In His Own Words – Bobby Menendez

What is your name?

My name is Roberto Menendez, but I go by Bobby.

Where is your story told?

Some of my story is told in Under the Western Sky.

What do you want most?

I want to keep my friends and family safe. And I want to be with Libby forever.

Why is this so important to you?

What’s more important than love and family? My dad taught me that before he was killed. He died helping his friends.

What makes you happy or sad?

Libby makes me happy. Just having her smile makes me feel good. I get sad when I think that someone wants to hurt us for no reason.

How do you treat the people in your life?

I try to treat everyone well. I know that sometimes I’m a jerk, but I really try to be good to everyone. I read somewhere about Karma and I don’t want it to come back and bite me in the ass.

Can people count on you?

Absolutely. I am a man of my word.

What makes you angry?

Prejudice and hatred. Danny and me, we’re like brothers, but some lowlife wants to take that away from us. They want to drive a wedge between us because he’s white and I’m Mexican. Friendship doesn’t know color, though. My dad taught me that, too.

Do you stand up for your beliefs?

I do. A man backs up what he says. If he believes in a cause, sometimes he has to fight to protect it.

What excites you?

Would I sound like a jackass if I say that Libby excites the hell outta me? Just walking in the room, man….

What do you do for a living?

I’m in high school, but I work part time at the movie theatre downtown and I do yard work with my cousin.

What kind of books do you like?

Everything! I’m mostly into Robert Heinlin and Ray Bradbury. I’ve also read everything I can find by Richard Brautigan.

What kind of music do you enjoy?

Carlos Santana is the king! I like Pink Floyd, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin—anything with great guitar playing.

If you could, what’s one thing you’d change about yourself?

I don’t want to change myself, I want to change the world, man. I want a place where I can love Libby and not worry about someone hating us for it.

© Dellani Oakes

Bobby’s story is told in Under the Western Sky by Dellani Oakes