On my quest to discover new things about Hayward, I asked myself what the best way to find out about this city may be. Having been born and raised in San Jose, Hayward seemed like just another city that I pass through to get to the more metropolitan San Francisco.
I knew the only way to find out more about Hayward was to interact with its residents and hopefully have one tell me their life story and why they have chosen to call Hayward home.
“Big John,” a name that fits his larger than life personality and teddy bear stature, is a remarkable man with wisdom that surpasses his 70 years of life.
During my daily breaks from campus I would often head to the Starbucks off of Jackson St. and see “Big John” with his cap on sitting outside, always surrounded by people. His infectious laugh and smile, as well as the way he talks with his deep, booming voice and Louisiana accent, just captures your attention.
One day I mustered up enough courage to approach him and asked if I could sit and listen to his conversation.
He almost shot me down, thinking that I was a “girl trying to sell him cheap French perfume,” but when he realized that all I wanted to do was listen, he continued and had a lot to say.
“Big John” was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1940. His family owned land, and they were hard working.
At the age of 21, he wed his first wife and by the time he was 24, he had had two children. Life in Louisiana was much harder as a young father, and all the anxieties and responsibilities hit him “like a ton of bricks.”
Soon thereafter, he divorced his wife and moved to San Francisco, where he had family.
Asked why he chose Hayward as his home for almost 40 years, he said, “San Francisco is too busy, so much going on. Oakland just ain’t right.
All kinds of trouble and violence. Hayward is a place to raise a family and that’s why I like it here.”
He began to tell me about his life after the move west. He found a new wife from Hayward, and has never felt the urge to move to other cities in the Bay Area. He eventually went on to have more children, and unfortunately has had to live through a death of a daughter.
He was able to accept the reality of this tragedy and continued to work hard.
“I been through a lot out here. I had to go through things I wish I didn’t go through, but I can’t say this city has been bad to me. I own my own home. I have my neighbors but they ain’t attached to my house, and my home is mine. This is a family raising town and that’s all I need to say about it,” said “Big John.”
As we continued to talk more people joined our conversation.
The sound of conversation, paired with Marvin Gaye in the background added to the atmosphere. Our discussion progressed from talking about Hayward to other areas of interest, but watching him interact with all the different people was amazing to see.
His smile and kind words lifted spirits, while his “tell it like it is” attitude was stern, though always followed by encouraging words.
As we talked I began to get a better understanding of Hayward, and how much this city means to its residents.
I began to see a bigger picture about this town, and I realized that Hayward is the city it is today because of its people.
A wide array of ethnicities, ages, and culture makes up this city and I had the pleasure of being able to talk with one of its residents and learn firsthand.
I started off the interview scared and uneasy and ended up with so much more than I could have ever expected. Next time you have the time to sit and chat for a while you can find “Big John” sitting out side of the Starbucks on Jackson.
“Catch me out here come rain or shine. if its raining I’m inside and if its not I’ll be right here under the music speaker listening to the music.”
As we talked something that was always consistent, was a smile on his face.
I asked him what the key to staying happy in life was, and he turned to me and said: “Back home in Louisiana we got a saying, and that is count your blessings, not your worries.” Such a small phrase with a big impact, and having met “Big John” will always be considered a blessing and an event that I will never forget.