James G. Herrera

I did not know Stella all that well but I could tell she liked me talking to her when I shared an English class at Lamar Jr. High School in Mr. John Herrera's English class.  Stella was a very "keep to herself" type person and had a "smart aleck" wit to her that I liked very much.  I used to like to draw in class and one class period she asked me, "what it was I was doing?" and I said, "I was just drawing stuff and asked would she like me to draw something for her?".  She said, "Sure - I want you to draw me a flag pole coming out of the top of an AM/FM tabletop radio with a man standing at the top of the flagpole".  I thought, "that sounds like my kind of drawing" - so I draw it for her and for some odd reason, whenever I think of Stella Arambula, I think of that drawing.  And I might be wrong but I do not think I am, but when we got our Lamar Jr. High School annuals, I re-drew that same picture of the radio with the flagpole and the man standing atop the flagpole so that I would not forget Stella.  I wished I could have gotten to know her better in High School while at Nixon, however, I do not think that was possible and for the most part, I am glad I had a moment to know her just the same.  Sincerely - James G. Herrera