“I don’t feel a difference”

Angel was a shy kid growing up, born on September 23, 2001 in Los Angeles, California. Around the age of five he started going to school with his older sister who is six years older than him. 

He didn’t bother talking to other people, except for my sister. That was until high school, when got to make friends who would help Angel express his feelings. Most of the time after school he would go out with friends rather than going home to play video games.

Angel’s family was supportive of him going out and making friends. Angel had social anxiety growing up.

“I just don’t feel a difference” – Angel

Transcript:

Felix Pedro: Introduce yourself.

Angel Pedro: Hi, my name is Angel Pedro.

FP: Um where were you born?

AP: I was born in Los Angeles California. [Laughs]

FP: Did you enjoy being the youngest before I was born?

AP: I don’t- I don’t really remember like there being any difference like that.

FP: How was it like living around 2005 like?

AP: I really can’t remember that. I was probably like four years old.

FP: Hmm. Did you talk to our sister a lot growing up?

AP: I was, I was pretty close to- her when I was younger it wasn’t until I reached high school that I stopped being as closed to her.

FP: Why were you guys close then distant after a while?

AP: We were close because that was my only sibling and she was older than me. I guess people just think, they tend to think that their older sibling is like cool I guess, and at the end I  was just like I was already old enough to just I don’t know kinda go through the things where you just rather hang out with your friends more.

FP: Oh. What were your thoughts like when mom told you she was pregnant? and especially when you found out I was a girl?

AP: Well I wanted to have a brother um so when I found out it was a girl, I can’t say I was like I wasn’t as happy as I would’ve been if I would’ve had a brother ,but then I just you know, I kinda just didn’t really care about it. Like what the gender was at the end. um I guess I was just cool with having another sibling.

FP: Did you feel left out being the middle child?

AP: Not really. I never really felt left out.  I’m sure there’s like- they were like times where my mom would always [inaudible] prefer hanging out or spending some time with my older sister. Only because they’re both women, and they’re both older. Then, or her spending more time with you because you’re the youngest and you’re also a woman. Then I was just a guy you know.

FP: What about Dad?

AP: Well I did spend time with him but it was just like this time it was kinda like the same for everyone. It wasn’t like he dedicated more time to one of us. Then kinda like how mom did where she spent more time with you two.

FP: How was your relationship with your parents?

AP: Right now?

FP: No. Growing up around like before you were eighteen.

AP: Before I was eighteen?

FP: Yeah like those years, those eighteen years.

AP: Eh- when I was younger like elementary age uh I didn’t really pay attention to my connection with them I guess. I was just happy being around them. I guess that’s just how a lot of kids feel, and middle school I think there was like the same feeling it wasn’t until high school where it was just like, I obviously didn’t like- I guess it’s just that thing about kids do at a certain age. Where they just like, stop telling their parents everything. So I guess I would spend more time like, hanging out with my friends. Or even work. Like right after school, go to work and then just go home and my parents were already asleep. Then next day just do the same thing. So I guess in the earlier years I was a little bit closer to them. Like later on through high school I kinda lost a bit of connection with them.

FP: Mm, Where did you work at?  [laughs]

AP: I found a job where my friends were working at. In downtown LA, um it was a KFC, uh right on 7th and Broadway. I would go there probably like four times a week after school. Then sometimes work both days on the weekend. That was my first job that I ever got. That was until I think my junior or senior year it might’ve been just my senior year.

FP: Um is there any I think memorable thing you remember from that job? Just like it can be your favorite or your least favorite thing just that you remember and probably always remember. [both laugh]

AP: There were a lot of things um I mean downtown is crazy as it is um. I don’t know what I’m allowed to speak about.

FP: Anything just don’t say any bad words.

AP: hmm I do remember! Nah never mind. [both laugh] Some of these things were pretty embarrassing. I guess there’s just a lot of things to choose fro-from like being like in the center of like Downtown and there’s a lot of homelessness around Downtown so you can imagine a lot of problems just like kinda revolve around that.

FP : And when you were younger did you see yourself working that job in the future or did you have other plans? Did you wanna be a “solder?” [laughs]

AP: I feel like as a kid anyone-everyone already has like this idea of what they wanna become when they’re older but not all of them obviously go through with what they decide. I honestly never thought I was gonna work at a fast food restaurant like that. Um… I mean I didn’t even think about even when like a few years before I got the job I never thought I would work there. I just wanted a job to get money for myself and I just never thought about what job it would be. Just as long as it would fit my schedule with school.

FP: Mm, and what do you work as now? What do you do?

AP: Well there’s days that I work with my father’s trucking company. Umm he has a few trucks that, that he uses to like, um complete deliveries to like nearby cities in LA. Like nearby cities close to LA. Um I help him out on dates that I don’t go to school and on other days I also work at this other job where it’s like event staffing. Um pretty much just work at different venues like where they host concerts, sports events, conventions, just things like that. I mean it’s a job that I’ve been working at for a while, but not consistently just whenever I wanna work I can choose my own schedule so that helps me with like school.

FP: Which job do you prefer?

AP: [sigh] It depends like…Do I want to work? If it’s like I only-like if I had vacation for a week I would go work with my dad because he pays me more. Uhh it might be a little bit more um I guess… It does require a bit more labor in turns of like movement and like just moving around a lot. Unlike in my other job all I have to do is just stand and keep pose for a few hours and it gets pretty boring. I mean the events are fun but it does get pretty boring and it obviously doesn’t pay as much as the other job, but I would prefer working with my dad. If I had- if it means like working for a few days.

FP: Mm. How much do you get paid in each job? Like in a day or week.

AP: A week with my dad would equal up to…Mmm $900 a week. He would pay me every Saturday. With my other job I’vc never really worked a whole week per se, like how I would with my dad. Umm since it’s like just different events sometimes like a soccer match doesn’t last more than like eight hours and like it doesn’t last an eight hour shift. Sometimes it can be a four hour shift, a six hour shift and they pay I think $16-15 an hour. Umm so yeah it’s only a job I do like…I think the event is fun and I have time like on days that I do go to school. Yeah overall I prefer working with my dad

FP: Oh, recently it was your birthday. How do you feel turning 21?

AP: It doesn’t feel like anything new. In fact sometimes I forget I’m already 21 and it’s like you don’t really feel different. I feel like once you turn like 18, that’s when you pass like this stretch hold. After that, it’s not until you reach like probably a different age where you feel like you actually are over 21. I don’t feel  a difference.

FP: Mmm alright thank you!