Category:
Drama
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Type: Fiction
Pages: 303
ISBN-13: 9781432719593
The story of what can happen when the choices you make effect the ones you love.
"One bad choice effects everything and everyone"
This is the case for Qwame Rucker, an intellectual youngster on so many levels, exhibiting street smarts and book smarts. But Qwame's decisions threaten to destroy everything and everyone he loves.
When Qwame witnesses a series of violent events that lead to several people dead including an innocent bystander, He and his mother are forced to move from the mean streets of New York to the hopefully slower pace of Atlanta Ga, to try and start anew. But as Qwame begins to settle into his new life his past comes to remind him of that one faithful choice he made and how that one choice will rip through the fabric of his life and effect all that he has grown to love, including his mother and his new found family and friends.
Excerpt
So why is it that the more were told by our, elders the less we seem to listen. This is the case for me; here again same corner same problems, yet I’m drawn here like there’s some unseen pied piper leading me blindly to slaughter. But me listen. Never. And why? For the simple reason that I can’t control myself, not money or even adrenaline nothing so easily explained or possibly comprehensible. It’s this corner, these people, these sights, these sounds. Day in and day out the attraction never dissipates, it becomes more and more pressing that I return here each day. And thus the beginning of my downfall is the place I can hardly stand to be away from.
These are the thoughts that go through the mind of our catalyst of this tale, daily. Qwame Defari Rucker, who just happens to be one of many misguided intellectual youths, whose life decisions, up to this point, in his life, have not been the best.
Qwame is a handsome, and intelligent young man who does not necessarily need these streets for extra funds, but given that the right choices to be made in life no one hardly makes, helps bring him to this place. Nevertheless Qwame’s situation differs from most because of all he has laid out before him, a mother that works tirelessly to make sure he has everything he needs, a God given talent to play basketball at almost an unmatched level, and an intellectual mind that affords him high marks in school without much effort, a scholarship could definitely be pending, but here he is now making the decision to disregard all of those things for the feeling that this corner provides, a feeling he cannot quite put his finger on
“Hey yo what you got”.
Another would be professional, someone broken down by addiction, breaking my concentration. “I’m not holding money; you can check that cat on the corner though”.
“Thanks”.
Thanks he says as if I’ve done him a favor I just did him a grave injustice. But that’s my job point the way and watch out for the Beast, one-time, flatfoot, Jake, five-o, the Police.
Today brings about a new set of problems for Qwame (He knows this yet he's still here), The antagonist of his monetary reason for being here is supposed to be hot on the scene today, making the air here feel agitated, thick with tension, everyone is edgy.
You see Rasuul, who every one calls Ra, is trying to avoid being the victim of a Hostile take over. The imprint for this possibly volatile situation was not long in the making, in this jungle of concrete; anything bad is never long off. So it is that, which will bring Ra to these parts today.
Ra has to make his presence felt today. Ra is the “organizer” of this block, he likes to be called organizer rather than supplier, he says that it sounds more dignified.
Ra’s a bit of an egotistical maniac who is stuck on himself; he is also a born leader who unfortunately has decided to let the streets be his career of choice. Rasuul is a morally grounded individual who let his environment decide his life’s path. He has genuine concern for anyone he has working under him. And he has always shown a certain kinship to Qwame. Possibly because Qwame reminds Rasuul of himself at that age impetuous, motivated by money, and drawn to these streets.
At any rate he’s come up against some bone crushing opposition whose sole Purpose is to see him expelled from this area, this block maybe even existence.
What A life we lead.
Rasuul will without question roll on the scene with some strong-arm cats ready for war. During which time Qwame's presence will be scarce.
I’m here for the dough, not the battle scars.
You see a cross town rivalry started when a young money hungry (not unlike Qwame) kid tried to get Ra to be his supplier, Ra not being without his scruples doesn’t use youngsters as runners, only as look outs. This was nowhere near good enough for the young money hungry youth, so he went elsewhere for his supplies. Upon doing this, a series of events was set into motion to lead us to this day.
The money hungry youth (who goes by the name of Street.) unwittingly went to the competition to get his goods, when this happened the competition became curious and decided to check out the size of the operation on this side of town. Once they saw bounty and possibility for growth on their end they tried to “incorporate”, but greed being a stronger factor than peace, Rasuul was not willing to share his bounty.
The cross towners, feeling slighted, decide to move in regardless. Feeling their operation is obviously larger than Ra’s. Not knowing or mostly not caring about the blood that could be shed...
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