Marvin Gaye ... a childhood memory.

the homie e's gift of music conjured up this childhood memory...

I was in first grade, and I usually walked to my sitter's house a few blocks, behind my school. But this day, Mrs. Velasco, my sitter, was waiting in the parking lot, and her mom was in the front seat. She said, I was on my way home and I thought I'd save you a walk. Mrs. Velasco was a sweet lady. Tall, Mexican American, mom of three grown boys, grandma to 2 at the time, knew everyone on the block, and babysat a whole bunch of us kids from the neighboring schools. I enjoyed when she made sun tea and baloney and cheese sandwiches.

It was always lively at her house. We played in the front lawn under a couple birch trees, and when it was hot we swam in the pool. She was my sitter for a couple years until my grandparents moved down and took care of us.

She and her husband Louie had a nickname for me - Trini, derived from my family nickname, and for Trini Lopez (although he's a guy). I thought that was pretty cool. Anyways, so she picked me up and I sat in the back, leaning my head on the breaststrap of the seatbelt. The window was open, and it was a warm, breezy day. Then they announced on the radio that Marvin Gaye had died over the weekend, shot by his father. Mrs. V and her mom gasped in disbelief. "Oh how sad, and it's birthday too?" Mrs. V's mom lamented. Mrs. V was pretty sad... she was a big fan of his music. She asked me if I knew who Marvin Gaye was, and I said no. She told me, he had one of the most beautiful voices she's ever heard.

At 7 years old, I didn't quite know Marvin's music, or rather that it was his. Heard It Through the Grapevine was on a California Raisins commercial. The melody of If This World Was Mine recurs throughout my childhood. As I grew up, as my social consciousness developed, as I fell in love, as I (still) try to figure out life, I've gotten to know his music. I didn't read much about his life until later.... in the end, what a tragedy. But left us with such beauty and soul. Thank you, Marvin.