The Southside

By Otto Weiss

The Southside kids have always been picked on by the Northsiders. Northsiders like to flaunt their clothes, cars, and cash. Sam "Skitter" Dirks and his Southside friends don't mix with Carl and Brent and the other Northside boys. The only person that can keep them from killing each other is Tiffany, Carl's sister. She was the prettiest girl that Sam had ever seen and one that was surely out of his reach... or was she?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387295401

Book preview

The Southside

The Southside

Book One in the

SOG City Series

Copyright © 2017 by Otto Weiss

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2017

ISBN 978-1-387-27085-9

Edited by M. Ford

Otto J. Weiss

Tampa, Florida

The story includes believable characters, setting, and plot, forming an enjoyable story for all ages.  It’s filled with relatable characters that you hate and love.

-          Deleyni F. Rodriguez, Grade 6

An excellent read about how the choices you make in an instant can change your whole life.  It is realistic fiction that grabs your attention from the beginning!

-          Michelle Ford, English Educator

This is a book about the true meaning of trust, respect, friendship, and choices!

-          Keyna Sutton,  Reading Specialist

A great story that kept me needing to know what happens next.  I felt for the characters and their dilemmas.  I can’t wait for book two!

-          Jackie Cooney Russ, SOG Expert

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Dedication

To my loving and supportive wife, Tammy, who loves me unconditionally.

To my parents, children, siblings, and other family members and friends, who have always supported and stood by me in all my endeavours.

Without your support and patience,

I would never be the person I am today. 

I would also like to thank my parents for teaching me to treat all people equally and with respect, no matter their station in life.

Thank you

Sam Skitter Dirks only had a few good friends in his life that he could really trust.  Jayson Rawls and Kyle Jenkins both grew up in the same area South of Gandy as Skitter and shared many of the same problems.  Skitter’s sister, Daci, was popular and pretty and soon started hanging out with the Northside crowd.  He didn’t like Northsiders much. They thought they were better than everyone and flaunted their clothes, cars, and cash.  Carl Trayder and Brent Turner got on Skitter’s nerves the most.  It would only take a couple words from either of them and a fight would quickly ensue.  The only problem he didn’t have with Northsiders was Carl’s sister, Tiffany.  She was the prettiest girl Skitter had ever seen and one that would be surely out of his reach… or was she? 

Chapter 1

As he stared aimlessly out the schoolhouse window, Sam Dirks scribbled just two words onto the notebook paper that Tiffany Trayder shoved carelessly on his desk- SAY WHEN. 

Sam didn’t care much for school and cared even less for Brent Turner. So when he learned Brent wanted to fight him, he was ready and willing.  One more suspension and Sam would be kicked out of school, something he was actually waiting for since late October when his best friend, Jayson Rawls, was expelled for having a knife in his locker.  The knife was part of Jayson’s Halloween costume and wasn’t real. Since Jayson was going straight to Sam’s house afterschool that day, he had it in his backpack.  Some 6th grader saw the knife and thought it was real.  Jayson tried to explain to his teachers and the school principal that the knife was just a fake, but no one seemed to care. They said it could still hurt if someone got stabbed with it.  He was suspended that day and then later expelled for the rest of the year.  After the incident, Jayson spent day after day playing video games at home and roaming the streets with the older guys.  Even now, with only a month left of school, Sam knew he needed a reason to get out of there and start an early summer before high school.  He already passed all his classes to be ready for high school, quietly earning A’s and B’s throughout the year.

Hey Skitter, whispered Kyle Jenkins, a tall, muscle-bound friend of Sam’s, You need me to help you fight Brent?   

Sam didn’t really like the nickname Skitter, but he learned to live with it.  His older cousin, Orlando, gave it to him back when they were in first grade.  Sam continuously poked fun at Orlando by calling him Mickey Mouse during their family trip to Disney.  The entire drive to Orlando, Sam bugged, Hey Mickey, do you think you it will be fun?  Hey Mickey do you and Minnie live together?  Hey Mickey what’s the best ride?

When Sam was younger, he stuttered to the point that very few people could understand him.  Orlando said it sounded like his voice just kept Skittering all over the place.  The stutter only came back now when he was nervous or really excited, but the name stuck.

Skitter wiped the thick brown curls of hair from  in front of his eyes and stared back at Kyle.   You know I already beat Turner like 4 times.

Fights in third grade don’t count, giggled Kyle. 

Ahh man forget you, snapped Skitter, You’ll see today. You’re gonna call me Mike Tyson. 

Why, you hungry and gonna take a little nibble?

STOP TALKING! resounded Mr. Ross, their English teacher, as he pointed to the agenda on the board. Tall and abnormally clumsy for someone who played college basketball, Mr. Ross frequently taught lessons that held some sort of life lesson. On that day, the same rang true. "Today we are learning about the poem, The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.  As Mr. Ross droned on about the poem, Skitter zoned out, but could remember one of the last things that Mr. Ross said, Take the road that others don’t.  Make your own choices."

Skitter thought about those words during lunch as he gobbled down the last bite of his ham and cheese sandwich.  Some of the other