Hillcrest Receiving Home

I was at Hillcrest on at least 3 occasions. The first time I don't remember as I was too young. But I remember going there about 1981, at two different times. The first time we were there, we were there for about 2 months. My sister, 10 yrs and me, 11 yrs, got placed in foster care in Poway. We got taken out of that home about 4 months later because they hit my sister and the neighbors heard the screams from my sister and they called the child authorities and we got picked up from school one day. Best day ever! felt like a day of liberation! Went back to Hillcrest, was there for probably about 4 months (so it seemed) and then got placed in the Crutchfield home, where I was later adopted.I remember a lot of things about Hillcrest. I remember a lot of kids came from all backgrounds of life, each with their own struggles. My sister and I came with the title of "neglected". While that might mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, we felt fortunate that that was all we were in there for. My mom lost the house due the recession of the 80's, so we had to sleep in our car for a while. While the timetable is debatable, I am pretty sure we only had to do that for about 6-8 months. The child authorities said about 2 years. Anyhow...I remember making some pretty good friends. I don't remember names. Basically when I got placed, it was like that world got left behind. When I went back, everyone was new. I do remember one kid who was still there when we returned. I remember a black guy named Ray Gun. I guess he was a counselor, but he was cool. I remember the clothes closet, the dorm style rooms, the common room, the outside activity area, standing at the fence staring down at the 163, wondering where my mom was. I also remember that if you got caught jumping the fence to get out, you had to wear pajamas for a week as punishment. Happened to my sister. I never jumped the fence as I was too scared of getting caught. I remember the clothes they gave you to were. Jeans and t-shirts and blue shoes. The food was good. They always seemed to be doing things with us. The let us go on walks around the area down to Balboa Park. I remember going to the drive in movies. I remember seeing the Howling and the Children. Why on earth they took us to see those movies, I don't know, but it is what it is. And I remember the Christmas party they threw for all the kids. I remember a gift I got was a little radio with a built in flashlight and the first song I heard was "Don't Stop Believing". I kept it for the longest time. Wish I still had it. I remember going to school on the campus there. They had a building or a couple of trailers for classrooms. The teachers were cool. I remember meeting a girl that lived in the apartment complex next door and talking to her through the fence. I had a good experience there. I wish I had the presence of mind at the time to keep the names of people that I met. But life was so on the move for most of us that it was impossible to write or call. No one had a permanent address and you had no idea where you and anyone would end up. I hope everyone turned out ok. I know I did. Not my sister so much, but that is a whole new story. I consider all these things a part of my life a positive experience. They made me who I am now. And a cool story I get to tell my daughter one day.