Truth Be Told

By TAVARES D. RENDER

The book is about young boy who lost his parents, father murdered and mother drank herself to death. Abandoned by all known family and troubled by his father's death.. he comes to find out he has an uncle, whose the spitting image of his father..and eventually the reason for his direction in life. .until he falls in love and finds pain all while trying to decide who he is and why there's people trying to kill him and as soon as he thinks he knows the truth, he finds out he's only begun to unravel...his story

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jul 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490741390

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

T O TELL THIS STORY, I HAVE TO START FROM THE BEGINNING. I WAS BORN IN 1974, MY POPS PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS SEVEN AND I DIDN’T KNOW HOW HE DIED, BUT I HEARD HE WAS THE TYPE OF DUDE THAT DIDN’T TAKE SHIT FROM ANYONE. MY ONLY MEMORIES OF HIM WERE OF HIM COMING INTO MY ROOM LATE AT NIGHT WITH ALCOHOL ON HIS BREATH TALKING ABOUT HOW I NEEDED TO WATCH OUT FOR SAC CHASERS AND SUCKAS. HE USED TO SAY DON’T BE A SUCKA SON. SUCKAS AIN’T NO GOOD BECAUSE THEY SCANDALOUS, SNEAKY, AND LAZY. HE USED TO MAKE ME LAUGH WITH HIS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND HIS ANTICS. MY POPS WAS RARELY AT HOME DURING THE DAY, SO WHEN I GOT TO SEE HIM I WAS APPRECIATIVE. HE MADE UP FOR HIS ABSENCE BY MAKING SURE ME AND MY MOM HAD THE FINER THINGS. ONCE A MONTH HE’D TAKE US TO A DEPARTMENT STORE OR MALL AND GET US ANYTHING WE WANTED. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY MONTH WAS CHRISTMAS AT MY HOUSE. ALTHOUGH I WAS ONLY SEVEN I HAD ALL THE LATEST TOYS, CLOTHES, AND SHOES. THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN THINGS CHANGED.

ONE DAY I WAS AT SCHOOL AND MY PRINCIPAL CALLED ME TO THE OFFICE BECAUSE MY MOM WAS THERE TO PICK ME UP. I THOUGHT I HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG OR MAYBE FORGOT SOMETHING AT HOME. WE GOT IN THE CAR AND MY MOM ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO GO ON A TRIP.

WHERE WE GOING MAMA?

HOW ABOUT SIX FLAGS? SHE SAID.

ALRIGHT! I YELLED. I WAS SO HAPPY AND EXCITED THAT I DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING ELSE BEING SAID. I WAS TOO BUSY REMEMBERING THE COMMERCIALS THAT I HAD SEEN OF THE RIDES AND ALL THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH MY FRIENDS ABOUT GOING.

TRUTH! MAMA YELLED. DID YOU HEAR ME? YOUR DADDY IS GONE BABY. SOMETHING BAD DONE HAPPENED.

GONE WHERE MAMA? WHEN HE COMING BACK? I ASKED, CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT SHE MEANT.

HE’S NOT. BABY…YOUR DADDY IS DEAD.

I HAD TO HAVE BEEN IN A TRANCE OR SOMETHING BECAUSE ALL I REMEMBER IS MY PANTS BEING WET.

FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS I COULDN’T TALK OR EAT. MOMMA ENDED UP TAKING ME TO THE HOSPITAL. THEY TOLD HER THAT I WAS MOST LIKELY IN SHOCK AND I WOULD EVENTUALLY TALK WHEN I WAS READY. I NEVER WAS THE SAME AFTER THAT. I BEGAN TO GET INTO TROUBLE AND ACT OUT. EVEN WORSE MY MOM STARTED TRIPPIN. SHE BEGAN TO DRINK A LOT AND ACT OUT HERSELF. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS THE ONE SHE ACTED OUT ON.

MOMMA WAS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL BEFORE SHE STARTED DRINKING. SHE WAS 5'3", LEAN AND ALWAYS KEPT HER APPEARANCE UP. SHE HAD THE SOFTEST, SMOOTHEST BROWN SKIN AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LIGHT GREEN EYES. AFTER MY DAD DIED, ALL THAT DISAPPEARED. SHE QUIT CARING ABOUT HOW SHE LOOKED AND SHRIVELED UP. THE ONLY THING THAT I STILL RECOGNIZED WAS HER PRETTY EYES. THEY TOO BECAME SURROUNDED BY DARKNESS.

IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE MOMMA GOT SICK AND ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL. I HAD JUST TURNED THIRTEEN. MY AUNT NONA WAS TAKING ME TO THE HOSPITAL TO SEE HER.

WHEN’S MOMMA COMING HOME AUNTIE?

I DON’T KNOW BOY, I AIN’T NO DOCTOR. SHE TOLD ME. ASK HER WHEN WE GET THERE.

MY AUNTIE WAS ALWAYS NASTY TOWARDS ME, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS MOMMA’S SISTER. IT WAS OBVIOUS SHE HELD HATE TOWARDS HER. SHE WAS FOREVER TALKING ABOUT HOW STUPID MOMMA WAS FOR MARRYING MY DAD AND HOW SHE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC. SHE USED TO MAKE ME ANGRY, SO I’D TAKE IT OUT ON MY TWO COUSINS, HER SONS DEWANN AND DARIUS. DEWANN WAS A COUPLE YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME AND DARIUS WAS MY AGE, BUT SHORTER. EVERY TIME AUNTIE WOULD SAY SOME ILL WORDS ABOUT MOMMA, I’D WAIT TILL I GOT THEM ALONE AND BEAT ON THEM, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A LOT.

BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE HOSPITAL, I HAD MADE UP MY MIND TO RUN AWAY FROM AUNTIE’S HOUSE. SHE WAS ALWAYS DOING ME WRONG. WHEN WE GOT TO THE ROOM, I SAW THE DOCTORS PULL MY AUNTIE ASIDE AND TELL HER SOMETHING. I WENT INTO THE ROOM AND SAW A NURSE CLEANING UP.

EXCUSE ME MISS, DO YOU KNOW WHICH ROOM MY MOMMA IN? I FELT A HAND TOUCH MY SHOULDER. WHEN I TURNED AROUND, I SAW AUNTIE’S FACIAL EXPRESSION. IT WAS THE SAME LOOK MOMMA HAD WHEN SHE TOLD ME MY POPS WASN’T COMING BACK.

AUNTIE, WHERE’S MY MOMS? I SAID, HOPING I WAS WRONG.

COME ON TRUTH, LET’S GO SHE SAID.

I AIN’T GOING NOWHERE!. I YELLED. MY AUNTIE WOULDN’T EVEN LOOK AT ME. I RAN, NOT KNOWING WHERE I WAS GOING. I WANTED TO GET OUT OF THAT PLACE. AS SOON AS I RAN OUT OF THE DOORS, I WAS HIT BY AN AMBULANCE THAT WAS PULLING UP. I WOKE UP IN THE SAME HOSPITAL WITH MY HEAD POUNDING AND MY FEELINGS HURT. I STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL TWO DAYS. ON THE SECOND DAY, A LADY SHOWED UP FROM CHILD WELFARE SAYING I WOULD BE GOING WITH HER TO A FOSTER HOME.

WHERE’S MY AUNTIE?

WELL YOUR AUNT DECIDED TO GO BACK TO NEW ORLEANS. SHE SAID. APPARENTLY SHE COULDN’T TAKE YOU IN. SHE TOLD THE HOSPITAL THAT SOMEONE WOULD PICK YOU UP, BUT IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE THERE IS ANYONE COMING.

I HATED EVERYONE, MY DAD FOR DYING, MY MOM FOR DRINKING HERSELF TO DEATH, MY AUNTIE FOR ABANDONING ME, AND THIS FUNNY LOOKING WHITE LADY WHO WAS TRYING TO TELL ME THINGS WOULD BE ALRIGHT. FOR THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF YEARS, I WOULD FALL INTO A WORLD OF MY OWN WHERE I TRUSTED NO ONE!

CHAPTER TWO

I T WAS 1992 AND I WAS A SENIOR AT EAGLE HIGH. EAGLE UNIVERSITY WAS KNOWN FOR THEIR FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND ACADEMICS. UNFORTUNATELY I WASN’T INVOLVED IN EITHER. THE ONLY REASON I LOOKED FORWARD TO GOING TO SCHOOL WAS TO BE AROUND THE GIRLS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT MY GRADES WERE POOR AND I DIDN’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS. MY SPONSOR CAME TO MY ROOM THAT MORNING AND TOLD ME I WASN’T GOING TO SCHOOL TODAY.

WHAT DID I DO NOW? I ASKED, NOT REALLY WANTING TO GO ANYWAY.

TODAY IS YOUR DAY TRUTH. YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS COMING TO GET YOU.

WHO? I ASKED. CAUSE IF IT’S THAT BITCH AUNT OF MINES I AIN’T GOIN!

NO, NO NOT AN AUNT. HE SAID. IT’S AN UNCLE, A UH… DOC WILLIAMS.

OH. I DIDN’T HAVE ANY MEMORY OF AN UNCLE OR EVEN WHO DOC WILLIAMS WAS. I WENT BACK TO MY ROOM TRYING TO THINK OF WHO DOC WILLIAMS COULD BE AND STARTED PACKING MY STUFF. I LOOKED OUT MY WINDOW AND SAW A GREEN LINCOLN CONTINENTAL WITH TINTED WINDOWS PULL UP OUT FRONT. OUT OF THE CAR CAME A DUDE THAT AT FIRST LOOKED LIKE MY POPS, BUT AS HE GOT CLOSER I COULD TELL THE DIFFERENCES. HE WAS A LITTLE TALLER, A SHADE DARKER, AND WHEN HE WAS GREETED BY MR. JAMES, I SAW GOLD IN HIS MOUTH, SOMETHING MY POPS DIDN’T HAVE.

TRUTH, THIS IS YOUR UNCLE, DOC WILLIAMS. HE WILL BE YOUR LEGAL GUARDIAN.

I GAVE A NOD TO THIS DUDE WHO I HAD NEVER SEEN OR RECALL SEEING BEFORE, BUT HIS RESPONSE WAS A BIG HUG AND A CHUCKLE. WHAT’S UP NEPHEW? MAN YOU’VE GOTTEN BIG! AS WE WALKED TO THE CAR, OUT CAME THIS FEMALE WHO WAS SUPER FINE! SHE WAS ABOUT 5'7", BROWN SKIN WITH SHOULDER LENGTH BROWN HAIR IN CORN ROLLS. SHE HAD A BEAUTY MARK ON HER RIGHT CHEEK, AND DARK BROWN EYES. SHE WAS WEARING A TAN PANTS SUIT, WHICH SHOWED OFF EVERY CURVE OF HER BODY.

HEY TRUTH, I’M RUBIE. HERE, LET ME GET YOUR BAGS. GO AHEAD AND SIT UP FRONT.

ON THE WAY TO MY NEW DESTINATION, MY UNCLE BEGAN TO EXPLAIN THINGS TO ME. LOOK NEPHEW, I KNOW ALL THIS SHIT GOT YOU FUCKED UP AND PROBABLY CONFUSED, SO LET ME DO THE BEST I CAN TO BREAK EVERYTHING DOWN TO YOU. I’M YOUR DAD’S LITTLE BROTHER, AND ONLY BROTHER. I’VE BEEN DOWN HERE ABOUT A MONTH GETTING EVERYTHING RIGHT. I’M SORRY YOU HAD TO BE IN THAT PLACE, ESPECIALLY AFTER YOUR AUNT COLLECTED THE INSURANCE MONEY YOUR MOMMA LEFT.

TO HEAR THAT WAS LIKE A PUNCH TO THE GUT, WHICH ONLY ADDED TO THE OLD WOUNDS I ALREADY HAD. WHAT HAPPENED TO MY POPS? I ASKED, FINALLY HOPING TO GET SOME ANSWERS.

THEY SAID SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO ROB HIM AND ENDED UP KILLING HIM. THEY TOOK TWELVE HUNDRED AND A GOLD CHAIN WITH YOUR NAME ON IT. THEY SHOT AND BEAT HIM SO BAD HE WAS BARELY RECOGNIZABLE. NOW I KNOW WHY IT WAS A CLOSED CASKET.

HOW COME I DIDN’T SEE YOU AT THE FUNERAL? BY THIS TIME WE WERE PULLING UP TO THIS HOUSING DISTRICT CALLED THE OAKS. WE PULLED INTO A BIG ASS ONE STORY WHERE HE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. MY UNCLE LOOKED AT ME AS IF I HAD JUST CALLED HIM A BITCH AND HE WAS ABOUT TO TAKE MY LIFE.

I DONE SOME BAD SHIT TO SOME PEOPLE WHO I THOUGHT WAS INVOLVED WITH MY BROTHER’S DEATH, SO I COULDN’T BE THERE. BUT NO ONE LOVED YOUR DAD MORE THAN ME! NO ONE! THEN HE LOOKED AWAY AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR.

YOU GONNA LIKE THE HOUSE TRUTH. COME ON, IT’S NICE. RUBIE TOLD ME. IT WAS A RED BRICK HOUSE WITH A TWO CAR GARAGE.

BEFORE WE WALKED INTO THE HOUSE, RUBIE TOLD ME TO TAKE OFF MY SHOES. THE INSIDE WAS UNBELIEVABLE. IT WAS A THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH HOUSE. IT HAD A POOL TABLE IN THE DEN WITH A BAR. IN THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM, THERE WAS BLACK MARBLE ALL OVER THE COUNTERS, FLOORS, AND SINKS. THERE WAS A POOL ALSO. IT WAS 24' BY 12' AND IT LOOKED TO BE ABOUT 9' DEEP. EVEN THOUGH I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO SWIM, I STILL LIKED IT.

SO YOU LIKE IT NEPHEW?

YEAH, IT’S NICE. I SAID.

GOOD. LET ME SHOW YOU YOUR ROOM. MY ROOM WAS HUGE. IT HAD THE BIGGEST BED I HAD EVER SEEN. IT ALSO HAD A TV, VCR, AND NINTENDO. LOOK NEPHEW, I DON’T EXPECT MUCH AND ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU STAY IN SCHOOL, ALRIGHT? SCHOOL WASN’T MY THING, WHICH I’M SURE WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS BY THE LOOK I WAS GIVING MY UNCLE. COME ON, LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

WE WENT INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND SAT ON A BLACK LEATHER COUCH. IN FRONT OF THE COUCH WAS A GLASS TABLE TRIMMED IN BLACK AND GOLD WITH TWO PHOTO ALBUMS ON IT. IN THESE TWO PHOTO ALBUMS ARE PICTURES OF FAMILY. ONE IS YOUR MOMMA’S SIDE AND THE OTHER IS YOUR POPS. I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHY SHIT IS SO MESSED UP BETWEEN THE FAMILIES. YOUR POPS WAS A PIMP WHEN HE FIRST MET YOUR MOMMA, AND YOUR MOMMA WAS A PREACHER’S DAUGHTER. YOUR MOMMA DIDN’T KNOW YOUR POPS WAS A PIMP AT FIRST AND BY THE TIME SHE FOUND OUT, SHE WAS IN LOVE. ONCE YOUR GRANDPARENTS FOUND OUT ABOUT RONNIE, THANKS TO YOUR AUNT NONA, THEY TOLD YOUR MOMMA SHE HAD TO LEAVE YOUR DADDY OR BE DISOWNED. AT FIRST YOUR MOMMA LISTENED TO THEM, UNTIL SHE FOUND OUT SHE WAS PREGNANT. YOUR DADDY CONVINCED HER THAT HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF YA’LL IF SHE STAYED WITH HIM. YOUR MOMMA WAS ASHAMED OF HOW YOUR DADDY GOT DOWN AND SHE TOLD HIM THAT HE’D HAVE TO GIVE UP THE GAME IF HE WANTED HER TO STAY WITH HIM. YOUR MOMMA WASN’T JUST FINE, SHE WAS A SPECIAL KIND OF WOMAN. STRONG AND DEMANDING. SHE REFUSED TO BE LABELED AS ANOTHER HOE. YOUR MOMMA HAD SOMETHING THAT THE OTHER FEMALES DIDN’T, RESPECT FOR SELF! EVENTUALLY YOUR DADDY BLESSED THE GAME TO ME. YOUR DAD HAD TWELVE HOES FROM OKLAHOMA TO CALIFORNIA. HE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO QUIT PIMPIN FOR THREE PIMPS. YOUR DAD WAS TWENTY-FIVE AND YOUR MOMMA WAS TWENTY WHEN THEY GOT MARRIED. YOU WAS BORN DECEMBER 16, 1976. IT WAS YOUR DADDY WHO NAMED YOU TRUTH. I REMEMBER ASKING HIM WHY HE DIDN’T NAME YOU RONNIE. HE SAID HE NAMED YOU TRUTH BECAUSE YOU WOULD REPRESENT EVERYTHING PEOPLE HATE. AFTER YOUR POPS GOT OUT THE GAME, HE BOUGHT SOME BUSINESSES, A LAUNDRY MAT, AND A COUPLE OF CAR LOTS. HE ALSO BOUGHT SOME HOUSES AND FIXED THEM UP. HE SOLD OR RENTED THEM OUT. PEOPLE THOUGHT YOUR DAD WAS STILL PIMPIN CAUSE HE KEPT MONEY AND LIVED ABOVE AVERAGE. NO ONE BELIEVED HE WAS LEGIT. I DID BECAUSE NO ONE KNEW YOUR POPS BETTER THAN ME. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN YOUR POPS RETIRED FROM THE GAME HE GAVE ALL HIS HOES TO ME, FOR A VERY SMALL PRICE. GROWING UP, IT WAS JUST FOUR OF US, ME, RONNIE, YOUR AUNT DALE AND GABBY. RONNIE WAS THE OLDEST. HE WAS 4 YEARS OLDER THAN ME, TWO YEARS OLDER THAN DALE, AND 3 YEARS OLDER THAN GABBY. MOMMA GOT SICK WHEN I WAS 10 AND SHE MADE RONNIE PROMISE THAT HE’D TAKE CARE OF US IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO HER. RONNIE WASN’T TRYING TO HEAR THAT CAUSE MOMMA ALWAYS GOT BETTER. TWO YEARS LATER, SHE PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER. I SAW MY BROTHER GO FROM BEING A FUNNY, LOVING BROTHER TO A BEAST. HE DID EVERYTHING EVIL UNDER THE SUN BUT TAUGHT US TO STAY TRUE AND LOYAL TO ONE ANOTHER, NO MATTER WHAT! HE USED TO SAY IT WAS THE WORLDS FAULT THAT MOMMA DIED AND THAT THE WORLD WOULD HAVE TO PAY. HE TAUGHT DALE AND GABBY HOW TO STEAL AND CON AND HE MADE ME HIS SHADOW. HE MACKED HIS FIRST BROAD AT 14 AND AFTER THAT, HE SAW THE POWER OF HIS WORDS, BUT HE DIDN’T START MAKING HOES PAY UNTIL HE WAS 16, AFTER MOMMA PASSED. WE NEEDED MONEY AND RONNIE SAW HOW GOOD THE MONEY WAS, SO HE STARTED TO STACK. THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HE TAUGHT US, HOW TO SAVE AND STACK AND NEVER LOOK BACK. HE DIDN’T WANT US DEPENDING ON THE WORLD BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS THE WORLD THAT LET MOMMA DOWN. MY WILD ASS SISTERS HAD THEY OWN AGENDA. THEY EVENTUALLY QUIT GIVING A FUCK ABOUT THEMSELVES AND EVEN WHEN THEY DIDN’T NEED TO STEAL OR TRICK MUTHA FUCKAS, THEY STILL DID. IT WAS THEY GREED THAT GOT THEM PUT IN JAIL, WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING THEY DID CONSISTENTLY! ANYWAYS, AFTER YOU WAS BORN, YOUR MOMMA WAS SO PROUD THAT SHE WANTED HER MOMMA AND DADDY TO SEE YOU. WHEN SHE TOOK YOU OVER THERE, THEY DIDN’T EVEN LET HER IN THE HOUSE. THEY SAID THAT YOU WAS A SIN AND THAT YOU WOULD NEVER BE NOTHING JUST LIKE YOUR DADDY. THAT WAS THE LAST TIME YOUR MOMMA TALKED TO HER PARENTS, SO THAT’S THE REASON YOU DON’T KNOW THEM. ONCE YOUR POPS HEARD ABOUT IT, ALL IT DID WAS PUSH HIM TO WORK HARDER. YOUR MOMMA AND POPS REALLY LOVED EACH OTHER AND THEY LOVED YOU! NOW, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THESE BOOKS LATER, BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING ELSE. HE GOT UP AND LED ME TO THE DOOR INTO THE GARAGES. INSIDE ONE OF THE GARAGES WAS A 1990 BABY BLUE CADILLAC SEVILLE WITH WHITE LEATHER GUTS. EVERYTHING INSIDE WAS STILL ORIGINAL AND LOOKED NEW. THIS IS FOR YOU NEPHEW, THAT WAY YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL LIKE YOU SUPPOSED TO. NOW WHY DON’T YOU DRIVE US TO THE MALL SO WE CAN GET SOME FRESH THREADS.

I NEVER LET HIM KNOW, BUT MY UNCLE WAS THE COOLEST, FLYEST DUDE I EVER MET. HE TALKED LIKE HE WAS STUCK IN THE 80’S, BUT I COULD DIG IT (AS HE WOULD SAY).

CHAPTER THREE

A LTHOUGH SCHOOL WASN’T MY THING, I WENT. THE FACT THAT I HAD A RIDE AND FRESH CLOTHES DIDN’T CHANGE MY ATTITUDE TOWARDS MY PEERS EITHER. THE ONLY CATS I COULD RELATE TO WERE THE THUGS OR THE NOBODYS EVERYONE OVERLOOKED. I TRUSTED NO ONE AND MOST PEOPLE LOOKED AT ME LIKE POISON OR LIKE I WAS STUCK UP. I GOT IN FIGHTS WITH THE FRIENDS I DID HAVE AND JACKED THE ENEMIES I INCURRED. BY THE TIME MY JUNIOR YEAR ROLLED AROUND, I WAS SICK OF SCHOOL AND I DROPPED OUT. MY UNCLE DIDN’T STAY HOME THAT MUCH, WHICH MADE IT EASIER FOR ME TO PLAY IT MY WAY. WHEN THE SCHOOL WOULD CALL, I TOLD THEM I TRANSFERRED TO LAWTON MACKE HIGH SCHOOL AND GAVE THEM MY HOME GIRL’S ADDRESS.

THERE WAS THIS WHITE DUDE NAMED DENNIS, WHO LOOKED LIKE A YOUNG EMINEM, THAT I USED TO FUCK WITH AT SCHOOL, WHO ALSO QUIT, WHOSE HOUSE I KICKED IT AT. HE WAS ONE OF THOSE SPOILED ASS WHITE KIDS WHO ACTED HOOD BUT HAD MONEY AND COULD AFFORD TO GET HIS OWN PLACE, (PLUS HE KEPT SOME FIRE ASS WEED). AT FIRST, I’D JUST SMOKED WITH HIM AND BOUGHT DIME SACKS, BUT AFTER AWHILE I WAS BUYING OUNCES FOR LITTLE TO NOTHING. I’D BE OVER HIS HOUSE MOST OF THE DAY, SMOKING WEED UNTIL SOMEONE PAGED ME. THAT’S HOW I GOT MY FIRST PIECE OF ASS, COURTNEY K.

COURTNEY HAD BEEN COMING OFF PASS FROM THIS JOB CORPS CALLED TREASURE PLACE. SHE’D COME BY DENNIS’S APARTMENT AND BUY WEED. EVERY TIME SHE’D COME BY, SHE’D FLIRT WITH ME. IT WAS A SATURDAY, NICE OUTSIDE, SO ME AND DENNIS WAS OUTSIDE WHEN COURTNEY CAME THROUGH, I MADE UP MY MIND RIGHT THEN, THAT I WAS GOING TO GET AT HER.

WHAT Y’ALL BOUT TO DO? SHE ASKED.

NOTHIN. WHAT’S UP? LET ME HOLLA AT YOU COURTNEY. I MOTIONED HER INSIDE THE APARTMENT. WHEN YOU GOING BACK?

SUNDAY… WHY? SHE ASKED.

JUST ASKING. SAY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BRING ONE OF YOUR HOME GIRLS OVER FOR DENNIS?

DENNIS FUCK WITH BLACK GIRLS? SHE ASKED LAUGHING.

I GAVE HER THIS COME ON LOOK… HELL YEAH, HE GET DOWN BUT I DIDN’T KNOW IF HE DID OR NOT. I JUST WANTED HIM TO GET SOME TOO.

ALRIGHT, I KNOW SOMEBODY SHE SAID SMILING.

I WENT OUTSIDE AND TOLD DENNIS THE DEAL. HE GOT CRAZY EXCITED, OH SNAP, HOMIE I’M BOUT TO… DENNIS STARTED RANTIN AND RAVING ABOUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO PUT IT DOWN.

CALM DOWN HOME BOY, WE GOT TO WALK IN THERE LIKE IT AIN’T SHIT AND KICK BACK, ALRIGHT? HE KEPT THAT SILLY GRIN ON HIS FACE, BUT AGREED. EY, LET ME USE YOUR ROOM FOR A MINUTE.

GO AHEAD, JUST DON’T NUT ON MY SHEETS!, HE SAID, MAKING SEX FACES.

I LAUGHED AND PLAYED LIKE HE WAS FUNNY, BUT I WAS REALLY NERVOUS SINCE IT WAS ABOUT TO BE MY FIRST TIME. SO WHAT’S UP WITH YOU COURTNEY? WHY YOU BE PLAYING GAMES WITH ME? I SAID WALKING INTO DENNIS’S ROOM.

WHAT YOU MEAN TRUTH? YOU THE ONE WON’T LET ME DRIVE YOUR CAR.

OH HELL NAH MA, THAT’S NOT HAPPENING! HER PAGER BEEPED AND SHE CALLED THE NUMBER. AFTER SHE GOT OFF THE PHONE, SHE SMILED.

THAT WAS PEACHES. SHE SAID SHE KNOWS DENNIS AND SHE’S ON HER WAY OVER!

HOLD ON. I WENT AND TOLD DENNIS WHAT WAS UP. YOU KNOW PEACHES?

NAH WHO DAT?

I DON’T KNOW FOOL, ONE OF COURTNEY’S HOME GIRLS. SHE SAID SHE KNOW YOU AND SOON AS SHE HEARD YOUR NAME SHE WAS LIKE OH GIRL, TELL HIM I’M ON MY WAY!

MAN I DON’T KNOW NO PEACHES, BUT IT’S ON WHOEVER SHE IS!

I WENT BACK INTO THE ROOM AND COURTNEY WAS SITTING ON THE BED FACING ME. SO ARE YOU GOIN TO LET ME DRIVE? SHE ASKED. COURTNEY K WAS A SHORT MOCHA SKINNED COKE BOTTLE WILD FLOWER. SHE HAD THE BODY OF A MATURE FEMALE AND ALTHOUGH SHE WASN’T JUST THE FINEST CHICK, SHE WORE SEX APPEAL LIKE SHE OWNED IT. I COULDN’T WAIT TO RUN MY HANDS OVER HER ASS WHILE SHE RODE ME, AS I HAD IMAGINED SO MANY TIMES SITTING ON THE TOILET WITH MY HAND CHOKING MY DICK.

YEAH, BUT NOT MY CAR! SHE UNBUTTONED MY SHIRT AND RAN HER HANDS OVER MY CHEST TO THE BACK OF MY NECK. LOOKING AT ME WITH A SERIOUS LOOK SHE STOOD ON HER TIP TOES AND PULLED ME INTO A KISS. EXCITED I TRIED TO DO MORE BUT SHE LET GO AND SAID SHE WASN'T READY TO GO ALL THE WAY.

DAMN TRUTH, CHILL WITH ME FOR A SECOND. FEELING AWKWARD, I SAT DOWN ON THE BED. YOU KNOW IF YOU FUCK WITH ME ON THE WEED TIP I CAN MAKE YOU SOME MONEY.

HOW’S THAT? I ASKED HER.

WELL, THEY BE SELLIN JOINTS FOR FIVE DOLLARS AT TREASURE PLACE, AND I GOT A HOMEBOY WHO GOT A COOL HUSTLE, BUT HE AIN’T GOT NO WEED CONNECT.

IS THAT RIGHT? SO HOW MUCH YOU TALKIN ABOUT?

YOU CAN MAKE LIKE THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED OFF AN OUNCE.

WHAT!? HELL NAH! I SAID, SHOCKED.

I PROMISE TRUTH. IT’S DRY UP THERE AND THE MONEY GOOD. I’LL EVEN HOOK YOU UP WITH HOMEBOY, JUST DON’T KICK ME OUT THE HUSTLE.

WHAT’S HIS NAME? I ASKED.

TAKEDOWN. YOU MIGHT KNOW HIS BROTHER DRAQ. HE GOES TO LAWTON MACKE. SHE SAID. HE HUSTLES ON THE NORTHSIDE.

ALRIGHT, HOOK IT UP. WE WENT INTO LIVING ROOM WHERE DENNIS AND PEACHES WERE. WHAT UP HOMIE? HE LOOKED TOWARD THE KITCHEN AND THERE WAS PEACHES, SITTING AT THE TABLE EATING MCDONALDS, BIG AS HELL LICKING HER FINGERS AND SMILING. SHE WAS SHORT AND BIG, BUT SHE HAD BIG TITS. I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE GOT THE NAME PEACHES, BUT SHE HAD THIS ATTITUDE LIKE SHE WAS THE SHIT, AND SHE HAD A CUTE FACE.

HEY TRUTH SHE SAID LIKE WE WERE OLD FRIENDS, WHAT’S UP WIT IT? WHY YOUR BOY ACTIN’ ALL SHY? I THOUGHT HE WAS ’BOUT IT?

I TRIED NOT TO LAUGH, SO I PLAYED IT OFF AND BLAZED A BLUNT BUT DENNIS KEPT MOTIONING ME TO THE ROOM. MAN, I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO BE COOL, MAN THAT’S FUCKED UP! HE SAID. I BUSTED OUT LAUGHING. AH MAN YOU TRIPPIN’, SHE CUTE TO ME.

YEAH, BUT LOOK HOW BIG SHE IS, I CAN’T DO NOTHING WITH THAT!

LOOK D, YOU TRIPPIN’. GO IN THERE AND SMOKE WITH OLE GIRL AND AFTER YOU GET HIGH, TAKE HER ASS IN THE ROOM AND FUCK THE SHIT OUTTA HER CAUSE ALL SHE GON DO IS GO TELL HER FRIENDS ABOUT IT AND PUT YOU IN THE GAME. HE STARTED TO SMILE AND GAVE ME SOME DAP. YOU SHO RIGHT DAWG, GOOD LOOKIN! I GAVE COURTNEY A ZIP AND WE LEFT FURTHER DISCUSSING OUR NEXT HOOK UP, SO DENNIS COULD HANDLE HIS BUSINESS.

COURTNEY CAME BACK A WEEK LATER WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SHE INTRODUCED ME TO TAKEDOWN. HE WAS COOL, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS 15. HE HAD AN ATTITUDE THAT I LIKED, RAW AND READY! AFTER AWHILE WE GOT REAL COOL AND I ENDED UP MEETING HIS BROTHER DRAQ. ME AND HIM ENDED UP HAVING A LOT IN COMMON. IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE TAKEDOWN GOT TO DOING TOO MUCH AND GOT KICKED OUT OF TREASURE PLACE, BUT THAT DIDN’T STOP OUR BUSINESS AND COURTNEY KEPT IT ROLLING UNTIL SHE GOT KICKED OUT. COURTNEY CONVINCED US THAT IF WE GOT HER A SPOT, HER AND HER HOME GIRLS WOULD SELL WEED FOR US. SO WE PITCHED IN AND GOT ’EM A SPOT OVER IN CROSSTOWN. A SPOT CALLED THE SQUARE. THEY KEPT THE MONEY ROLLIN’ BY SELLIN’ BLUNTS AND DIME SACKS. ONCE BUSINESS GOT TO ROLLIN’ IN, SHE STARTED PUTTING ME ON TO NIGGAS WHO WAS SLIPPIN’ AND HAVIN’ MONEY. THAT OPENED UP A DOOR FOR ME AND MY COMRADES TO BE STICK-UP KIDS. I HAD ONLY KNOWN DRAQ AND TAKEDOWN FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS, BUT I COULD TELL THAT THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF A LONG RELATIONSHIP.

CHAPTER FOUR

M Y UNCLE FINALLY CAUGHT ON TO HOW I WAS GETTING DOWN AND PULLED ME UP ONE DAY. SAY NEPHEW, HOW’S SCHOOL?

OH IT’S ALRIGHT. I SAID BUT I COULD TELL BY HIS EXPRESSION THAT HE KNEW I JUST LIED.

"LOOK