Concrete

By David Ivy

Kevin life began on the notorious streets of Chicago Illinois where he experienced at a young age the horrors of the world in one of it's purest form. After witnessing his childhood best friends lose his life in a drive-by shooting on the playground, Kevin's life and the way he viewed the world would never be the same even after moving away from the gang infested street of Chicago, Kevin and his brothers found themselves down South in a neighborhood known as Orange Mound in the midst of drugs, gangs, and murders. Quickly they learned up North or down South, when it rained, bloodstains appeared on the concrete.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781635689716

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Concrete

David Ivy

Copyright © 2019 David Ivy

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2019

ISBN 978-1-63568-970-9 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-63568-971-6 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

About The Author

There's never a happy ending, when the streets tell the stories.

Acknowledgement

I could have never accomplished this project without the love and support of my family and friends. I owe a large debt of gratitude to my brother Jerome White Sr. for inspiring me to put my creative thoughts on paper, and to my daughter Justice who has been my guiding light through some of the darkest nights.

This is all of our achievement, because without your love and support, this accomplishment wouldn't exist. Thank you.

In loving Memories of

Jmoney & Dmoney

(Rest In Peace)

Chapter 1

It was the weekend of May 1978, I was six years old, and my family and I resided on the Westside of Chicago, Illinois on a street name Cermak. (POW! POW! POW!) In the midst of the summer heat, three shots from a moving car echoed down the block.

"Kevin! Kevin Get in here! I heard Mom screaming from the front door. Immediately Sisco and I darted toward the door where Mom stood petrified and anxiously waiting on us to run inside. Fleeing under her arms, we ran through the door. Bam!" Mom quickly slammed the door shut.

My little Mexican friend Sisco and I stood there with our hearts racing inside of our chests. We gazed steadily and intently up at Mom, who stood with her back against the door. "Are you two all right?" she softly asked.

"I'm okay! I'm okay! we both responded softly and quickly as we deeply inhaled and exhaled. Turn around," Mom softly uttered. She inspected our clothes to ensure that we weren't bleeding, because there had been times in the hood when children became so startled by the sound of gunshots, that they ran all the way home not knowing that they were shot.

In the destitute and Gang infested neighborhoods throughout the City, parents taught their children how to get down when they heard the sound of gunshots.

Where I lived was also known as the hood of the Latin Kings, a notorious, Latino street gang on the Westside. In the (70's) the spirit of Black Liberation, Self-Respect and Community Pride was quickly fading due to an epidemic of highly addictive drugs that swept through the Black Communities, along with the genocidal methods of an international counterintelligence program called the COINTELPRO. This program was design to disrupt the growth of Black Love, Self-Respect and Unity in the Black Communities. The FBI's covert operation instituted conflicts between black leaders and local street gangs that erupted in a wave of gang violence throughout the city. When it rained blood stains appeared on the concrete.

The Gangsters Disciples, Devil Disciples, Black Stone Rangers, Latin Kings, Egyptian Cobras and Vice Lords were all at war, and the battle ground was the city of Chicago. It was a bloody turf war between a group of manipulated adolescents who came from broken homes all over the City. These wars left blood trails from the north to the south and from the east to the west. I was the youngest of six kids, which comprised four boys and two girls. I learned at a young age that Poverty and pain was a component of the slums in which I was born. I also learned about the horrors of the World in one of its purest forms.

You see, I witnessed one of my best friends get killed on the playground at Mason Elementary School. He was only seven years old. His name was James Taylor; also known to us as Black Skillet because of the very dark completion of his skin.

Now let me take you back to where it all began. We were only three weeks away from the summer Vacation and laughter echoed throughout the playground as we all gathered our marbles from the ground. Sisco was laughing at Black Skillet as he made faces mimicking the look that was on a kid name Roger's face as we all walked away from the marble game near the school fence. We were happy because Black Skillet had just won one of the prettiest marbles in the marble game from Roger who was now looking sad. We all gather around Black Skillet laughing and right before we made it to the school door, I heard someone shout, Devil Disciples! then shots rang out [Rah-ti-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!] our bodies jumped from the sound that echoed throughout the playground. My heart accelerated as I stood there frozen. Black Skillet standing right beside me fell to the ground without making a sound as the whole playground immediately went into chaos. It all happened within seconds, but everybody appeared to be moving in slow motion. I quickly glanced at Sisco, and he was staring right at me, as the students around us screamed as they fell to the ground for safety. The sound of the squealing tires caught my attention, as the car sped off with a member of the Devil Disciples hanging out of the passenger side window, firing automatic rounds at two Latino Gang members standing near the school fence. [Rah-ti-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!] Stray bullets scattered across the playground as kindergarteners ran towards the door. The teachers yelled in fear while trying to get all the kids inside of the building. Sisco and I, without saying a word, took off running at the same time and faded into the crowd of screaming children. Once we made it through the doors, we heard the teachers yelling, "GO directly to your classroom!"

Quickly! they hurtled us away from the doors and down the halls toward the classrooms. Sisco and I constantly looked back as the teachers rushed us all down the halls. "Where is Black Skillet? I thought to myself as I scanned the crowd of frightened children that were all around me. Is he still lying on the ground? Why didn't he get up and run with us? Is he hurt? Is he shot? My thoughts began to run wild as fear and my emotions took over. I looked over at Sisco, and he was already crying. After we made it back into the classroom, the teacher asked, "Is anyone hurt? All of the students softly responded, No! Then she began checking our names off the student's roster, and Before she could finish. Sisco ran from his desk to the window in the back of the classroom and as he gazed out toward the playground. In a terrifying cry he mumbled Nooo! as he stared at Black Skillet's motionless body in the arms of Ms. Miller. She was the first-grade teacher in the classroom next door. She was Bonny with a soft personality, and every morning we looked forward to seeing Ms. Miller standing in the doorway of her classroom as we walked by. Good Morning Ms. Miller, we would always speak just to hear her respond, Good morning boys. Then she would wink one of her eyes at Black Skillet and he would just smile and whisper to me that he was going to marry Ms. Miller. I would just laugh and he would always reply, I'm for real Kevin, I'm for real!"

After looking out of the window Sisco yelled, "Black Skillet got shot!" I quickly ran from my desk to the window, and I saw Ms. Miller down on her knees holding Black Skillet's head in her arms. It was blood on the ground all around them.

"Oh my God!" Ms. Miller screamed as she embraced Black Skillet in her arms.

Sisco and I both jumped from the sound of the teacher shouting from her desk across the room, "Get out of that window and back to your seats! The scene was so crushing, I didn't noticed the other students that ran from their desks over to the window, and was standing all around me. To see black Skillet bleeding all over Ms. Miller was a sight that was to overwhelming to disregard. Everybody stood quietly watching in fear as the sound of the ambulance grew near, black Skillet had been shot!"

As I glance out across the playground, I could see two Latino Gang members lying on the ground near the school fence. One of them laid lifeless on the Concrete without moving while the other one laid back against the fence clutching his stomach. I was transfixed by the sight of one of the male teachers climbing over the fence to assist them. Our teacher Ms. Berg sadly came to the window and made us all return to our seats. We were all scared and crying. On the school speakers, the Principal announced that all parents are being contacted and the students are to remain inside of their classroom until their parents arrive. School was canceled for the day, and all the students were permitted to go home early, due to the shooting and the police Investigation. My mom came and got me, and Sisco's father Tony came and got him. On our way out of the School doors, I told Mom all about how I saw one of the Gang members shooting out of the passenger window of a moving car, and one of the bullets hit black skillet. She just stared at me, then she reached out and embraced me tightly in her arms as water appeared in her eyes.

"Come on baby!" she softly uttered, then she reached out and grabbed my hand, and we started walking toward the car. On the ride home, I told her all about how I saw black Skillet from the classroom window lying in the arms of Ms. Miller bleeding, and tears trickled down her face.

After the shooting, school remained close for the remaining days of the school year. I had no idea that Black Skillet had died until about a week later. I heard my sister Kim yell, Mom you're wanted on the phone.

"Who is it?" Mom asked.

Kim yelled, "It's Ms. Taylor."

"Okay, I'm coming," Mom responded. Then she walked into the living room and got on the phone.

"Hello! Mom softly spoke into the phone, then Ms. Taylor softly uttered. Dot, we're having my baby's wake tomorrow at Lake's Funeral Home on Cicero Avenue at six, O'clock pm." Mom glance up at the ceiling with tears in her eyes without saying a word.

Then Ms. Taylor softly uttered into the phone, "they killed my baby! Then she screamed, They killed my baby! Mom's heart crumbled inside of her chest as she cried with Ms. Taylor. They conversed for maybe twenty minutes, then Mom hung up the phone. As tears filled her eyes and sadness appeared in her face the word God!" Within a single breath, escaped her lips. After hanging up the phone she stood there shattered inside as she watched me play in the middle of the floor with a toy truck.

"Come here Kevin," she softly uttered.

As I crawled across the floor pushing my toy truck toward her, "Vroom! "Vroom!" Tears filled her eyes as she stared dejectedly at me. Briefing a six year old child about the horrors of the World was something she felt was a parent's nightmare. Because a childhood was suppose to be about creating fun memories not sad ones. As soon as I stood up in front of her, without warning she quickly embraced me so tightly in her arms, I could feel her heart beating with each breath.

"Kevin! she spoke softly, your friend James died."

"WHAT!" I shouted. As tears filled my eyes she embraced me.

"Why Mom? Mom why? I yelled as she held me tightly. Black Skillet didn't do anything! Black Skillet didn't do anything!" I yelled as tears ran down my face.

Mom softly responded, "I know." As she rocked back and forth with me in her arms.

Black Skillet's Mom had call to inform my Mom about his wake that was going to be held tomorrow. I sat there in Mom's arms for about thirty minutes crying. Then I got up and went to bed. I could tell it was hard for Mom to tell me this because she have always tried her best to shield us from the horrors of the World. I guess it was because she knew, "too much pain could turn a humble heart cold" and this was only a glimpse of the world in one of its purest forms.

I couldn't sleep that night because the thoughts of me, Black Skillet and Sisco playing marbles at school continued to flash over and over in my mind.

It was like a dream, but I wasn't asleep. I saw Mom coming in and out of the bedroom throughout the night checking on me, and every time I saw the bedroom door opening. I closed my eyes and pretended to be sleep as Mom walked over to my bed and rubbed her hand softly across my face and head.

"My baby." I could hear Mom whisper as she sat on the edge of the bed, Black Skillet's death had affected us all.

I peeked out of one eye at her as she silently walked out of the room and closed the door. I laid there throughout the night in the darkness of the bedroom just staring up at the ceiling as the thoughts of black Skillet dying confused me. I laid there wondering, "Was Black Skillet in heaven? Then I thought to myself, What is heaven? Is heaven like Earth? Is Black Skillet in pain? Does dying hurt?" I laid there in bed frowning as my mind took me on an emotional roller coaster. Plus, Mom told me she was gonna take me to Black Skillet's wake tomorrow evening. I never been to a wake or funeral, but I have seen them on T.V. many times before.

"People be dressed up and crying," I thought to myself as I yawned, and after closing my eyes, I fell asleep.

"Kevin! Kevin!" I heard Mom calling out to me, but I thought it was all just a dream until I opened my eyes and saw Mom standing there.

"Huh!" I responded as I yawned and stretched out my body underneath the covers.

"Get up baby and wash yourself up, breakfast is on the table. Okay Mom. I responded in a soft tone as I sat on the edge of the bed and thought to myself, Wow! The morning came quick."

As I got up and tottered toward the bathroom, I could hear my brothers and sisters at the kitchen table yapping at each other as always. I heard Kim yelling out, "Mom Bud is in here trying to put his finger in my food."

"No I'm not!" my brother Terry, whom we all call Bud, yelled out in his defense.

I don't know who gave him that nickname, it had to be before I was born, because I been calling him Bud all my life. As they continued yapping back and forth, Mom yelled from the other room, "Don't make me whip some ass this morning!"

After hearing mom say that, Kim and Bud sat at the table trading words in a tone that was at the volume of a whisper. Because they knew Mom would whip them both if they didn't stop. My brothers nagging my sisters as they yelled for mom was an everyday thing in our home. After washing my face, hands and brushing my teeth, I sat at the small kitchen table with my brothers. My sisters were done eating and were now helping Mom clean the house. Usually, my brothers would pick on me as well, but this morning they just sat there silently. I guess it was because today was the day of Black Skillet's wake.

The day went fast, and it was now 5:30 p.m. Mom, Dad and all of my siblings were getting ready to leave the house and go to Black Skillet's wake. Right before we walked out of the door, I ran back into the bedroom and grabbed a few marbles. It was strange how a game of marbles in the midst of tragedies, could free a child's mind and give him inner peace. I pushed the marbles down into my pocket, and out the door I went.

Once we arrived at the church, I saw so many classmate from school. The teachers and the Principal were all there. I glanced across the parking lot that was filled with cars and I saw Sisco and his father Tony standing in line waiting to walk through the doors of the church. After my father parked, we all got out of the car and started walking toward the line that was slowly moving through the doors of the Church. The closer we got to the door, it felt like the air was getting thinner. I didn't know what to expect. I reached out and grabbed Mom's hand and held it tightly as we went through the door. My heart accelerated inside of my chest as I glanced to the front of the church and saw Black Skillet lying in a white casket with flowers all around him. I inhaled a deep breath and Mom looked down at me after noticing me embracing her body as she tried to walk toward our seats. "I can't lie, I was scared." I don't know why, I was just scared to look at Black Skillet lying there in that casket.

"It's okay baby," Mom softly whispered down to me as she gently released my grip from around her waist and pulled me to our seats.

I could hear people crying softly as the preacher began speaking. I looked up and saw Black Skillet's Mom sitting on the front row directly in front of his casket. She was crying as the lady beside her hugged her, and cried with her.

I looked around the church and saw Sisco and his father Tony sitting on the row right across from us. I could see tears in Sisco's eyes as he glanced over at me. The sound of the preacher's voice echoed throughout the church as everyone sat silently crying. I glanced up front again at Black Skillet. He was just lying there with a black suit on, It almost looked like he was just sleeping. Tears began to fall from my eyes as I sat there watching his Mom crying on the front row. I just couldn't understand why this happened, "Black Skillet didn't do anything!" I thought to myself as sadness filled the church. I sat quietly as the thoughts of me and Black Skillet playing together played over and over in my mind.

Once the preacher stopped talking, people begin forming a line to say their last goodbyes to Black Skillet. I saw Ms. Miller, and she looked so sad as she walked up to Black Skillet's casket. Mom was wiping tears from her eyes, My brothers and sisters eyes were also filled with tears.

This was a sad time and sadness filled the hearts of everyone in the church. My father sat there quietly, and I could tell he had been drinking from the strong scent of liquor that came from his breath. Mom whispered to me as she stood up, "Come on baby and say your goodbyes to your friend."

We all stood up and joined in the line of people slowly moving toward the casket. Sisco and his father Tony was walking in front of us. As we got closer, I could hear people saying, "They will always love him," as they placed flowers inside of his casket. At this point, I wasn't afraid anymore as we gradually moved in the line. I witnessed Sisco and his father Tony place a small bear inside of the casket as they said their goodbyes. After seeing that, I thought to myself what can I give Black Skillet. Mom couldn't afford to buy a gift, and most of the families that came didn't bring a gift either. But after seeing Sisco and his father place a gift inside of the casket. I wanted to put something inside as well, because he was my friend. I inhaled a deep breath as the line slowly moved forward. I nervously rubbed my hands against my pants pockets as we got closer. After touching the marbles inside of my pocket, I pulled them out as we stood in front of Black Skillet's casket. Tears filled my eyes as I dropped the marbles near his hand and watched them roll down inside of his casket. Mom standing beside me softly rubbed her hand across my shoulders as I looked up into her saddened face.

"Goodbye Black Skillet," I whispered as I looked at him.

Then Mom whispered, "Come on baby, we got to move on so the other people can see him and say their goodbyes too."

I saw Roger there with his Mom and Dad. Ms. Miller was just crying. "I guess she really did like black Skillet," I thought to myself when I gazed into her watery eyes as we pass her on the way out of the church. Everybody sat quietly once we were all inside of the car. The radio speakers echoed soft sounds throughout the car, and that was the only sound made inside of the car all the way home. Once we arrived home, my sisters sadly went inside of their bedroom and closed the door. My brothers all gathered in the living room around the television. I went into the kitchen and sat at the table alone. It was hard for me to believe that I will never see Black Skillet again.

Suddenly, I heard Mom yelling from her room, "Y'all better get in those bedrooms and take those clothes off!"

My sisters yelled, "Okay Mom!" from their room and my brothers all came out of the living room. We all went into our bedrooms and changed our clothes. We didn't have much, but Mom always made sure we took good care of the small things we had. That night was strange to me. I just couldn't get the picture of Black Skillet lying in that casket out of my mind. My brother Larry, was only one year younger than Bud. Bud was the oldest, so we were paired the youngest with the oldest. Larry and I shared a room Bud and Craig shared a room, and Kim shared a room with Dorothy.

Before we went to bed that night, Mom came into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. She told me and Larry that she loved us both very much. Tears appeared in her eyes as she reached out and hugged us. Then she went to my other siblings rooms and did the same thing.

Black Skillet's wake was very touching and educational to us all about how fragile life really was, I bet every Mother that attended Black Skillet's wake went home and hugged their children tightly, because children dying like this wasn't how it was supposed to be. His birthday was only two weeks ago. I could see the pain in Mom's face when she hugged me and Larry. Black Skillet's death had touched our lives in a way that will never be forgotten.

Two weeks had passed since Black Skillet's death and it felt like the pain never stopped. Larry came running in the house holding his arm screaming for our father. On the way home from school Larry and Kim was jumped on by three members of an African American street Gang known as the Gangster Disciples—a ruthless Gang on the Southside of Chicago, Illinois. After hearing Kim was lying in the street unconscious. Our father quickly grabbed his car keys from the table. Then they all ran out the door, and down the stairs toward the car in fear. Just as quick as they got into the car, they sped off. Mom sat in the passenger seat nervously crying as Larry sat in the back seat in pain repeating over and over, We didn't do anything, they just assaulted us for nothing. Frantically and in pain, Larry guided them back to the site where Kim laid unconscious. As they pulled up, they noticed the ambulance was already there, and the paramedics were loading Kim's unconscious body into the back of the ambulance on a stretcher. In a soft frighten cry the words Oh My God! Escaped Mom's lips as she glanced through the windshield at Kim lying lifeless on the stretcher. Before my father could completely stop the car Mom had opened the passenger door, and ran toward the ambulance. In a softly voice she glanced at Kim and uttered, That's my baby! One of the paramedics after hearing Mom say those words, glanced up at her and without hesitation he uttered, Ma'am! We need to get moving. If you wish to ride with her, you can ride in the front seat with me to the hospital. Mom quickly responded, I'm riding with her! Then she quickly waved her hand with her heart racing inside of her chest signaling to my father that she was riding with Kim in the ambulance. The Gang members had broken Larry's arm, and hit Kim in the back of her head with a bat, just because she had ignored their flirtatious comments. After turning the flashing lights on, the ambulance sped off with the siren wailing, "Waaaaahhhh! Waaaaahhhh! Waaaaahhhg!" They sped down Cermak Road heading toward John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital with my father closely trailing behind. Mom was sitting in the Hospital beside our father crying and praying all night, while the Doctors tended to Kim and Larry's injuries. The next morning around 7:00 a.m. Mom came home with Larry's arm in a cast. We were all saddened after hearing that Kim was still in the Hospital in a Coma. Now Confronted with the pressures of the World, my father got up early the next morning and left home seeking peace inside of a bottle.

* * *

As the Sunset threw a mystic light across the Sky. I sat on the steps listening to my little Mexican friend Sisco speak broken English. This evening, I was looking forward to seeing my father come home from one of his drinking sprees. Because tonight he was supposed to take Mom and I, to the hospital to visit Kim. I glanced over at the restaurant next door as Sisco's father Tony turned off the lights and locked the front door. He was closing the restaurant for the day. After seeing his father lock the door, Sisco stood up and start walking toward his father's car, and right before he open the passenger door. Sisco glanced back at me sitting on the steps and uttered, "I'll see you tomorrow Kevin."

As Sisco opened the door and sat down in the passenger seat of his father's car. I responded, "Yeah tomorrow, with a smile as I sat on the steps moving my head from left to right looking down the street in both directions for my father's car. Through the horrors of life, we survived each day by believing in the possibility that tomorrow may bring a brighter day." It wasn't long before I saw my father's car turning the corner. Quickly! I ran upstairs to let Mom know that I saw my father's car coming. After hearing the horn blowing out front, mom quickly grabbed a few things off the table and yelled to the other room letting my siblings know that we were leaving and on our way to the Hospital to see Kim. They all wanted to go, but Mom would only take one of us at a time, because to her hospital rooms were sometimes sad, and even though it was a place that promoted healing. It wasn't the place to have a room filled with children. After grabbing her purse, mom uttered in a soft tone to my siblings, I want y'all to stay in this house while I'm gone, and y'all better not be acting up, you hear me?.

"Okay Mom" they all responded.

Then Dorothy ran up to Mom and whispered, "Tell Kim that we all love her."

Mom quickly responded, "I will." Then we went out of the door and down the stairs to the car.

On the ride to the Hospital, we all sat quietly listening to the music that softly echoed from the speakers inside of the car. I gazed out of the back window as we sped down the streets, and all I could see was poverty and sadness all around us. Then the thoughts of seeing Kim cross my mind, and a smile appeared on my face. I was looking so forward to seeing her tonight. I was going to remind her that tomorrow is my birthday and I will be seven years old.

When we arrived at the Hospital, Kim was still unconscious with her head inflated from the swelling and she had IVs sticking out of her arms. Mom stood beside Kim's Hospital bed rubbing her hand softly across her face.

"My baby!" In one breath, those words escaped Mom's lips as she stood there looking down at Kim.

I stood beside my Mother and Father saddened by the whole scene. As the beeping sounds from one of the monitors filled the room with the audio wallpaper of the hospital unit. I glanced up and saw Mom inaudibly crying without drawing attention. I stood there watching with both of my fist clenched. The sight of all this sparked something deep inside of me that I never felt before. I wanted to do something to stop the pain that we were all feeling. But what could I do? I was only six years old and I couldn't even cross the streets alone. But looking at my sister lying there unconscious with her head and face swollen just because she ignored a few flirting Gang members on the way home from school. I couldn't explain the pain I seen in my Mom's eyes nor could I explain the pain that I felt inside. But little did I know, that pain would comfort me like a shadow in a ray of light for the rest of my life. Kim was in the Hospital in a Coma for weeks, and she never noticed Mom by her bed side everyday.

It must have been karma, because after Kim came home from the hospital. The very next day, those three boys that put Kim in a Coma, faces where all over the news. Their bodies were discovered in a alley on the Southside near the Robert Taylor home housing Project, and the Investigating Officers suspected the Homicides were gang related.

Time moves fast and through the years, I was experiencing the embracing arms of puberty.

The year is 1982, and I was now in the fifth grade and shooting marbles was becoming a thing in the past. Fifth grade wasn't about who had the prettiest marble; it was now all about the prettiest girl and I had a crush on Lisa Adkins. Everything about her was beautiful to me. The way she smiled at me on the playground made me feel like the Sun was shining only on me. The feelings were new and sometimes confusing. There was times when she called my name and my mind went blank and I wanted to run and hide. Then there was times when I imagine us noticing each other and sharing the same feelings. I needed help so I went to my sister Dorothy for a little advice. She was four years older than I, and she was very smart. If it was something I wanted to know, I asked her. Because she had me believing that she was one of the smartest females in the World. When it came to something I wanted to know I went to her. While sitting in front of the television watching cartoons. I told her all about Lisa and she just laughed as I tried to explain my first crush. Then she uttered, "Kevin just ask her if she would like to be your girlfriend and if she says yes, then you let her know that she must be crazy!"

Dorothy laughed out loud as I sat there looking up at her with a clown smile on my face. Then she uttered, "Just let her know that you like her." What I was feeling at that moment was an emotion that I never felt before and it felt good.

My other siblings use to laugh at how quick I was to believe anything she said. After talking with Dorothy my mind was made up, I was going to ask Lisa at school tomorrow if she would like to be my girlfriend. I laid there in bed beside my brother Larry. While