Three years ago, while in Delaware for my grandmother's funeral, I got a call from a juvenile correctional facility with a message from Gary Bell. G was my best friend since we were old enough to wipe our own asses and we were inseperable. He, along with JW (Jason Walters, we'll get to him later), and I were the trio that did everything together. We played video games, frequented the courts, discovered graffiti, caused fights, got in trouble and even cried, together. They were my boys; they're still my boys but things aren't going too well for our trio. At 11 years old, right before I was told by my father that he got a promotion that would move him to Florida, we all promised each other that one of us had to make it out of Delaware. We promised each other that we weren't going to let the streets run us because we would run the streets. The next day, my uncle was shot and killed. The day after that, Gary's brother was killed in a driveby. By the end of the week, I was on a plane awaiting my arrival into a surreal world of the upper white middle class.

Back to the phone call...

Gary didn't have all the time in the the world to talk at leisure like he could when we were kids but he told me that he'll be locked up until he was 21. Apparently, he robbed a man at gunpoint and shot him in the neck. The man survived and called 911 from his cell phone. Meanwhile, G cruised the streets in a Benz and riding big. He had been jacking cars for months he told me, and all he did was take it to a garage that payed him a couple grand for his troubles. Gary also told me that everything changes when you have a gun in your hand and his f**ked up life that couldn't get any worse, got worse. Before the end of our conversation, he told me,"Call JW, I haven't heard from him in a while and I heard he's slangin."

My heart sunk.

Jason hated drugs. When we were 8, his parents got a divorce and his father got hooked on crystal meth and eventually died from an overdose. Now, to find out that he's dealing the same poison that he's against is just unbelievable to me. I call his house first, and his mom, probably strung out herself, curses me out until I reminded her who I was. It was then her tone changed and it sounded as if she thought I was the only person that could help JW at this point. She didn't know where he lived (keep in mind, we're all 15) and she didn't know how to get a hold of him so that cut our talk pretty short. After a few calls to some of the guys that posted up at the courts, I get his cell number and he picks up and answered, "This better be someone who has my muthafuckin' money." I was frozen, and when he shouted for me to answer, I snapped out of my trance and we were so excited to hear each others' voices that we suddenly became the kids we used to be that rode lowrider bikes and had Mortak Kombat obsessions.

Bad news.

JW explained to me his business, how much he was making and that no one could touch him. At 15, he had already killed a major drug dealer and took over his operations. At 15, he was also driving a Benz. Instead of judging and telling him everything wrong with what he was doing (if I hadn't moved, I could've been alongside of him) I told him what happened to G. Thats when I heard the most tragic statement I could ever hear, "I'm no longer down with Gary Bell." The trio, done? Nah, that couldn't be right, could it? I must have misunderstood. I got him to clarify and JW felt betrayed because Gary wanted boost cars instead of sell drugs. But after hearing that he got locked up, JW shrugged it off and said, "He shouldn't have turned his back on his boys." The conversation was growing incredibly somber so I asked if I could just stop by and holla at him before I left. He gave me directions to an alley.

Reality.

From the alley, a few shady dudes patted me down and led me into a basement where I found JW. Surrounded by guns and bags of heroin. Sipping the handshake, we hugged each other because we were brothers. Talking at the same time we tried to reminisce on the 'no worry' days. About 10 minutes passed and he suddenly became stern-faced and serious and politely asked me to leave. So, I left and went to my grandmother's house. Instead of sleeping in her basement with the bigscreen and the pool table, I slept in my uncle's room and cried myself to sleep. In the morning, we left for the church.

So is life.

The last I heard, Jason was shot and left for dead but the cops came and, as I see it, saved his life. He and Gary were in the same detention center. They're both in state prisons now that they've turned 18.

OMG .. I haven't a clue. O_O

JW gets out of prison May of 2008.

Gary's serving a 20 year sentence with a possible parole.

So is life.

Damn dawg. That's something. You've been through some rough shit. You can say you been through the "ghetto". I have a few stories like that to share. Maybe some other time though. That was deep though. Keep ya head up and look forward. Life's a gift.

shit man, all I can say at this point is that all that goes down around here (queens, new york) is gangs, drugs, and violence. I know im slowly digging myself a grave with what me and my boys are doing, and i pray to god we don't end up in the same situation.

wow

I know lots of acquantances that went throught the same thing. One shot someone in a bar, one bought a gun to school to kill someone, and one, let's just say he got sent to the Assylum.

Some people I see around here get shot up for just 25 cents. None of them really get away with it, but this is life.

damn brandon....must say....that touched me...i lost my two best friends in a drive by having to deal with a dealer claiming property of a block...due to gang violence....both my friends were slinging that crap.....when we were all about 15....im the last out of my trio...and i like you.... was also the ring-leader...we were bad little kids..haha...blowing up sh*t with m40's and stealing old ladies purses....but yet i still miss it...and i must say your lucky to have those two still around..hopefully...one day you guys can get back together 5-10 years down the road and catch up...like i wish i could.....but so far i've been bettering myself to the point where...i have been able to move to a nice area in the city...and try and start anew...ill always miss my friends and ill never forget the bond we had...don't lose that with yours...and don't take them for granted they wont be around forever...

that is a heartbreaking story

i really care for the friends i have now. although im moving away from most of them to goto florida with my dad(whoa weird coincidence) im going to really miss them :\. we are probably going to see each other maybe twice a year now, at the most.

Wow Brandon. It's amazing what you see when you look back at the life you lived, eh?

I always told you I had a deep respect for what you've been through, and for not only surviving, but flourishing with the inspiration and ambition that you possess. I'm very proud of you.

i feel you mann.... thats pretty dramatic to have experienced a life like that and even with your 2 closest . i mean i know how it is and how it was , i know friends who`ve been there ...same as me and my bf when we`ve changed .....but mine wasnt and traumatic and deep as yours . thats why i look back and look at things now and question to myself how does it turn out like this. i hope you see your boys again right after jail and help them out. good luck.

Wow. That's so terrible what happened to your friends and what happened to you....and what probably happened to you because of the way you reacted to your friend's choices. I'm glad you moved to Florida and that you're safe.

This really was a "reality check" for me. Not 'bout the ghetto though. The reality check was that those murderers and drug dealers out there are real people who have lives, lives that made them that way. And that they do care about people.
I think your post made me a better person. Thanks and I'm so sorry.

The world is a ghetto. Every place is the same, nothing new, nothing different,

You're a smart man my friend.
You should write a book.

Untrue.

And Brandon. Your story seems very similar to mine. Very similar.

QUOTE(Jorge @ Feb 16 2006, 8:42 PM)

You should write a book.

He already is.

My Book is called "Through the Eyes of the Legend"

iono, I'm bored..

Glad you didn't end up like your boys. I hope they get some help when they get out.