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[Male interviewer] So, you’re a San Francisco native, a Bay Area native
[Nicolas] I was born here [Interviewer] So you must have seen all kinds of changes, right? Things must be very different
[Nicolas] Absolutely [Interviewer] What’s some of the biggest differences that stick out?
Well, first of all, the look of San Francisco has changed
A lot of old... they tear down a lot of things and replace them with other things that’s not familiar to someone... pardon me?
[Interviewer] New things? [Nicolas] Yeah, absolutely, yeah
that, ah, I’m not accustomed to, like the old Victorian houses
that used to be here, and they would lift these houses up
and move them to other places because people bought them
because everything was original, in the house
fireplaces, and the wood fixtures, everything, you know what I mean
French doors and... you know... they bought it
[Interviewer] A lot of people are sad to see that go... but a place kinda has to grow, right? So how do you balance that, right?
Well, I don’t know. You know, sometimes, like they got the “Painted Ladies” over there by Alamo Square
They’re original. And they haven’t moved them, because they’re historical
Some of these other places that they sold and moved were also historical
The people that had the money to obtain ‘em, got ‘em
[Interviewer] What neighborhood did you grow up in?
Actually, I grew up in the Fillmore District
[Interviewer] Were you in the part that was all torn down to make Geary and all that, when they rebuilt all that?
Yes. Yeah, I was there as a child. I’m 62 years old
[Interviewer] So the neighborhood you were in, is gone, basically? Is that right?
Well, it’s... guess what... it's... it has a whole new look
Yeah, it’s not the same place that I knew
[Traffic and street sounds]
[Traffic and street sounds fade out]
[Interviewer] Is your childhood house still there? Or is it gone?
[Nicolas] Actually, it is. [Interviewer] Is it — do you ever go back and look at it?
I walk by it. Yeah, I walk by it, I look, and I reminisce
[Interviewer] That must be interesting
Yeah, it’s interesting, but it’s heart-breaking, too, to me know what I mean, because there’s a lot of memories there
[Nicolas] Know what I mean, and a lot of the people that were there... [Interviewer] Good memories? [Nicolas] Oh yeah, very good memories
Nevertheless, the people that were there, that used to occupy that place, is no longer here and that’s what hurts
[Interviewer] You mean they’ve passed on, or they’ve moved? [Nicolas] Yeah, passed on, yes sir
[Interviewer] What are some of the other things that stick out? Anything in particular? That’s changed radically? Or drastically?
Radically? Well, the Fillmore District used to be like Market Street
You could go down there at 12 midnight and it would still be crowded, like Market Street, and guess what you didn’t have to...
[Interviewer] A lot of Jazz clubs? [Nicolas] Yeah.
You know what I mean, shoeshine parlors, barbecue pits, you know, I mean, places like that
You know, you never had to go to Market to shop because Fillmore had everything
You know what I mean, movie theaters, places that you could shop, buy clothes, shoes, whatever you needed, you could have got it on Fillmore
You know what I mean? The Jazz venue was very good
[Interviewer] It’s kind of a shadow of it’s former self now [Nicolas] Exactly. Exactly.
You know, they’re trying to develop it back into a Jazz community, but they’re making it very difficult because of money
They had a Jazz club I played at, not long ago
Uh, the club was jumping, clientele was good
The bands were playing, they were hot, you know what I mean Alcohol was served, food was served, it was great
[Interviewer] Sounds good [Nicolas] Right. But the landlord decided to go up on the rent
[Nicolas] And so they closed [Interviewer] Oh, that’s too bad
Yeah. So, what are they going to turn this into... a sushi place now? Come on.
Japantown is Japantown. Chinatown is Chinatown. You know, North Beach is little Italy
Right? Okay, and I’m good with that. You what I mean, but...
[Nicolas] You know, don’t push us out [Interviewer] They kind of 86-ed that one neighborhood [Nicolas] Yeah.
So... I mean, you know, I guess, we’re trying to turn that back into the Jazz community that it was
long before anybody ever decided they wanted to... you know, make their way there
[Interviewer] Do you think that could ever be successful? Do you think they could ever get it back?
I think so... if... if we had enough finances to back it up and support it
You know, which takes the community, you know what I mean
So, it would take the people in the community to support it
you know, to keep it going. Other than that... uh, I don’t give it much hope
[Interviewer] If someone says, who are you? What would you say? In 30 seconds or less?
In 30 seconds or less — Nicolas is poor, black, and in America
To sum it up, in 30 seconds
[Interviewer] That’s pretty concise, yeah, okay
[Interviewer] What’s a typical day for you? What do you do, typically?
A typical day for me is just to try to put some happiness in my life, and try to find some joy, you know what I mean
[Nicolas] And sometimes it’s hard to find [Interviewer] But you do find it sometimes?
Oh yeah, I do, because I try to get away from negativity and try to get with positivity, you know what I mean
Which is a job in itself, you know what I mean... It’s not easy to find, but nevertheless, though...
You know, you know some people that, when you make contact with them, they, they happen to put a smile on your face
You know what I mean, and these are the people I try to engage
[Interviewer] What percentage of the population would you say is those kind of people?
[Nicolas] Of... of the... you say of the population? [Interviewer] General population... how many...
General population? I can’t gauge that No I can’t gauge that, because the general population... that’s quite a few people and I don’t know the general population
[Interviewer] Okay, well, of the people you meet, what you say percentage are those kind of up people?
[Nicolas] The percentage is very low. Yeah, it’s very low... [Interviewer] So those people are rare
Yeah, exactly, because you know what, people... people got grievances, they got problems, and they have a tendency to bring them problems to you
You know what I mean... but, like you have a solution to the problem... but guess what, I’m working on my own
You know what I mean, so how can I do yours, when I’m still working on mine?
[Interviewer] Do you think you’re one of those people? [Nicolas] That, what, that drops it on people? [Interviewer] No, the good people, the happy people
Well, I’d like to think so, but I’m not quite sure, you know what I mean, I don’t want to be so judgmental or put myself on a pedestal
[Interviewer] Okay, fair enough. Fair enough. But you strive to be one of those people
I strive to be... we all strive for perfection, right?
But guess what, we never do achieve it, but we still make the attempt
So, that’d be me
[Interviewer] Here’s kind of an off-the-wall question I don’t know you’ve been following, but you know
[Interviewer] *** is trying to be the first company to do commercial flights into space, where people can buy
[Interviewer] Would you do that if you had a chance? Would you go into space?
If I had the opportunity and the money, yes I would
[Interviewer] No fears? No hesitation?
No. No. You know, I got family members that... and most of my family members say that... they were scared to take a flight from here to another state, or another... you know what I mean
Uh, I didn’t understand it. Then the first time I took one, it was adventurous for me
Ah, you know, I had no fear, I mean, you know, this is something brand new, that’s cool!
You know what I mean, you only got one shot, man, guess what, if it’s going down, you going with it
[Interviewer] Where’s a place you’d like to visit? If you could just go anywhere?
Uh, if I could visit someplace, I’d really like to go to the Caribbean
Yeah, I would. You know, either that or Latin America because my people are from there
[Interviewer] If you were president, what’s the first act, what’s the first thing you’d do?
My first act would be to say, “no comment”
[Interviewer, laughing] You’d be a politician — “no comment”
Absolutely! You know what I mean? You know, this requires a whole lot of thought, you can’t just pop it off like that
and just say what you would do, cause what you would do, and what they allow you to do, is two different things
[Interviewer] True. Alright, anything else you want to say to the world before we wrap it up?
I love the world, so let’s not destroy ourselves
[Interviewer] That’s a good thought, I like that Okay, thank you very much
[Nicolas] You’re welcome. Thank you
[Closed captions by Party of the Third Part] [Let me know if you found them useful or you have comments]