Every time we walked from Pebbly to Avalon we past a place called Hectors "Sea Food Grotto". It was a big building located just outside Avalon's main business district. The entire place was built on "pilings" and actually had the ocean underneath it. When I first saw it the color scheme was pastel pink with white trim. Gaudy as it sounds, it was pretty and seemed to fit in perfect with the surroundings. Hector's was of course a restaurant serving sea food as the sign stated. The place was always busy during the tourist season.

One spring morning Lowell and me along with the Williams brothers decided to go to town. We walked up the coast road. It was a great day, we saw old lady Eagle perched up on the ledge giving us the "evil eye". Didn't matter none cause no one would climb up there again. What was done was done. Lowell and Jimmy spotted a bunch of Seals swimming by headed for Seal Rock. They were pretty animals all slick and shiney. They "Barked" like dogs as they swam on toward their gathering place.

Catalina at that time had probably three hundred Seals that lived on what was called Seal Rock. It was located on a remote end of the island. One of the few places we couldn't get to on foot. The only way to get there was by boat. The Seal's were quite a tourist attraction and drew lots of lookers. 


As usual we walked past Hectors on our way to town. On this particular day a fellow  stepped outside the building and asked us for "A moment please". Kind of formal I thought to myself. He was a tall dark complexioned man, balding and neat mustache. He shook hands with each of us, again very formal. His hands were big and soft. He wore several expensive looking rings, a white shirt and brown "pleated pants" with little narrow suspenders. 

I'm Hector was his introduction to us. We each in turn told him our names and shook his hand again. We weren't well versed in the formal graces. Hector told us he and his wife had watched us pass his establishment many times. He and Mrs. Hector would like for us to come inside and visit awhile if we had the time. Well time we had for sure. We followed Hector inside the restaurant and out to the open air dining deck that was attached to the main building. This was a great spot to sit in the sun and just look at the rest of Avalon. I could understand why this place was always busy during tourist season.

Hectors wife came out to meet us. She brought us some Canad Dry soda pop and some sandwiches. I guess everyone on the Island drank Canada Dry. It followed me everywhere I went or so it seemed. Mrs. Hectors name was Wanda. She was a pretty lady, dark skin, black hair and quite tall. She had the prettyist eye's I'd ever seen. They were Aqua-marine in color and just sparkled when she looked at you. Something about her eye's made me blush. I didn't want to stop looking at her which in turn embarrassed me. Again we all got to shake hands except with Wanda this time. She then excused herself and was gone.

Hector had a deal for us. He had recently purchased twelve two man paddle boats. These were the little boats built on two pontoons and propelled the persons in the boats using foot pedals.  The foot pedals were connected to a large paddle wheel through a system of sprockets and bicycle chains. You sat down and pedaled like you were on a bicycle. They were "Neat" little boats. Really a kid's delight. Just "Chug" a long at about two miles an hour. Hector had one of the little boats painted a bright pink. He'd then had the name "Sea Food Grotto" paint on the boat along with a brief menu.  Hector purposed to hire us to paddle over to the boat dock and move in close as the tourist departed the steamship and came on the island. The idea of course was to get the tourist into his restaurant. We in turn got fifty cents each plus a sack lunch and use of the boats on slow days. He would even buy us life jackets for safety. Turned out to be a stroke of advertising genius. The only problem was the little boats stayed booked up so much that we didn't get many "Freebies. Hector made it up to us by throwing in some extra money now and then. He said we were good for business.  It turned out to be an ideal little job. We worked less than two hours a day. We got paid, got a really good lunch and still had the day to "Goof" off. What a life!!