Reality Check, the "ghetto" Options

[fameONE]

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.

[Levy2k6]

wow, thats some ... stuff

[*wind&fire*]

my gosh... i knew what it was like... damn... i dont know what to say....

[fameONE]

I live in an upper middle class, predominantly white suburb of San Antonio and its a far cry from what used to surround me. But, to me, as well as many others who lived out there, life wasn't at all bad. I'm more cognizant of the dangers here at a coke-infested wealthy high school than in a coke-infested hood. I posted this as a message to everyone that takes friendships for granted. Straight and narrow is the path to take.

[Just_Dream]

IDK if the first two who posted read the entire thing but I did.

Wow... I hate how people say they lived in "the ghetto" and the like, and yet they know nothing about what "the ghetto" truly is like. It's traumatic that your uncle died... You slept in his bed? It must've been horrid to have someone you loved, shot. When did your friend "JW" (Jason) get shot? Was it a day after you met him? I'm just glad that you didn't end up like him. Even though I don't know you, I'm glad because I am completely against what your childhood friends led their lives based on. Perhaps you moving was a critical event. It just goes to show that things happen for a reason.

And as for your friends... I used to take my friends for granted and sometimes, I let peer pressure get the best of me.

[fameONE]

Jason got shot about a year after my grandmother's passing, so it was about Easter of 2003 and thats when he got cuffed. I felt the need to post this because people just don't understand what can happen based on one simple decision.

If I had never moved to FL, if my father never got promoted, despite my excellence in academics, athletics or fine arts, I could've been dealing on robbing just for a buck. Or, maybe I could've been the voice of reason. I was always the ringleader.

[yukichan]

wow...im glad u didnt end up like them..i read the whole thing..its really shocking...at 15 they r going around hurting ppl...

[*wind&fire*]

i did read the whole thing..may be its me but i think ive been sheltered and when faced with things like that i dont know how to react cos it sounds so surreal ...yet it exists and is a part of life

[fameONE]

wow...im glad u didnt end up like them..i read the whole thing..its really shocking...at 15 they r going around hurting ppl...

The unfortunate truth of this all is that someone getting shot over a few rocks or being left for dead after getting robbed is nothing new. They aren't the only ones doing it, and they weren't the only ones getting caught. They're just another statistic proving how messed up things are in so many parts of the country. I didn't say we were from Bed-Stuy Brooklyn or from the Traps of Atlanta, we're from Delaware. Now who would look at the first state being ratified into the constitution as a place with crime?

[ItzOnlySydney]

wow

[clarissa]

wow. this is a BIG reality check for me. it's a crazy world out there.

[*salcha*]

yes, i read the whole thing. and it made me think, one simple decision can change you as a whole person. im happy for you--but sorry at the same time. im sorry you lost your friends, but look at what happened to you. you excelled in life and pulled ahead.
that's some hard life, and to think that there so many others living their life like that.

[*lolita kitty*]

wow, i read the whole thing.
that's enough to make you cry

im so, so, sooooooo sorry!!!

*sigh* i know how it is. i too am in a trio, which happened to break up today. i was gonna make a topic about it, but instead, i ranted with brie [despise]. the other two admitted how they really felt about me, which wasn't good at all. lots of truth be told at that point n time. so now? i gots no friends... none....

[miszSERENiTY]

Wow Thats some deep stuff, I say you write a book.

[toodlepops.]

Wow, you write good.
But yea, it's really scary how scary the world really is.

[xTINAA]

Aww Brandon, I'm sorry all that happened to you. It really is a reality check. I mean I never could really imagine all of those things happening to someone I know--friends going to jail, murder, death of a family member, moving, and basically everything hit you all at once. And I know that I don't know you persay, but still, in the short few days that I've seen your posts and we've talked, I feel I know you, haha. But yeah, that's crazy that with one decision everything can change and everyone is affected. Like you said, you would never think that this would be happening in places like Delaware and it really happens everywhere. Anyways, I'm glad that by some chance, you were able to move and get away from all of that because I would hate for you to be going down the same path as Gary and Jason. Just wow...everything you said seems so surreal yet I can still imagine it all happening. I'm glad you posted it. I think many people will benefit from reading it because it really will be a reality check. And again, even while telling a story, you show how great your writing is. Man, I really admire you =]

you know one thing? you should be proud your not dead like them [no offense of course]

They aren't dead... re-read it. He said they are in jail til they are 18.

[crazeegirl411]

Wow...that's really some stuff. I'm not sure all of it's absorbed in my head yet. I guess needless to say, that's really lucky of you to move out of that mess, but at the same time...you had to see the trio just break off like that. At least they're still living (I don't know why that girl said they were dead...unless I read it wrong, they're in state jail). I hope they've learned a lesson.

It's really hard not to take everything for granted, seriously. I guess you know you love someone is when you're afraid of losing them.

[angel-roh]

Wow... I'm speechless... nah I'm kidding. My goodness though!
A trio breaks into pieces, huh? Well at least they still love you
as a brother and a friend. And at least their not dead. But it's your
friend, I guess you have to cry for it... I don't know if it's your only
friends..but you're not like them. And glad that you're not. And
that you survived through. First, I thought you said Jason died, but
no he was sent to prison. Hehe prison is better than death. Good thing
he didn't die! That's some tragic moment where you come back to
your place and all your friends are changing personalities. I don't know
what street you lived in... but that's very sad! Oh yeah I had to read
the whole thing because I didn't want to miss out on anything. But
you wrote it so long and they all made sense. Thanks goodness that
I understand what you said. Like others, it was confusing... well some
of them. Hm... if I was you, and your friends come back to you like
they are out of prison, you should help them out and try to take them
out of their darkness or fill something in their empty box, ya know what im saying?
You know your reality story should be like a movie... hehe if I was a movie
director, I could've put this story into a movie... hehe my future career ehh..
there are so many haha.. but one of them is a movie director and a screenplay
director hehe. ok back to the topic... Heh.. I guess it was your purpose to move
out with your dad. You got lucky! Like touched by an angel. I guess the
place you were at was so dangerous and I guess God thought like it wasn't
right for you to stay there so he lend you an ear to move out? hehe... thanks
to God if he really helped you. OK I'll stop here.

[*lolita kitty*]

Aww Brandon, I'm sorry all that happened to you. It really is a reality check. I mean I never could really imagine all of those things happening to someone I know--friends going to jail, murder, death of a family member, moving, and basically everything hit you all at once. And I know that I don't know you persay, but still, in the short few days that I've seen your posts and we've talked, I feel I know you, haha. But yeah, that's crazy that with one decision everything can change and everyone is affected. Like you said, you would never think that this would be happening in places like Delaware and it really happens everywhere. Anyways, I'm glad that by some chance, you were able to move and get away from all of that because I would hate for you to be going down the same path as Gary and Jason. Just wow...everything you said seems so surreal yet I can still imagine it all happening. I'm glad you posted it. I think many people will benefit from reading it because it really will be a reality check. And again, even while telling a story, you show how great your writing is. Man, I really admire you =]

They aren't dead... re-read it. He said they are in jail til they are 18.

i read the whole thing, surprisingly, and i thought he said the other guy died when he got shot.
being slow... its a curse for me

[Levy2k6]

moving does alot of things to you.. i used to live in the SW Houston and if i were to stay there, i would end up doing drugs and stuff cuz thats how my friends who live there are now but i moved to more of the houston suburbs and i got my life on track and ima graduate and not do bad or anything..

(btw, i did reply fast at beggining but i read it all)

[dahding]

i know what u mean. people these days. "oh, i live in the ghetto. someone stole two bucks from this kid."



and yes, it is a crazy world out there. a bunch of my friends from elementary and junior high school are in jail for various crimes, including murder.

this world sucks monkey butt.

[jr0h]

the world is getting crazier and crazier. we have to expect the worst to be least disappointed.

[misoshiru]

wow. that's really sad.

it's such a major reality check. how many of us, or especially the people at my school just see that something isn't as "high-class" as they are and so they automatically say something like, "omg, that's so ghetto." this shows how ignorant they are.

it's a good thing that you got out of there, and how you managed to fulfill what you guys promised each other, to be able to "get out of here".

[Brneydgrl]

I'm touched by your story too. I'm glad that you shared it with us.

I agree with what others said that things happen for a reason. I'm glad to see that you value education and reason in your life. Though you said you could have been the voice of reason with them if you stayed, they could have also dragged you down with them.

I'm sorry your friends lost touch. Though not as intensely, I lost friends too. Really, thank you for sharing your story.

[*mzkandi*]

wow that is deep. but i know that story to well....four uncles on my dad side, all under the age of 34 are into drugs heavily, they been shot at and have shot other people but they wont stop....all i can do is prey for them