The Old Stone House Across Imperial

I was just in the old neighborhood in June [98]. I stopped and introduced 
myself to the present owner [of the old Magdaleno house], and gave him a 
little bit of the history of the house. I also stopped and visited with Bob 
Forlow who lives on Van Buren. Who here remembers him? He's 94 now and has 
lived there since 1941.  He used to drive an old grey 49 Chevy pickup. He 
gathered lots of scrap metal, as a side job.  

I also visited with Rudy Lara. His family lived in the stone house across 
Imperial [where Berendo Avenue would be if it didn't jog over a bit on the 
south side of Imperial] since early in the century. He is still there with 
his brother. They rent out the stone house and live in the apartment in the 
back. When I talked with my Uncle Henry Magdaleno he told me he used to play 
with some of the Lara Kids there in the 20's.  Who remembers the echo when we 
used to yell towards Imperial. I didn't know it then, but I bet it was 
bouncing off that stone house.

I met Rudy when we hung out at the miniature golf course on Vermont. His 
older brother lives with him. They have developed that  half lot on Imperial.
 They put in a beauty parlor with parking. He said they had to meet al kinds 
of environmental restrictions due to the old dump that was up behind the 
trailer park past Budlong. Something about contaminated ground water. Seems 
kind of silly, what with all the old houses with not special provisions.

- A. Magdaleno