Shows in the States

When I first moved to America, my mom and I lived in Queens with my aunt, uncle and cousin.  I remember them picking us up from the airpot and me looking outside the car on the highway.  It was late August, and I feel like the leaves were already changing, but I could be wrong.  Anyways, I do remember the wide lanes on the roads and the trees alongside it.  

We got to the house in the suburbs and I remember being really excited about it.  I was kind of surprised because I had thought I would be living in an apartment in Brooklyn with my mom.  But this was a two bedroom house in Queens Village with a front and back yard.  I remember my uncle giving me a little tour, and when I was alone I made a little fist pump.  Probably the first time I've ever done it in my life, and I did it without thinking.

My little cousin was around six years old at the time, I think.  They had two cats, Tony and Angela.  They were named after characters from her favorite show, "Who's the Boss?"  She talked a little about it, but I couldn't really pay much attention.  She also quoted "Leggo my Eggo" from the commercial, and I didn't understand it.  I thought she was quoting some zen thing about the ego or something and I thought it was from the ninja turtles.

Anyways, I think she tried to show me the sitcom, but I don't think I really got into it.  I think we also watched "Full House" and I think I thought it was funny.  My uncle liked to watch "Jeopardy!", and I didn't understand it.  I couldn't comprehend the format or the questions, I mean, the answers.

One Friday night, "Perfect Strangers" came on, and I got excited to watch it.  I think I may have seen it in the Philippines, most likely in Manila.  I sat on my stomach on the carpet of the living room floor.  My little cousin saw my excitement and mimicked my posture.  Somehow I remember her hands under her chin.  I remember her looking to me and being as excited as me.

On Sundays we would watch "America's Funniest Home Videos" and "America's Funniest People" right after it.  My mom and I shared the bigger of the two bedrooms, and we each had a twin bed.  We would watch those shows in our beds before going to sleep.  The would start at seven and end at eight o'clock.  And then it was bed time.

I didn't really explore other channels much back then.  I kinda took the lead from the other family members.  I didn't even think about what else was on.

During week nights they would have movies on Channel 11, and we would watch it sometimes.  They would start at 8pm, and right after that would be the news.  I don't think we watched the movies much, nor stayed up that late.  My mom had to leave early to catch two buses and the train to her job in Brooklyn.