As ridiculous as this may sound, I feel like an outsider looking in at my boys Collin and Marco sitting across from me, engaged in a conversation that I was not invited into.  Much of what I was feeling could be attributed to the cocaine withdrawal I was obviously going through — especially since it […]

RIPPED & READY (S4/PART 8 ) RIPPED & READY S4/VIII As I rested my head on Collin’s shoulder, I couldn’t help but think about the demise of Peewee Jones, which was odd because I was sitting out in a hospital lobby waiting for a doctor to appear and give me some type of information concerning […]

RIPPED & READY (S4/PART 7) RIPPED & READY S4/VII Marco’s mental condition had me extremely worried.  That disturbing scene back at the car had me wanting to bust my friend in his jaw for acting like a crazy ass deranged bitch.  I mean, come on, yes your mother has taken ill, but is that a […]

RIPPED & READY (S4/PART 6) RIPPED & READY S4/VI Life is a never-ending collection of situations and frustrations that are intertwined, and purposely trying to draw out every bit of air from my overworked lungs.  As I sat beside D’Andre, mentally numbed by mother’s condition, I stared at the road ahead in silence, consumed with […]

RIPPED & READY (S4/PART 5) RIPPED & READY S4/V The three of us, my parents and myself, left the house trailing one another in a rushed pace with Rafael leading the way.  His uneasy demeanor foretold what we should expect prior to entering the home where my buddy Marco resided  with his mother.  His biological […]

RIPPED & READY (S4/PART 4) RIPPED & READY S4/IV When I closed my eyed to put that horrific evening behind me, I honestly felt that life would return to normal until I was awakened by my mom’s panicked call for assistance.  To be jolted out of dead sleep by the cries of someone in distress […]

RIPPED & READY (S4/PART 3) RIPPED & READY S4/III I was determined to get my life back on track, because I refused to be another statistic roaming the streets homeless, looking for my next hit of blow.  I was glad that my supplier had been toe-tagged and was now being driven to the nearest morgue […]

RIPPED & READY – Season Four (Boys to Men) RIPPED & READY (S4/PART 1) RIPPED & READY S4/I Life, the incredible passage of time summed up into four simple letters that encompass a constantly unfolding unpredictable experience.  I would have never imagined in a million years that I would become an addict, but when you […]