Street Credit: Hustling in Da’ D

By Andre Farr

Growing up in an abusive home, De Angelo Little One Little decides hes fed up. After confronting his mother about leaving the situation, he realizes shes not going anywhere, so he decides its time he left. Meeting up with a classmate named Darius DJ Jackson who offered him a place to live in, the two of them enter into the world of drug dealing led by DJs brother Red. Then a mistake by DJ costs Red his life, which leaves the boys at a crossroad. Low on money, the boys are willing to do whatever it takes to keep their street credit even if it costs them their lives. Bringing in his sister and her friend, Little One soon finds out that he and DJ arent the only ones with get-rich-quick ambitions.

Well written; crafty, and insightful. As you travel through the twists and turns of Street Credit, your path is bombarded with crossroads that lead to

Deceit + Deception
Ruthlessness + Brutality
Treachery + Betrayal
Envy + Jealousy
Revenge + Retribution
Creditability + Disbelief (Street Creditor).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543435108

Andre Farr

Andre Farr is an exceptional writer, who first found his love for writing at an early age. Although, it wasn't until growing up in the streets of Detroit, MI landed him in a dark place wherein he would pick up and read a Donald Goines book that the dream of becoming a published author would be birthed. “If he (Donald Goines) could do it, reach and inspire me in one of the darkest moments of my life, then so can I.” Andre Farr Andre Farr like “Street Credit” would have to make several twists and turns and overcome many obstacles in his life to obtain the confidence within himself to birth this vision. Wherein lies one of his favorite quotes, “Dream big; Work hard.” When asked how he was able to make the characters in “Street Credit” so relatable he said, “Growing up in the neighborhood I grew up in, it takes away being naïve. You learn how to survive. It’s important not to get caught up in the street life. It’s a continuous downward spiral. Detroit is versatile-has people from all walks of life, and knowing several people, I have gained a wealth of knowledge. With this knowledge, I try to place myself in each of my characters shoes. How they would feel and what they would need in every situation they go through.” He goes on to say, “I don’t regret the past, street smarts are very important. You have to be able to know what to watch out for. In the dope game, you can only go so far but on the right side, it’s infinite-you can be whatever you want to be. So, stay right; don't go left. With patience, you tend to go right, with love. But if you go left it's a short road, so stay right.” As a published author Andre Farr looks forward to overcoming new challenges this journey may bring him. He looks forward to branching off into several genres and eventually writing and directing movies. He also wishes that all of you (his readers) join him for the journey.

Book preview

Chapter 1

START OF AN ERA

As the doors slams, Little One and his siblings lay in bed with the covers over their heads. The deafening noise from their mother and father arguing gets louder and louder. They’ve heard arguments before, but this one seems to be the worst one of all. Little One’s youngest sister is crying, screaming out, "Make them stop Little One! Please make them stop!"

Contemplating whether or not to do something, Little One snatches the cover off him and heads for the bedroom door.

Don’t! Little One’s older sister says. Let them be. Dad will tire out in a minute, fall asleep, and then Mom will be okay. But if you go out there, it will only make it worse, and he might hit you.

Before his older sister could get her last word out, they heard a loud crash. They jumped up and ran out there to see their mom on the floor bleeding from the head and dad leaving out the door.

Mom! they screamed and then yelled her name again, Mom!

"Little One, call 911, said the eldest sister. CALL 911!" again she screamed frantically as Little One stands there in shock yet angry from his dad’s actions.

"Little One, can you please call 911?" the youngest sister asked as she tightly hugged her mom.

Just as Little One reached for the phone, his mom said, Don’t.

Excited to hear her speak, he ran to her while giving her a big hug. He asks, Mom, are you okay?

His mom responds, I am fine. Your dad is sick, and he needs help, but he also needs his family. So let’s just go to bed. Things will be okay in the morning.

Little One and his siblings go off to bed. While there, he lies in his bed, eyes wide open, thinking about what had just happened. Even though that’s his father, he can’t help but be angry about what he saw. No man should ever do this to his wife or his children, he thought to himself.

Morning arrives. While Little One and his siblings are still asleep, his mother screams, "LITTE ONE! GET up and take out the garbage!"

As he sits up rubbing his eyes, still sleepy from a long night of thinking, his mother says, How many times have I told you to get to the trash before your father gets up?

Sorry, Mom, replies Little One. How do you feel, Mom? Are you okay this morning?

Don’t worry about me. Just do what I told you his mother tells him.

While taking out the trash, Little One sees his father in the backyard working on a broken-down van that he uses for work. As he walks by, his dad yells out, Come here, boy!

Hearing his dad but choosing to ignore him, Little One continues toward the garbage can.

Crawling from underneath the van, his dad sits up; and in a strong-willed voice, his dad yells, I SAID COME HERE, BOY!

In a tone just as strong willed as his father’s, Little One responds WHAT! WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT?

Looking shocked and yet angered by what he just heard, Little One’s father stands up, approaches him, and says, What you just say to me? Still in the same strong-willed tone, Little One replied, I SAID WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WA—

Before Little One can finish his next word, his dad slaps him to the ground and starts kicking his sixteen-year-old frame as if it was an empty sack of leaves.

Hearing the commotion from her bedroom, the elder sister yelled out the window, "STOP, DADDY, STOP! MOM, DADDY’S KICKING LITTE ONE!"

Acting hastily to what was going on, Little One’s mom grabs a knife from the kitchen and runs outside. STOP IT, YOU SON OF A BITCH! she yelled, adding, You may hit me, but I will be damned if you’re gonna put your hands on those kids! With tears in her eyes, she approached her husband, holding the knife in a striking position, and said, I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!

Looking shocked and angered, the dad in one motion smacks the mother with a force so strong that it dislodged the knife from her hands. As she falls to the ground, the father kneels down beside her, grabs the knife, and rubs the point of it across her cheek just deep enough to cause bleeding. Then he says, If you ever pull another weapon on me again, I will kill you with my bare hands. You understand me?

Scared, fearing for her life, she responds, Yes.

Taking the knife from her face, his dad gets up and walks toward his car. Watching their dad get into his car and drive away, Little Ones’ sisters run to their mother, crying. They scream, MOM, ARE YOU OK?

She answers, "Yes, I’m okay. Where is Little One?"

I’m right here, responds Little One, pulling himself off the ground. Hugging his mother, Little One says to her, Mom, it’s time we leave. We need to pack our things and get the hell out of here right now before he returns.

Nodding to what Little One said, the elder sister tells their mother, He’s right, Mom. Let’s go now.

With a look of disbelief on her face, Little One’s mom says, What do you mean leave? Your dad is sick. I told you he needs his family right now, so we aren’t going anywhere.

Saddened by what their mom just said, Little One’s sisters drop their heads. But this angered Little One. He has never challenged his mother’s decisions before, but Little One looks her in her eyes and says, Mom, if we don’t leave now, he’s going to kill all of us. Do you understand that?

Still in denial, his mother says, We aren’t going anywhere. He’s my husband and your father, so we aren’t going anywhere. You understand me?

Not really agreeing with their mother but still being respectful, the girls nod and say, Okay, Mommy, whatever you say.

In disbelief of what he’s seeing, Little One says, FUCK THAT! I’M NOT LIVING HERE WITH THAT MOTHERFUCKER!

Surprised to hear her son talk that way, Little One’s mom screams, I understand you’re angry, but I’m your mother, and you will still respect me and my decisions. If you can’t do that, then you can just leave.

Just as Little One responds FUCK THAT, his mom slaps him.

In shock that his mother hit him, Little One says, I’m out of here! If he beats you again, I hope he kills you.

Hearing Little One’s strong words as he walks away, Little One’s older sister screams, "LITTE ONE, COME BACK HERE, LITTE ONE!" With no response from Little One, both of his siblings start to cry, watching his shadow fade from the driveway as he heads down the street.

After walking the street for hours, Little One comes across DJ, a classmate from school. Little One’s parents always wanted him to stay away from DJ because he comes from an unstable family. His mom is a drug addict, and his father is doing life in jail for murder. That left DJ to be raised by his older brother, Red, who is a career criminal himself. At just nineteen years old Red has a police record that includes charges from petty theft to attempted murder, and drug dealing is now his crime of choice. As Little One approaches DJ, he says, What’s up?

Surprised to see Little One out at this time of night, DJ gives Little One a slap on the hand and yells out, "LITTE ONE! What’s up, man? What you doing out here this late?"

Little One responds, Just walking the streets. My mom kicked me out the house because I got into it with my punk-ass daddy. She took his side, so I decided to get the fuck on!

Damn, that’s fucked up, replied DJ. He then asks, So where are you going to stay?

Looking bewildered, Little One says, I don’t know. It’s not like I have a lot of options.

With his hand extended, DJ tells Little One that he can come and stay with him and his big brother, Red.

With a happy look on his face, Little One asks, Are you sure it will be okay with Red?

We will soon find out. Here he comes now, replied DJ.

Getting out of a car, Red speaks to DJ and gives Little One a handshake. What’s up, little man? You all right? asks Red.

Yeah, I’m cool, replies Little One.

He’s all right now. His mom put him out, so I told him he could stay with us if it is cool with you, DJ adds.

It’s cool with me as long as he knows it’s not a free ride, says Red while looking at Little One.

Nervous about what he will be doing but knowing he never wanted to return to his old home, Little One says, That’s cool. What I got to do?

Thinking for a minute and knowing Little One is new to the game, Red suggests that Little One work as a lookout for now, making $100 a day. By having Little One do this, that’ll give Red the free time to explore new opportunities. Excited about his new job offer Little One says, when can I start? Red looks at his watch and says, Well its 10:15 and we stop at midnight, so I will give you $25.00 for the rest of the night. Then you start with DJ tomorrow from four to midnight.

Happy to have Little One work with him, DJ gives Little One a high five and tells him to follow him so he can show him what he will be doing.

After waking up in the morning with his newfound love for making money, Little One along with DJ hit the streets to start their day. Upon arriving at their location, DJ stashes his work, then looks at Little One, and says, Here, brandishing a huge handgun. This is for the lookout. You take this. Put it on your hip and keep your eyes open for anything that looks suspicious. Or if somebody tries to jack us, you pop they ass. Got it?

Staring at the gun and then looking DJ in his eyes, Little One says, Got it.

As DJ is serving the customers, Little One, with the gun on his hip, is standing there, feeling like a real gangster. There’s something about the gun that makes him feel empowered. He feels like he can rule the world with this one gun. After serving his customers DJ looks at Little One and says, You okay over there?

Looking over at DJ, Little One says, Yeah, I’m good, pulling the gun from his hip to look at it.

Ah, put that away, says DJ. You don’t want people to know you got it ’cause if they do, then they will know how to come at you.

Looking confused, Little One asks, What you mean come at me?

I mean, look, if somebody wants to stick us up, then they already know we got heat. So that means they will bring more heat, or better yet, since they know we packin’, they can roll up and drop us. So let’s surprise them, not them surprising us.

Understanding now, Little One puts the gun back in his waist and pulls his shirt over it. As the day goes by, everything is going smooth. DJ is making the money, and Little One has his back. Red checks in now and again to pick up money and drop off more work. The end of the day is near, and DJ and Little One are getting tired. Sitting on the porch of a vacant house, DJ notices a car with its lights out slowly creeping up the street. He calls to Little One, Hey, look at this car.

Looking up the street, Little One says, I see it, taking the gun from his waist, pulling the hammer back to load a bullet into the chamber. Little One puts the gun behind his back, keeping an eye on the car. Then he realizes it’s the police. He yells to DJ, POLICE!

They both start running, and DJ yells to Little One to get rid of the gun. Hearing DJ, Little One tosses the gun into a garage as they run through the backyard of a vacant house. Running as fast as they can, they make it to Gratiot Street, where they are able to stop running. Tired and out of breath, they walk down Gratiot, looking around to see if they got away. They walk a few more blocks, and they hear tires screeching to a halt with two cops jumping out with their guns drawn and one of the cops yelling Up against the car! while grabbing DJ and Little One. The police officers then push them up against the car and start patting them down, asking each one of them, Do you have any weapons?

No, replied DJ.

What about you? the cop asked Little One.

No, sir, Little One replied.

Putting both of them in handcuffs, one of the cops asks Little One, "Where