Home in the Hood Part 2
Upon reaching the steps to my building, my eyes became fixated on the rest of the neighborhood that at one time had so much life in it and now…
Gone was the laughter of children playing in the park, now a haven for drug transactions. Gone were the stores that sold twister, candy and cookies only to be replaced with stores that were fronts for selling drugs.
I was about to turn one of the many keys needed to secure my personal belongings in my apartment when I heard the words, “Hey brother man, hold up for a second because now I have a question I need to ask you.” At first I was puzzled and wondered where this brother was coming from so I said, “Check this out, if we are going to have this street debate let’s do it away from your business and customers.”
There was a sly smirk on his face and underneath the parched lips and hardened skin, I saw the young man who these streets had turned into this troubled old man. He responded, “No Problem brother let’s do this.”
As we both proceeded to descend from my stoop, the constant sounds of police sirens blaring in the atmosphere were a normal annoyance to everyone who had an ear to hear. I could tell, as he kept glancing over his shoulders, that he was hoping that the police cars would pass over his spot of “business” and bother one of the many other “business spots" that are located throughout the neighborhood.
The Response
“My brother,” I said, I used to be just like you back in the days... I sold drugs, did drugs, ran from the police, did a jail stint and all the other vices that the streets had to offer. I know you came from your deadly perch to ask me how I could judge your world. Brother, I danced with death on more than one occasion and if it wasn’t for the Grace of God, I would be dead. I only stepped to you because I saw fragments of me in you.”
His belief that “trying to save himself was a waste of time” showed me why he would stand on that corner dodging cops. Selling death to his people with no remorse only confirmed what I felt in the beginning when I first encountered him … He had Lost Hope...
The story continues ...
The beginning: Home in the Hood Part 1
© 2013 Malik S Canty