They Say It's Your Birthday: A Party in Oakland in 1980

I turn 40 this year. But 36 years ago, I turned four. For a slightly belated celebration of Best Friend Day, I thought I'd post this 4th birthday snapshot collection featuring a party with my BFFs. At least, I think they were my BFFs. I can't really remember. They may have just been in it for the cake.

This epic party happened in August of 1980, at 19 Ramona Avenue in Oakland, California. I can't believe this was a full year before I started kindergarten. Which, of course, begat 15 more years of school, followed by a lifetime of full-time work. This was probably the last time I had no responsibility at all. What did I do with my life? That's right, I remember—I drew pictures and watched Jaws II over and over. Those were salad days, my friend.

That's my friend, Johnny, in the blue shirt. Not sure why he's wearing a name tag. And yes, I miss wicker furniture and wood panelling. The house was eventually stripped of its more dated aspects and re-painted a charming, timeless white. You can see its present incarnation here.

This was Tatiana Vasilev aka Tanya Sarsfield—one of the legendary Seoul Sisters—posing with Dennis Skellenger. Dennis Allen Skellenger was born on December 29, 1942 and died on March 8, 1991 at the age of 48. Dennis introduced me to the wonders of Quiche Lorraine—as well as the Ken Russell film The Devils (1971). When I had trouble wrapping my pre-pubescent brain around all that debauchery, Dennis said, "Well, Michael, you just have to remember one thing: the King was an idiot."

This double-fisting gentleman flanked by babes was none other than our next-door neighbor, Fred Blatt, who lived at 23 Ramona Avenue in Oakland. According to this rather interesting biography printed in the AC Transit Times (Vol. 3, Number 11) in March 1961, Fred John Blatt was born in San Francisco in 1899, in the "last house on Larkin Street," near the shore of the bay, while his father was building Mile Rocks Lighthouse. He worked for AC Transit, the Oakland-based public transportation agency, for 30+ years, overseeing first ferry boats, then trains, and finally buses. He passed away on November 12, 1991.

This was Alexis, who lived two doors up at 25 Ramona Avenue. All I can remember about her is, she was from Johannesburg, South Africa, and had a pair of matching Standard Poodles named "Max" and "Flavia." I remember Max knocked me down once. I know what you're thinking: "You got your ass kicked by a poodle?" But seriously—that thing was huge!

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The guy on the right was my uncle, David "Scotty" Thomson. David was born on April 11, 1929 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. He died on January 18, 2006, in Elk Grove, California, at the age of 76. David worked on the railroad, so he and Fred Blatt were most likely chit-chatting about trains.

And here we are, opening presents. The boy in red was my BFF, Laju Lee. We used to terrorize the neighborhood. A lot.

There's that damn Herculon couch again. I swear, that thing shows up in every other photograph from the era. We eventually replaced it with a pastel-y, Southwestern-y Golden Girls-style couch in the 90's.

Happy belated Best Friend Day to you and yours!