Forgotten Lost and Hidden America 2 Sequel: Street Life

By James Davis III

Synopsis

Forgotten Lost and Hidden America 2: Sequel is a continuation of the social issues growing up through the seventies and following years to come. The main character, Blake, after serving some time in prisonback in his old community, he witnessed a negative transformation in the communitythe environment has improved, but many of the people werent the same due to drug addictions, alcohol abuse, unemployment, and immigration. This story raises several issues to bring about some awareness as the author sees it.

After some reviews of the first book, the author believes that he needs to explain the two main characters in the story, Sputnik and Blake. The name Sputnik is actually a nickname of the author, but he didnt use the name because it was his nickname. He used the name because of what it represents, the name derived from the Russians, Soviet Union, back in 1957. They sent up in orbit the first successful satellite and called it Sputnik. What does a satellite do? It sends signals to your television, radio, phone, and computer, and it communicates information. In the story, what does Sputnik do? Hes a mentor; he communicates information about the street life to Blake. Whos Blake? Blake is a typical Black youth (Blake, black), which also has some personal attributes of the authors life. These characters were befitting of the story the author wanted to present. Some of the story is fabricated, but most of it is true. Some of the characters are fabricated but realistic. Through these characters, the author intended to capture some of the things he witnessed and heard about as a youth. People he looked up to growing up in the community, including his brother, he didnt know enough about their life story, so he put bits and piece of their attributes in the character of Sputnik and Blake to tell this story. Therefore, to those who might misunderstand the authors intention, I hope now you have a better understanding. In spite of some issues mentioned about American and Foreign Muslim communities, there are many sincere, practicing, dedicated, good Muslim brothers and sisters of all races. Im just pointing out what I experienced and spoke to other African American brothers about, who acknowledge a similar experience in these communities, and there are as many good Hispanic and Caucasian people, but it doesnt seem like they are the ones running and controlling things.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524606268

James Davis III

James Davis III, the youngest of three, one brother and one sister, was born in Norwalk, Connecticut. He grew up in a project named Roodner Court, the worst project in Norwalk at that time. Through his brother, sister, and relatives, he became exposed to the street life in the neighborhood: hanging out, going to the local dances, and smoking cigarettes. It was a time of African awareness—being black and proud. The times were hard, and there were limited opportunities, especially if you didn’t have any skills. Some teenagers and young adults had promising futures in sports (basketball and football), some went to college, some were into entertainment (singing, hustling drugs, stealing), and some were into pimping. Due to hard times and the street life, his brother became a pimp. He learned a lot being around his brother, but he was left to other crimes and was convicted twice. He spent a total of seven and a half years in the state prison. He feels and believes his second conviction was a blessing in disguise because during this time, he received his diploma, converted to the faith of Al Islam, quit smoking, and the habits he once had, he doesn’t have anymore. Also being locked up and around guys from all over the state, mainly Muslim, gave him a totally new positive outlook on life and a better understanding about God and society.

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© 2016 James Davis III. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 05/11/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-0627-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-0626-8 (e)

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: What’s happening?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Chapter 2: Research

1

2

3

4

Chapter 3: The new world order

1

Chapter 4: Fate

1

2

Chapter 5: Recall

1

2

3

Chapter 6: War

1

2

3

Chapter 7: Marriage

1

2

Epilogue

Synopsis

Introduction

B lake leaves prison at age 29 with a total different perspective in life due to his Muslim affiliation and studies in prison, now he’s back in his old communities: Norwalk, Bridgeport and Stamford Connecticut, he no longer have the desire to live the street life he once lived before, that made him financially successful, now his thinking is that of a sociologist and historian analyzing the changing environment and the people compare to back in the day, because of these changing conditions put his original plans on hold, there was some things going on in the community that really disturbed him, it was depressing to him to see some of the conditions of his people and being pushed out places they use to hang at, he wanted to find out what was really going on, sometimes he would walk around the streets talking to old street hustlers, ex pimps, hoes and addicts he knew from back in the day about the changing times getting their evaluation on the environment and people, after some time he come to the conclusion that there’s conspiracies and scams in play against poor people especially African Americans, due to this revelation, he realize it was basically a continuation of what he has experience and learn in prison being manipulated exploited and control by a system: police intimidation, harassment, injustice that bring about contain anger, the same thing as being confined- institutionalize by the powers that be, he notice even the religion he converted to in prison appear to be different from the way he was taught and practice in prison, especially amongst foreign Muslims, these Muslim communities outside of prison made him feel they didn’t really have your back as in prison, they made him feel like if something went down he was on his own, no matter what it was- right or wrong, and in general it seemed like the majority of African Americans had a serious cultural problem, many didn’t care what was going on in the community other than satisfying whatever vices or habits they had, and the foreigners were benefitting from that problem, they had businesses all over the place. Because of what Blake began to witness and experience he does some serious soul researching looking for answers, but in spite of these issues and problems in the community nothing stop him from marrying his main lady he pimp back in the day…

Chapter 1

What’s happening?

1

B lake has been out of prison 10 months it was spring, he had a total different outlook about life than before, his thinking was a continuation of what he learn and notice in prison, Blake still haven’t legally changed his name, but he still believed in Islam and considered himself muslim, often he would observed the new looking environment the people and happenings, it was obvious the people and environment has under gone a drastic change, Blake’s thinking was that of a sociologist and historian now, he would observe the people, environment and happenings where ever he went, mainly in his old neighbor hood in Norwalk Ct- Roodner Court, and south main street, up town around the Carver foundation, Stamford Ct- west ave, Bridgeport Ct- east side, east end Stratford ave and New York, Westport Ave his old stomping grounds was now a definite hot spot for anyone who was living a street life because it was strictly a business district and more so in the white community, unlike south Norwalk- south main street, he would walk these street reminiscing, often he would walk around these hang outs observing the action, it was a different culture amongst the younger generation, he come to realize that not only did the environment change, but also the mentality of the up coming generation mind set has changed, they’re culture was about Hip Hop and Rapp, they’re clothing appeared to be more of a fashion statement, and brand name clothing and apparels, whether it was: Jeans, sweat suits, sneakers, jersey’s with the number of a famous athlete on it, pocket books, hi heals and the younger generation wanted that brand name no matter how much it cost, brand name and good designer got rich from their line of clothes perfumes and colognes. Those who were good in sports, entertaining and rap they made it, but if they wasn’t they most likely got caught up in the street life, unless they was smart and lucky to get a job. The street life was a different game now, the drug dealers and successful rappers became the main man in the street life now, with a total different swagger, most of them quit school by the tenth grade getting involved in the street life- like Blake did, some of them rode around in compact sport cars- foreign, blasting their music you could hear a block away, often hung in groups- small posse’s or clicks, some had a mouth full of gold teeth, some act like thugs dressed in sweat suits, wearing Adidas and pumas sneakers wearing sports jerseys, baseball caps and king- o hats, gold rope chains, short haircuts with designs in it, very few still had the jerry curls, most of them had pagers, their grammar would be slang that was label as Ebonics that sound illiterate, besides saying ‘nigga’ they would say things like: ‘that’s fat’, to describe a nice car, or ‘she got a stupid ass’, to describe a women with a big or nice ass, or ‘that’s dope’ to describe something that looked good, the most illiterate would be before they actually describe what they were saying they would say, ‘you know what I’m saying, you know what I’m saying’ repeatedly before they actually said what they wanted to say, and often would end their statements or question with ‘yo’, ‘you coming over later yo?, I’m going to the store yo’, to them it sound cool or slick, but to Blake it sound illiterate as he learn in prison, some used profanity before elders as if they didn’t notice elders were present or using profanity before elders was the normal thing to do, and they didn’t hesitate to gang up on an older hustler or drug addict who owe them money for their drugs, and try to avoid paying up for drugs they credit, there were still a few old number writers around town, even though the pimp game in Norwalk had died out, there was a few flamboyant dressers around town that held on to that flashy slick dress from back in the day wearing sharp looking clothes bell bottom tailor made suits, maxi coats- furs, process or Gerry Curl hair do’s, fedora hats- wide brims and platform shoes, pimp gangster look, driving continentals, Eldorado’s or caddies, the younger generation seen this kind of dress as funny looking- comical, because that’s what television put in their heads, to Blake the dress from back in the day was more presentable than what they wore, they started wearing sagging pants they had to keep pulling up like they was already in jail, even the street Hoes wasn’t the same either, some became too old didn’t look as attractive, some black Hoes gave up the life because they had children and drug habits, most of the white Hoes moved to other states slip back into their white world got jobs and married, if they wasn’t strung out on drugs, same thing with many white guys who was into the street life, and if a pimp wanted to survive in the pimp game as before he had to move to another state, or town where it was widely accepted, and there were plenty new young sexy beautiful women came on the scene of all nationalities: Black, White, Puerto Rican, Asian who wanted to use their bodies to make fast money for themselves through being call girls, porno stars and strippers, there were strip joints in most places around Connecticut especially Bridgeport, and there were plenty of men who liked this kind of entertainment, in most of these places there were more than stripping going on, these women made good money in these strip joints especially if she looked good, many of these young girls was having babies between age 15 and 16 out of wedlock, them or the father wasn’t thinking about marriage, some of them always seemed stressed out and act like they had old women problems, some you couldn’t tell them nothing, they act like they knew what life was all about, some women were becoming grandmothers at age 30, and the young men who didn’t take care of their responsibilities women had all kinds of negative slogans, one of the main slogans became: ‘he ain’t shit’, the society was definitely changing, the laws changed the game a man couldn’t be persistent in trying to establish a relationship with a women like years before, now if a man approached a women seeking a relationship and she rejected him and he still pursued her in spite of her rejection that was sexual harassment and charges could be brought against him for that, and women began to play that card especially if she didn’t like him, because of this type rejection men felt it was easier and less threatening to go to a bar, or strip joint to pick up women, some times even if he’s a relation ship, in most cases because street women were more direct- ‘you want to play you gotta pay’, she got what she want and he got what he wanted.

In Norwalk there were new clubs and bars open around town, mostly white owners, they brought a different crowd of people and music- pop and rock, the old entertainment of singing groups or African groups like back in the day was no more, in the black hang out spots it was all about Rap, Hip Hop and R&B, the club owners controled the entertainment, even in the streets it was a total different frame of mind now in how to get money, it still was a major concern- I need money, sex was still a profitable industry but a different way of doing it, also there were known stick up boys running around in every town wearing hoodies, you had to be aware of where you was at, who you was around and what was going on around you or you was got, even some people you knew out of desperation would try you-the drug epidemic had took total control in the street life now, that started several turf wars for control of certain areas, drug dealers were killing each other in many cities for that control, they would kill each other over turf, but paid no attention to the foreigners coming into they’re neighborhoods setting up shop: businesses, stores and fast food restaurants all over, no one challenge that , the police were the ones who were in controle of the turfs, the police allowed drug dealers in the hood to sell drugs untill they decided to make a bust, and there were many drug users around town, many of them went from snorting cocaine to smoking crack- free base or P- dope, some Blake never seen before and some he knew from before, these drug dealers and addicts were constantly under police or narcotic surveillance, usually they would use the addict or crack head to rat out the drug dealers after busting them, some crack heads were obvious by their character and demeanor, they would wander aimlessly around town looking on the ground for a hit of crack- men and women, some appeared as if they haven’t sleep for days, some of their hygiene would be deplorable, due to the use of crack and P dope they became an easy target for the police, these lab tested drugs change the street game and characters of people you didn’t know who was who like back in the day, some would claim to be able to do something they didn’t know anything about, by their expressions and pricing they would be convincing, they would swear they could do a job they knew very little about, just to make a few dollars, you would be willing to try them until you see they actually didn’t know what they were doing, even thoughs from back in the day who you knew was qualified to do a job, once hooked on these drugs they started doing half ass work, these drugs changed peoples abilities, perception and trust, you couldn’t leave any of your values around them unattended or you was got, most of them would sell a $500.00 product for $50.00 just to buy crack cocaine or P- dope, women sold their bodies even cheaper most times leaving minor children alone to chase after these drugs, and if you saw a black and white hanging together in the streets most like their relationship was drug related or criminal, those who knew Blake would come to him happy to see him thinking he was still dealing cocaine, fast talking using that street lingo from back in the day.

‘my main man long time no see, you doing anything, you holding’?

‘No I’m not doing nothing, I gave that up a long time ago’ he would say.

A Hustler from back in the day who also was in prison with Blake but wasn’t Muslim he approach Blake giving the greeting, ‘As salaam Alaikum my brother Blake return the greeting, ‘Walaikum salaam, they shook hands and the hustler gave Blake his version of what was happening in Norwalk ‘Man this town has change, all these foreigners coming here taking alllll! the businesses and jobs mannn!, black people need to wake up!! he exclaimed.

‘Yea you right’ Blake said

‘The problem is these niggas won’t stick together to jealous of each other, black people hardly own anything in this town any more

‘Yea I see exactly what your saying’

‘But I gotta do my thang man’, with a big wide tooth smile, ‘good to see you, you look good man stay strong’, he shook Blake hand, ‘as salaam alaikum’, up the street he went, soon after Blake ran into an older hustler Kevin Carlos aka Squeeze, a real slim guy, fast talker when excited seem to have a lot of information from back in the day, especially about the gangs in Norwalk before Blake time, Blake liked reminiscing about the early days growing up, stories about the notorious people from his hood before his time, Squeeze didn’t appear to be a fighter or a gang affiliate, he played a little basketball in high school, but he enlighten Blake about some of the gangs around Norwalk that Blake didn’t know about, the leaders and warlords of these gangs, Blake knew about some gangs in Norwalk, but he didn’t know about all of them, in the mid 60’s as the: Bops and Jr Bops from Roodner Court, and the Survivors who became the Collesionairs about a mile and half away- the wood street area, these gang members would have some serious battles, they was fearless they didn’t use guns they fought with their hands, they stuck together, but as they got older and due to a need to survive financially, the street life became a different way of life, for some dominating women became the main objective if they was qualified, and the drugs brought about a different mindset and life style for many.

Over the years it became an individual thing amongst gang members- I’m number one, I’m a pimp, they broke away from the gang mentality, they didn’t stick together and fight the system, as the black panthers did, not so much fighting the system physically but by becoming educated- men and women, looking out for the children, having their own program of learning and socializing, learning the system- the law, helping and giving guidance to the children, the panthers had a powerful movement, but what was their down fall back then, as today: infiltration, drugs, and being duped by the FBI, provoked to a war in the streets with white racist police, actually KKK’s without the white sheets, as they did the black panthers they came up with another method of destroying the black community, instead of sending in the KKK’s or white racist police that they still sometimes do, even more devastating and to do maximum destruction the powers that be sent into the black communities their white drugs: crack cocaine and P dope- heroin, synthetic lab tested drugs that they experiment on guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbil’s, mice’s and roaches, after they got their response of the effect they wanted from their experiment, then they put it on the streets, the people in the street life started using these new drugs not realizing the instant addiction and affect that it would have on the mind and person, it distorted their perception and reality to another level of misconception of reality to the point they couldn’t began to understand what was happening or did they care, all they craved for was more drugs- they had to have it, and would do anything to get it, women sold their bodies for it- cheap, and lost all respect for themselves, didn’t care much about their children, all they wanted was that drug- the exact results from their experiments.

Blake recall the first time he saw Sputnik free base, he knew it was something diabolical by the way his whole demeanor change eyes turn glossy and red - it looked bizarre- once that rush hit his brain he was space out until he came down, mouth numb up barely can put his words together when he began to speak, just from watching Sputnik he knew then he didn’t want to mess around with free base, even though Sputnik was his mentor back then and considered him mentally sharp, but looking back at the time he snatch the pocket book containing the cocaine and smack, he learned the amount of cocaine and smack that he got that night was a lot of stuff, after coming into knowledge of weights and reflecting on the amount of cocaine and smack that he had got that night, in his estimation it was more like a half kilo of fish scales in four individual plastic bags, one bag had rock cocaine that wasn’t crushed and two ounces uncut smack in a plastic bags- but Sputnik had stated that the shipment was four ounces of cocaine and two ounce of smack, that was totally wrong or maybe he meant he was going to cop four ounces of cocaine plus the smack or maybe that’s what Tony told him, it wasn’t important now, but it confirm what he come to think since being in prison that white people aren’t going to reveal specifics about confidential information, they tell you what they want you to know, also Sputnik was street smart