Chapter 1
Michael Bell and his best friend Marvin Erving
were playing two neighborhood kids from the Dearborn Homes Projects for two
hundred dollars. Michael and Marvin were schooling their competition as they
made one basket after another, inside and outside, as Michael was hitting 20
foot jumpers, all net, from the outside. Marvin took a pass from Michael and
drove to the basket for the winning shot but passed the ball between his legs
to Michael who was following behind. Michael jumped up and dunked over the kid
that was guarding him for the winning basket. The two local kids were mad after
losing 21 to 5 in a game where each basket was worth I point. One of the kid’s
threw the money they owed on the ground.
“Here is your
fucking money.”
“Yo, why you got to
be like that. Just take your ass whipping and leave,” said Marvin.
“Man, fuck you. You
and your man better leave before we bust that ass.”
Michael reaches
down and picks up the money off the ground grabs, Marvin by his arm and pulls
him away.
“Come on, Marvin,
it’s not worth it.”
“No, Michael these
motherfuckers think we’re punks.”
“Yo, we won, this
shit here don’t mean a thing.”
“Yo, listen to your
boy if you know what’s good for you and if we find out you hustle us you and
your boy going to be some dead ma’fuckas.”
“Yeah, right,
nobody scare of ya’ll bitch asses.”
Michael continued
to pull Marvin down the street, the two kids continue laughing and cracking
jokes at their expense. Michael and Marvin arrived home, building 2430 of the
Ickes Projects on the Southside. The elevator was broken, as usual, so they
walked up the narrow stairwell members of the local gang, “P-Stones stood along
the wall. The gang started ragging on Michael and Marvin for not being part of
their crew.
“Hey, Michael when
you want to be a man and make some real money?” asked Chez, the leader of the
P-stones.
“I’m good, I’m
trying to make some things happen.”
“What about you,
Marvin you, got some things happening also?”
“I’m, straight it’s
like my man said.”
“Yeah, that’s
right, I forgot you be all up your boy’s ass. Whatever he do, you do?”
“Yo, I’m just
trying to do right.”
“Yeah, whenever you
bitche’s want to make some real money, come holler at me.”
“Alright, Chez,
we’ll do that.”
After walking up
nine flights of stairs, Michael entered apartment 905, Marvin went to 908. Michael’s mother Susie Bell, was in the
kitchen cooking dinner for the family.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hello, Michael,
come and have a seat. I want to talk to you.”
“Something wrong
Mom?”
“No, nothing’s
wrong. It’s your last year in high school. I want to know what are your plans
after you graduate?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Well, you really
need to think about it Michael. I don’t want you to get caught up with the
gangs on the street like your brother. I worry every day that someone will
knock on my door and tell me that Henry has been killed.”
“Mom, Henry will be
alright.”
“Boy, stop it! I’m
no fool, I know your brother is mix up with them fools that be in the hall way.
You’re smart Michael, I want you to continue your education and be the first in
our family to get a degree.”
“OK Mom, I will
look into taking the SAT to see if I can get a high enough score to go to
college. "
“You promise?”
“Yeah, Mom, I
promise.”
Just down the hall
Marvin was sitting in his living room watching TV when his mother walked into
the apartment with a strange man. She appeared to be intoxicated typical.
“Marvin, I’m going
to be in my room don’t disturb me. You hear me, boy?”
“Yes, Mom I hear
you.”
Marvin upset, that
his mom has embarrassed him, glared at the strange man with hatred in his eyes.
The stranger winked at him with a sly grin and walked into his mom’s room.
Marvin turned the TV up loud to drown out the noise coming from his mother
room. Not being able to take it anymore, Marvin walked out and knocked on his
best friend door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Marvin, Ms
Bell.”
“Come on in,
Marvin, how are you?”
“I’m good, Ms
Bell.”
“Well, you know
where Michael is. Like always, in his bed room.”
Michael was sitting on his bed reading a study
book on how to take the SAT's.
“You joking, right?
You got a book in your hand that you’re really studding.”
“No, it’s no joke,
my brother, I promised my mom I would further my education by going to
college.”
“Yo, you know most
people don’t ever make it out of the projects.”
“That’s because
they don’t have any dreams of bettering themselves.”
“That’s fucked up;
I want to get out of the projects just like you. I probably want out more than
you.”
“OK, prove it. I’m
going to take the SAT to see if I can score high enough to go to college.”
“Alright, that’s a
bet. If you do it I will too.”
“Then it’s a bet,
Marvin. We will do this together.”
