below the table and hidden by the tablecloth. She told us these were our special drinks and to not tell anyone. Well, I thought this was cool and tasted my drink. Yuk! I wondered what was in the drink and my friend told me that it would taste better after I drank more. I trusted him.
As our waitresses were delivering our dinner, I secretly sipped on another drink. It no longer tasted bad. I remember starting to feel amazingly happy.
After dessert it was time to party. There was a band playing and, yes, there were girls invited too. We all began to dance if that were what you would call it. And so did the adults. I had never been to a celebration party like this. And I had never felt so happy, this was new for me, and I was not complaining.
The celebration lasted well into the night, but it was time to leave. We still had another day of celebratory events to go to on Sunday.
The next morning, we got up late. I felt a little strange and so did my friend. Our heads hurt a little and our stomachs were gurgling. But we had to get ready for the next event, brunch at his aunt’s house. This was to be the last big event.
My friend’s aunt was an opera singer, and her house was nice. And the food was impressive. We stuffed ourselves. Everything was set out and you just took what you wanted.
As the day dragged on, we returned to the comfort of my friend’s room and took naps. Our evening dinner was quite simple. We went out for Chinese food. After dinner we walked to the Chinese theater where the movie starts names and handprints were impressed into the sidewalk. This was a cool place. I was getting tired. I had done so much this weekend that nothing could make it better. Well, that is what I thought. I had one more day in California.
The next morning my friend and I were woke up early by his dad. He said that we needed to get on the road to avoid the morning traffic rush. I asked him where we were going. This was like a last-minute trip idea. Or was it planned to be a surprise. He just responded with a simple, “You’ll see.”
As our drive got longer, I kept looking at the sign to see I could get an idea of our destination. And then I saw a sign that said “Disneyland.” I wondered if this was where we were going. And yes, he turned onto the main road which led to the park’s entrance. My friend’s dad dropped us off at the main entry and an instruction to be back at the entry by seven. I could not believe that I was going to Disneyland.
While he was giving us instructions for pick up, I realized that I had no extra money stashed away for this unplanned outing. My friend’s dad gave him an envelope. In it was the cash we needed for both of us to enjoy our day, and there were many bills from what I could see.
On this day, my friend and I explored every place we could in the park. I was fascinated with all the rides and well, just everything. This day would be the final addition to my visit with my dearest friend and his family. And I just knew that this was going to be the best summer ever.
And then…
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