"Don't worry cuh we gonna be right here witcha!"

"That's on hood foo, we gonna get you out don't even worry bout all that loc"

I vaguely remember my head being lowered into the back of that Pig car as I stared at my homies who shouted from the other side of the cop car. 

I was in hell and there was nothing that I could do about it at that time.

Being handcuffed because I decided I thought I was above the law was my own mistake and I know I gotta do some time to clear my name. 

Damn man, that means I gotta leave my son, explain to my moms what the fucc I got myself into but that's the pros and cons of being a nigga.

The sirens sounded off as the police pulled away from my blocc to ship my ass downtown where I would be spending the night.  All for obstruction on police officer and I got caught wit a lil weed but that's bout it.

I got pulled over by some wacc ass cop comin from pickin up my son from his grandmother crib and that's when he pulled a nigga. I won't even on no crazy shit, tryna to comply wit tha muhfucka but this pig ass fool jumped fly and called me a nigga in front my son so I had to let that nigga know I'm young but a ol' skool nigga, I'd slap his ass for slavery on hood.

That's when shit got ugly in front of the crib and everyone from the Tiny Loc's to neighbors on tha blocc saw everything. 

I was released on bail for 5 g's and once I had to appear in court and they found me guilty on some petty charges so I had to do some time.   I was sentenced for a year in northern California and that's when shit got hectic for me.

My big bro Sam had to step in and take care of lil man and it made me feel even worse because my brother shouldn't have to do what I am required to do.  He even told me Ari resurfaced for a few to see Adonnay only because she met some nigga and was pregnant with a little girl and moved to Texas but told Sam to tell me that she wants to keep Adonnay in the summer.

She is crazier than I thought she was if she thought I was gonna let her slide and keep my son when she neglected him the first time to be a hoe round da hood. 

That was the longest year of my life and it gave me time to sit back and reflect on a lot.  Selling drugs, I had to do better for my son, and I even thought about Cali.

That shit she did...killing my baby hurt a nigga soul and I cried some nights behind that shit because I thought we was makin it work.

I really tried to do right by lil mama and I know I wasn't the best nigga to her in the beginning, but If I could change back the hands of time I damn sure would.  

She aint deserve that shit but my mind was elsewhere, being a typical, YOUNG, hood nigga.

I always said if I had the chance to talk to her on some grown-up shit I would, but I still got a lot of pent up anger and I gotta learn to let the shit go, on hood. 

We on different paths in life so its best if I just left ol' girl alone. 

She moved away and started her new life in ATL like she wanna be New-New or some shit but its coo. Hope she doin her thing over there in the south. 

I spent my 19th birthday locked up and I even missed Adonay 2nd birthday and I vowed to never, EVER miss any more pivotal moments of my son life and I meant that shit.

It was time for a nigga to man up.

Once I got out, I went back to school to get my GED and shit you know?  Everyone thought because I was a gangbanger that I lacked intelligence but I didn't.

I always read books and educated myself even while playing the blocc.

The last book I read was by this author named Tommy Baker called The 1% Rule: How to Fall in Love with the Process and Achieve Your Wildest Dreams.

I was done with my GED within 2 months getting scores 175-185 on all subjects, which granted me college credit that I earned towards classes at Los Angeles City College where I took up Business Management.

A nigga like me never thought that I would be in college and making decent grades.  I still kicked it wit the homies but I needed to keep in mind that the blocc don't love anybody and I need to do right for my son.

And in the midst of attended school, I met some great people and built some great connections for networking purposes too.  I got along with my professors and colleagues that shit really started to look up for me. 

Present day

Kross

"Do I have to go to school?" Adonnay whined as he slouched down in his chair at the breakfast table.

I shook my head and smiled as I sat across from my lil man. "Look killa, I told you I gotta handle some business today and then when I finish, Ima come pick you up and we gonna chill and do anything you want"

Adonnay looked at me with squinted eyes.  His hair was neatly braided like mines into 6 cornrows falling down his shoulders. "Okay" he sighed as he grabbed his apple juice carton.

"That's right killa"

I stood up from the table to walk over to my lil guy and kiss his forehead.  I knew I needed to hurry up and get him ready for school so I wouldn't be late to my meeting on Crenshaw about this afterschool program my team and I trying to get going across South LA and even into some of the other neighborhoods school district.

My bro Sam and I took the money that I had saved, $100,000 and made our own company to give back to the community.

This allows kids who have idle time to go to these after school programs for recreation, putting back jobs in the hood, helping families with workforce and job skills development.  We have all that good stuff to empower the city and the youth since they are the future.  I opened a rec center down on Slauson, in Hyde Park, Watts, and now we move to Compton and Long beach.

If you would of asked a nigga 4 years ago what he would be doin with his life, I prolly would of told you dead or locked up, never giving back and making a difference in my city like the way I am now.

I got Adonnay dressed in a Crenshaw Tracksuit and placed a fresh pair of Puma's on his feet before I got dress my damn self in a fresh creme colored PUMA track suit for a regular day.

"Dad, is Solei picking me up today?"

"Im not sure yet killa, I gotta check and see if her schedule clear to do that"

" I like when she pick me up dad"

I looked down at Adonnay as I grabbed the keys to my V6 off the table before opening the house door.

"Oh yea? Why is that?"

"She takes me to get ice cream and donuts some times at the neighborhood you use to live in"

"Slauson Donuts"

Adonnay nodded as he hummed some TV show song he always watching

"Yeah I'ma have a talk wit her bout you eatin all that junk and shit, she know i dont like you having a sugar rush"

I turned around to see him slipping something into his jacket pocket and looking at me with a wide smile.

"What's that?" I questioned.

"What's what dad?" Adonnay questioned back confused.

"What you put in your pocket?"

"Nothing," he said quickly.

I stared at him for a brief moment as he stared back with his mother's eyes.   I know my son because he does the same slick shit I used to do.

"Nah, lemme see what you got in yo pocket"

I grabbed Adonnay and began tickling him, making him laugh uncontrollably and moving his hands out of the way.  I reached into his pocket and rolled my eyes.

"What you need this at school for?"  I waved the blue Nintendo DS in my hand.

"Cause you say I can't bring toys" He whined as he furrowed his brows. "Ceon gets to bring toys and you won't let me"

"This aint no toy Killa"

"It is too"

"It's not, this is a video game"

"But I play it like a toy"

I sighed as I realized I was really arguing with a 5-year-old as I placed the DS into my pants pocket and shook my head.

"You not takin this to school cause if you break it you not getting another one"

"But Gi-Gi bought me that one daddy"

I rolled my eyes because I knew my moms would keep buying him shit even though he breaks it the fuck up.

I grabbed his hand, leading him out the door before lockin it and heading out front to the car.

"Let's go killa" I chuckled.