About an hour later the bus came and i gave the man my pass to get on, and he stamped it with a hole puncher and told me to enjoy the ride, and i stepped on the bus. And i was sitting on the soft seat and my butt didn't know how to act, but i took a chill pill and laid back and relaxed and closed my eyes and said to myself that i will stay with my grandmother for two weeks then i have to go for the pistol in my hand, making black and white get flat. i told myself i will jack all black drug dealers, no black hard-working people. But for the white crackers, all the way around, drug dealers or hard-working. So you know i chilled at all bus stations until it was time to go, and kept my mind on the street the whole time of my trip home. There's no place like home, no place like home, that's all i was saying until i got off the bus the next morning. And my mother's house was right down the street from that bus station but i didn't go that way. So i got on the pay phone and called my grandmother and said i am in Perrine at the bus station and she said okay, when Ray or Fred come back from the store i will have one of them come get you. Then i told her to click the three-way over on the phone and call a number for me. The phone rang and someone said hello, and i said is Nikki there? And she said this is her speaking. And i said what's up? This is Adrian. Come get me from the bus station in Perrine. And i didn't hear nothing for about 30 seconds and she said stop bullshitting. And i said girl, you better watch your mouth because my grandmother is on the phone. And she said i'm sorry, Mrs. Moorehead and my grandmother said that's okay. And she said Adrian give me five minutes and i will be there. And she hung the phone up and i told my grandmother that i will see her when i get there. And she said your daddy is in jail and i said that's good and hung up.

And i went into the bathroom in the bus station and went in my bag and took out my toothbrush and toothpaste and brushed my teeth. And about three minutes later when i came out of the bathroom and walked outside, there she was in a little red car at the red light, calling me Baybay. i stood there smiling at her until the light changed, and then she was in the parking lot and out of the car running into my arms and we hugged, kissed, and stood there for a while looking at each other and kissed again and then the i got in the car and she got in the driver's side and we pulled off. And i told her to first make a stop at my grandmother's home and then go to my mother's home and she said you know the house don't have nothing in it and i said yeah i know, Nikki.

So we was driving down US 1 going along the highway. It was about a 15 minute drive to my grandmother's house and there we was, pulling into my grandmother's parking lot, and she ran out the door and the rest of the family came around and hugged me, kissed me, and told me how handsome i was and how fine and how big and tall i had grown. But i wanted to see my mother and my sister, and i told my grandmother i will be right back, let me go take a look at the house. And she told me okay. And i told Nikki come on and drive me around there. And we got in and waved at the ones that watched the car pull off and Nikki was looking at me because she seen kill in my eyes and i was hurting. And when she turned on my street i seen my old 76 sedan Caddy sitting up on bricks. He had done sold my tires off my car. And i looked at Nikki and said just look at my fucking car, $1250 gone to waste. And as i was saying that, we had done parked in front of the abandoned house and i got out the car and Nikki told me now let's go, and i told her no, i must walk inside the house.

And i got out and went inside the gate and went up the three little steps in front of the door to the house and twirled the door knob and the door came right open. And i walked in and the rug was missing pieces here and there. And i went to the hall bathroom and piss was still in the jacket. And went into my mother's room where her and my daddy used to sleep and they had a bathroom of they own. And i just walked in and walked out but they bed was gone. And i walked right into my room where i used to sleep and seen the water bed, my first time ever seeing it because they got it for my birthday and it was still made up neat and i just laid down on it and looked in the sky and told myself we is not going to lose this house. And Nikki was standing in the doorway saying baby, let's go to your grandmother's house. Don't upset yourself the first day home.

Then i told her i must go next door to see my mother. And i walked to the next house beside my house and knocked at the door while Nikki sat in the car waiting for me looking so pretty, with real dark black skin. Her weight was about 120 pounds, height 5'6", skin real soft and tender, and those thighs were right out of this world.

So while she waited on me i was knocking the second time and was ready to walk away, and there was Popeye at the door saying hi, Adrian, you have got so big, boy, and so grown up. That was her home and she rented my mother a room. And i told her how nice it was of her and i thanked her for the nice things she said to me. And asked can you tell my mother that i am here? And she said she is not here, she went off for a while. i asked her where did she go? And she said to clean a white lady's house. My eyes turned fire red and i turned and walked away and said when she gets back tell her i'm home and is around her mother's home. And Popeye said okay, i will.

i got back to the car and told Nikki let's go, and she turned the key and we was on our way back to my grandmother's. When i got there i said to tell Tara and Jenny to come to me in my aunt's room. And they came down there in about two minutes, and i told both of my little sisters that i want them to be on they best behavior and they will be going to school every day and don't give the teacher no trouble, and they said okay, Adrian. i hugged both of them and kissed them and told them we will see better days.

And i laid around there for about two weeks. And during this time i was talking to my dad on the phone and he was telling me that he was going to leave the drugs alone and for me to just take care of my mother. i told him he don't have to worry about that because my mother is my heart and soul.

My partner Pat's bike was my little get-around at first. Then everybody in the neighborhood was talking about Tony and how good he was doing. And i remembered he wasn't doing too much before i went to the joint. So i seen Tony one day on the park and he was in a white 1979 Caddy doing good and i was on a bike doing bad, so i called him as he was backing out of the parking lot. He stopped and looked and said yeah dog, what's up? And i leaned one side of the bike over to the window and said player, i need to get me some money, you know what we can do? And Tony said come around the house tonight and i said dig. And he pulled off with all the LL Cool J rope chains around his neck, i mean BIG rope chains. And when he pulled off, one of the little guys from the village where everybody sell drugs came up to me and said, that young nigger Tony is sacking money so hard. And he said the word is out that he hit for 12 ounces of coke. And i jumped back on the bike and said i believe it, little player. And took off on the bike.

So many girls was trying to get me to go home with them, but i just didn't have time, i had to save my home. So about 6:00 o'clock that evening when night was just beginning to fall i was at Tony's house, sitting in his mother's front living room waiting on him to come from his room, when he left his lady Red and came out of the room with a bag and said let's go, player. And he told me as we walked out the door we need a third man. His name came right to my mind and i said let's go get Mark Bell. So we went and got Mark out of the village. And we was on our way up north to the heart of the City of Miami.

When we was coming off the expressway, to the right was a Shell gas station and there was two black guys putting gas in they car with they back turn. And Tony said there goes the jackpot, and when i looked i never saw so much gold. Tony pulled around on the side of the station and throwed me a .38 special and he had a .357 magnum and Mark had a .38 special. Mark was the driver for the night. It was a rental car, and that's all Tony used when he went out jacking. So when Tony and me jumped out, Mark was in the driving seat to watch the move we made. Tony walked up to the guy who was driving a 76 Chevy and asked him, player, what time is it? And when he turn around and give him the time, Tony slapped him so hard with that pistol and the guy said my nigger, what's up, what you want? And by that time i had the .38 in the other guy's face and told him this is a jack but we can make it a homicide, then i told him to get flat and don't look up or i will shoot the shit out of him. And i kicked him in his asshole and told him to stick his arms out in front of him. That gold was shining so pretty. i went in his pocket and pulled out a roll of money, then i went to his neck. All the rope chains came off real easy and the rings from off his hands. And by that time Tony was in the other guy's car and calling me dog, let's go, let's go! And i jumped in the other guy's car who i made get flat, and we was back on the expressway going south and i was right behind Tony and Mark was right behind me and we drove 60 mile an hour going all the way back home.

i got on all that gold looking like Run DMC and the same for Tony. He was about 5'9" in height, and weighed about 155, a real skinny player, and had six gold teeth in his mouth, four to the top and two to the bottom. And Mark was always a little-build motherfucker and will fight in a heartbeat and the same for Tony. All three of us was bona fide hustlers and ladies men, so we took the two cars down a back road where a lot of woods was and took the good things out while Mark waited on the corner with the lights off a little drive from where my grandmother stay. And we took what we need and ran to the car waiting for us with Mark in the driver's seat. And Tony said let's go to my mother's house and see what we got. So we drove off and got to his house and sat in the car in front of the house and turned on the light and counted the money i took from the guy and it was fifteen hundred dollars and Tony had two thousand dollars and about two more grand in jewelry and the same in jewelry for me. So Tony told me to keep everything i got and he will handle Mark, and so he roll off 500 dollars and gave them to Mark and a big rope chain and a ring. So i chill around Tony's house about two hours and told him i was going to be making it for my grandmother's house.

i got there and went to the bathroom and took off three hundred for my grandmother and came out and went to her room and gave it to her. She was sitting on her bed with her lamp light on reading her Bible. And when i walked in she looked at me and smiled. And i said hello grandmother, and she said what's wrong with you and i said nothing. And then i said here goes three hundred dollars to pay your bills and buy some food. And she said why thank you, Adrian. And before i could turn around she asked Adrian you ain't out there doing no wrong are you? And i told her no, grandmother. And walked out down to where my little sisters slept with my aunt, and gave both of them 20 dollars for school for the rest of that week. So that left me with $1,160 and that would go to my mother in the morning to get the lights turned on and the water. And i will sell the jewelry to take care of my little needs.

The next morning came and i ate breakfast and got on the bike and went to the house where my mother was staying. i laid the bike on Popeye's sidewalk and went up the three little steps in front of her door because all of the houses was built the same. And before i got up the last step the door opened and Popeye said come in, your mother is in the back room, the first one to the right. So i went down the quiet hallway and heard a radio playing and the door was halfway closed and i knocked on the door. And she said come in, with a towel around her body with her back turn. And i walked in and looked and she turn around and seen me, ran into my arms and called my name and i hugged her so tight and kissed her cheek. And pulled her away from me and said call me when you get dressed, i will be in the front living room. i walked out the room with tears in my eyes because she had lost so much weight i couldn't believe it.

Popeye was watching TV and i sat in a chair near her and we had a little chitchat. And my mother called about 30 minutes later and i returned to her room and sat on the bed that came out of her room in her home. And i pulled out the money and told her that everything is going to be all right and i want her to take this money and go get the lights turned on and the water, and she hold the money with tears in her eyes and said to me, Adrian, you is so sweet, and you don't take after your daddy, because you don't give up so easy. i told her enough of this kid stuff and do like i ask with the money and she said okay. And she told me you know your daddy comes home tomorrow and i told her that's good but if he get out fucking with that crack bullshit he can't come in that house, and she say i agree with you, so i told her i love her and i had to go do something and go around to my grandmother's house and stay a while with her and the kids, so i kissed her and left out the room and said goodbye to Popeye on my way out.

My dad came home the next day and she had to pay the bills and my dad had got a job doing landscaping, and in two weeks time all the rooms had beds and the living room had all it needed and the kitchen the same, and she had got her phone cut back on.