A friend yesterday brought up a moment from my past, it got me reminiscing today.
When I was 21, I traveled to the States for 6 months from my native Canada. When I got to San Francisco I made friends with a variety of older African American men, in West Oakland California. At that time, it was a rather rough ghetto area of the city, lots of drug use etc. I was basically the only white person there. I became close friends with a man named Sonny, a former prize fighter, and heroin addicted jazz trumpet player named Dupree. Dupree was a great trumpet player.
Sonny had a closed jazz club called MY FAVOURITE THINGS, that I helped him with. I made photographs of my friends there and entered a totally different world. Those men taught me so much, being with them affected my entire life. It was a great time; wish I could go back.
Here is a photo of Bob, skinny me, and Sonny eating a dinner in the club. The second photo is of Dupree on the streets of San Francisco, where he busked for loose change.
Note* a not to a friend about the photos.
Surprised you remembered Sonny’s name. You got me thinking of olden times.
The photo is Bob Cl, Sonny, (right side). Second photo is Dupree B. Dupree was a great jazz trumpet player, the photo was made on the streets of San Francisco where he played for heroin money.
The pic of Bob me and Sonny was made in a closed Jazz club in West Oakland. That dinner was cooked by another man who was a former athlete and heroin addict. He played 3rd string quarterback for the Esks back in the 50s We bonded over that, because I was from Edmonton. Forget his name now.
Bob, Sonny and Dupree were all friends from their time in San Quentin prison. Bob used to tell me prison stories.
Sonny was my closest friend there, miss him. Be taught me a lot about helping others.
Note** Remembered the name of the cook and former Esk, Ray.
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| Bob, me and Sonny |
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| Dupree on the streets of San Francisco |
