It's okay to be created, but to be Born you have to have the hustlers mentality.
Bronx, New York 1986, where all the white lines get flushed in one place, your system. It ain't a drug to them, it's a livelihood, almost like a safe haven.
Dealers are...
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"Akeylees!" Secret's raspy voice caught the attention of his son who sat in the passenger seat of his decked out 1984 Cadillac Eldorado.
"What pops?" Ten year old Akeylees looked up at his father detaching his eyes from his enticing game of Tetris.
He had been riding with his father all day. Enjoying the life of a street nigga, as his father would say. Akeylees loved to watch his father make his moves in the streets. Every chance he got to go see his father pick up a heavy weight duffle bag or to drop one off, Akeylees took. After each and every ride he'll go tell the facinating story of his busy day with his father to all his friends in the Hawlin's projects. The truthful tales varied from seeing a jet black peice of steel in his father's glove compartment or even tasting a small drop of liquor that was left in one of his father's 40oz Olde English 800's bottle.
Secret gave his son a stern look signifying him to watch his reckless tone. "Watch who you yappin' to, you hea', I aint one of them lil' niggas from the Hawlin's I'm yo' father."
"My bad pops, I just can't get this stupid game."Akeylees looked down at the Game Boy that read the message "GAME OVER". Akeylees knew better to have a rise with his father, he also knew that Secret didn't take no shit. Piss him off enough and you'll become extinct, that goes for everybody.
Secret grabbed the brand new Game Boy out of his sons hands tossing it right out of the window in the lane of passing traffic. Akeylees looked at his father with his eyes dilated and his mouth ajar. "Why you got to pitchin' my stuff out the window pops? Moms' gone have a fit, she just bought me that."Akeylees complained folding his arms across his chest.
"I got a reason for every fucking thing I do, you hear me."Secret said to Akeylees as he pulled his Edorado over at a near by curb. "You focused on the wrong shit, you actin' like a scrub and I aint' raising no bitch ass scrub B."He looked down at Akeylees who seemed to shrink in his seat with intimidation. Akeylees always hated this part of his day trips with his pops. He'll do something wrong and Secret would find some irrational way to come down on him.
"Look at me when I'm fuckin' speakin' to you! Stop acting like a little bitch! " Secret slammed his vast hand down on the dashboard frightening Akeylees. Akeyleese didn't understand what he had done wrong for his father to come down on him for. The car ride had been silent aside from the beeping noise of the Tetris blocks conjoining with one another.
Akeylees hadn't said anything wrong nor did Secret say anything to him before calling out his name.
Akeylees raised his head at his frightful father looking him straight in his dark endless orbs. "You worried about some damn game when you should be worried about this."Secret turned in his chair unzipping the duffle bag behind his son retrieving two bundled up stacks of money slamming them on his sons lap.
Akeylees looked down at the stacks confused.
He wants me to focus on money? But ma' always says focus on my future and education.
Averting his eyes from the countless amount of money that sat on his lap he slid his hazel brown orbs towards his father. "Lees, you livin' in New York,"Secret began with his dominant New York accent. "this aint no Beverly Hills. You aint no cracker ass kid who get shit handed to them. I got to work for this, yo moms' gotta work for this shit. You over hea' tappin' buttons onna damn Game Boy and you aint worried about grindin' and gettin' this change. I come down on you cause you gotta learn this shit while you young. I aint gone be around for to long and I'a be damned if I'll be turnin' in my grave watchin' yo' mother baby yo ass."Everything Secret told Akeylees was uncensored and the truth.
Secret knew since his son will be growing up in the crack epidemic in New York he'll have to be tougher and have more street smarts than any other ordinary child in the Hawlin's projects.
He had to teach Akeylees to have tunnel vision and know how to weave in and out through the streets of New York without any difficulties.
Akeylees was use to the baby role due to his mother, Ignia-Born always loving over him. Secret knew that was no way to be in the cold streets of New York that would chew you up and spit you out without any remorse.
"That poutin' and baby shit gotta go. You's a man. Yo' whole demeanor and presence gotta say that shit. Wipe yo damn eyes." Akeylees didn't even notice his eyes had been watering due to him being afraid to make any slight movements to alert his father. "Sit up straight and put yo' chin up with yo chest out."Secret coached his son who lacked the fundamental skills of becoming a man at such an early age. He watched as a Akeylees did what was told playing the role quite well.
Secret grabbed Akeylees' head turning it towards him. "Look it here, I'm gone give you these bags. You see that man right there with the FILAS jumpsuit? "Secret pointed out his window to the staggering frame of the guy who leaned against the brick wall with a toothpick sticking out of his mouth. Akeylees nodded his head yes as he watched the guy take a small comb out of his pocket slicking his jheri curled hair back even more. "Gone over there and make an exchange. Burry this deep into yo' hand and shake his hand, he gone slip some dollars into your hand and you pull back and walk away, cool?" Akeylees knew that this was nothing some ordinary kid would be doing. Being as naive as he is, he just thought of it as another cool story to share with his niggas.
Akeylees nodded at his fathers words resulting in Secret putting two little baggies filled with 'snow' into his left hand. "Do exactly what I told you."Secret said as Akeylees stepped out of the low rider.
Shutting the door behind him, Secret reached over his arm rest to roll his dark tinted window down. He watched as Akeylees walked over to the man looking back suspiciously every so often.
Akeylees burried the baggies deep into his sweaty palms as his heart beat accelerated as he noticed how close he was getting to the unknown man. Akeylees looked back at his father almost with begging eyes, hoping that he'll come out and do this for him. Secret just nodded in reassurance signalling that it was okay and to keep going.
Arriving in arms reaching distance with the man. Akeylees extended his jam packed hand to the man initiating a hand shake. The man smirked at the young buck knowing Secret no good ass was up to this. Secret traded a wink with the man behind Akeylees' back insinuating that he was clear to make the exchange.
Slapping hands with Akeylees the man took the weight off of the young boy's hands slipping two folded up twenties in Akeylees' hand which was filled with perspiration due to nervousness. "Let me learn you somethin' young buck,"The man bent down to Akeylees' height. "wait 'til I extend my hand first."With that the man walked off leaving Akeylees to nod and rush to his fathers decked out Cadillac.
Pulling at the door handle, Akeylees hurriedly got into the leather seats of the vehicle. "What he tell you?"Secret questioned looking over at his son.
Akeylees shrugged."Somethin' about lettin' him extend his hand first."He restated for his father.
Secret nodded while chuckling at his long time friend's lesson. "You take what Laylow said and live by that shit, you heard me. I don't want to see you making that rookie ass mistake again."Secret chastised his son.
Akeylees nodded his head yes out of understanding. "Welcome to the life of hood nigga son, you finally a man."Secret chuckled starting up his car leaving Akeylees to be soaked with his fathering words.
Hearing those words pleased Akeylees. Little did his young self know, Secret was teaching him all the wrong things, he'll just have to figure all of that out on his own.
