Bob had arranged for my dad to apply to the Catalina Island Company for a job opening they had. The Company was the overall entity responsible for island upkeep. Police, DPW, harbor control and fire department. Pop was a good welder which just fit the bill for the opening with the company. Because of the war time loss of business the company had run with the minimum amount of manpower. Now that the war was over more help was in order. My dad was paired up with the fellow that had held the job during the slow period. The poor guy was workng dawn to dusk, seven days a week. Pop would make life alot easier for his fellow worker. Between the two of them the job could be eight hours a day for each. They traded off on weekends. Each had every other weekend free. It worked out great and the pay was very good. About $70.00 a week. It seemed like a fortune to us at the time. The job, though seasonal, created a sense of security and belonging. My folks seemed much happier and at ease with our surroundings. For little brother Lowell and I, life was good.

Where as I had to becareful in the sun little brother tanned to a dark brown and his blonde hair turned almost white. Me, I just got alot of freckles.

We were now accepted as "Island kid's" and allowed to roam free in and around Avalon. 

I loved the water. I had never really learned to swim. More of a "dog paddler" I guess describes my ability. I went to the beach every day. The life gaurds watched over me and brother preventing us from getting to far out. I learned not to open my eye's under water. The salt really made my eye's "smart".

With some help from Duke and the life gaurd's I became a pretty good swimmer. Duke insisted that I swim back and forth to the diving barge at least twice each morning before I did anything else. He said it would build up my muscles and breathing capicity. The diving barge was just that. A big orange colored barge anchored about one hundred yard's off the beach. His advice proved to be true and created benefits that stayed with me to this day. Hanging out at the beach was ideal for little brother and me. We stayed out of trouble and enjoyed some really great times. Having the Pacific Ocean in your front yard is something most people never experince. Life was indeed good.