A Few Words From The Author...

If you are reading this then you are in for a wild ride. I have decided to put my novel on-line in a serial blog.

I will add a new post each week with another chapter or two. Comments are open so feel free to do so!

Now I give you the beginning of my first installment in my online novel called Schemes and sub-titled Brooklyn Breed.

ENJOY THE RIDE!

• A kid brought up in adversity given a taste of the good life has it ripped away and then unleashed on society.
• From hoodlums and corruption to dinner parties and power.
• How can one kid cope with wanting what he cant have.
• Do childhood choices decide your life?
• How much can you break a pound of killer hydro down to on the streets of Brooklyn?
• These questions and more answered in this book.

Preface

Thinking back on when I started doing these things that I do, I never imagined what it could turn into. I realized young that you can be either a leader or a sheep. Oh boy, you better believe I turned out to be a leader herding those sheep around me. You have to utilize all the skills you were given in life to win this game that we are playing out here in the real world. I remember when it all became clear to me. I was a 14 years old freshman in Edward R. Murrow High School. That’s in good old Brooklyn.

Introduction

My first day of High School was a big deal to me. I was looking at it as the first day of the rest of my life. This fat kid wearing an Oakland Starter jacket came up to me in the hallway and told me he liked my sneakers and he wanted me to let him "hold them".

I calmly reached down and took off the left shoe and handed it to him. He looked so smug and satisfied then it just came out of my mouth.

"Please, I don't want any problems."

I took off my right shoe and cracked him across his ugly face with it. A little trickle of blood started dripping down his lip and I loved it. I really fucking loved it. A smile instantly appeared on my face. When he saw me smiling he knew he was in for it and moved his hands to protect his face. I followed up by kicking the mother-fucker in the balls and spitting on him. I put my sneakers back on and walked away like nothing happened, cool as a cucumber and started talking to some random girl on the other side of the hall.

"Hey I'm Karl, Karl with a K. Nice to meet ya," I put my hand out.

Not even a minute later that same loser came running at me. He's got persistence; you've got to give him that. In the blink of an eye a security guard grabbed him by the ear and started pulling him down the hall. It all happened so fast that it hardly seemed real. Then the kid turned his body - seeming to get away from the security guard, took a step to the side and cracked him in the face. Dead, square in the nose and The Guard didn't even flinch. He just clicked hand cuffs on this kid and was now dragging him down the hall again. Just another day on the job for him. I realized shit like this is normal around here.

Things started to change immediately. People were actually bending over backwards to try and meet me and wanted to be my friend. Word travels real fast in high school and stories change from kid to kid. But, everyone seemed to want to get down.

Friends.

Yeah, that is what it’s all about. Fear and friends, and when you have both of them you have RESPECT, the magic word. When people respect you, you become as powerful as all of those people who show you respect.

You are about to hear the story of a self made teenager and his boys. Money wasn't an issue; we could do what we wanted when we wanted to. This book can double as a self-help book for all you sheep out there. Mark my words: this isn’t that shit that you’re used to. This is some real deal Brooklyn life shit in the late nineties through today. This thing is scheming on another level. If you don't think you can handle the beatings, the drugs, the sex, and the abuse then put the fucking book down now and continue being a sheep. That's just the way I like it.

Chapter One

Coming into high school I had similar interests as the other kids with a slightly different motivation: Money - cash mother fucking money! I was in the "Master's" program for science and math but, all I wanted to learn was how to make money. To that end, all of my great instincts and morals were instilled by my piece of shit neighborhood. And just think, to my parents it was a great neighborhood. HA!! They worked hard to move me and my sister here and then burned out trying to keep us here. Bensonhurst, where we were before, was bad news with the unwed mothers and wannabe Mafia guys but you can't live in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn without learning the words "Scheme", "Jumped" and "Weed" before your 12th birthday.

And it was usually way before... I started high school with a chip on my shoulder from being around all the older kids and taking a lot of shit because I was younger. I wasn’t looking to be playing with GI Joes. I was looking to chill and be like the older guys. It's hard being young with a need to support a massive weed habit.

Yeah don't be shocked, it’s a half block past smoking cigarettes and around the corner from popping ecstasy. Even if I wasn't eating 3 meals a day I still had to smoke my three blunts for head and get down on four or five sessions with my peoples.

The same shit was not going to go down, that I had seen, since I started hanging out in the neighborhood. And you better believe it didn't. I am definitely not stupid. You see I watched the older guys fighting to be king of the corner. Pimp of the block. I learned quickly that you had to stand out and make people fear you. Keep them guessing - they can never know what you're going to do next. I needed money. Cash mother fucking money. I could never have enough. Bagging groceries became selling comics that turned into selling fireworks to moving that shit that keeps you happy. After making my bones, you know, getting a reputation around school, I started to make it known that I was “the go-to guy”. When anything, that anyone needed, could be gotten through me.

Anything. And yeah, I do mean ANYTHING. Standing 5'6 and weighing a buck and a quarter I am definitely not a big guy. Well maybe in some places, but I am not intimidating at first glance.

This will change shortly as we meet the boys. Everyone on this Earth is good for at least one thing. Hell, even a fucking idiot-savant can do one thing great. The people who I keep around me serve their function and as soon as they are useless they are non-existent. Don't get me wrong, I talk a good game and I can hang with the best of them. Shit I've smoked blunts with murderers and millionaires in the same cipher but I am a true geek inside. I have been in front of a computer since I was 6 years old. School just came easy to me and it is just started to be the perfect breeding ground for my plans. And oh boy, did I have big plans. Can you hear the gleaming noise coming off of my smile?

The rest of my first day at school went well and I set my eyes on this amazing girl in my global studies 3rd band class (we didn't have periods we had bands and we didn't have free periods we had OPTA's.) Her name was Jessica and I sat on her right hand side. I just couldn't stop staring at her. I decided I will make her mine sooner or later. I was already getting to be a cocky motherfucker and it did turn out to be sooner rather than later. Can you imagine she told our teacher, Mr. Franklin on me for copying off of her Biology quiz the first week of school? Oh yeah that was the beginning of the end for her. I love a challenge and this just made me want her more. (Gleam!) But more on that later, now back to our story. I expect that you are either reading this book for enlightenment or just for entertainment so let's get down to business. And let me give you what you are looking for.

The first time I smoked weed I got high. Most people say that they don't get high the first time but I got retarded, wasted and annihilated. That is because we only smoke the goods, the Motts, killers, murders, or hydroponic chronic. Regular stick and seed weed is for amateurs - pure suckers who don't know any better. Once you go hydro there's no going back to regs I guess if you don't know, you just don't know, son. Regular weed goes for $1500 a pound... A lb. Or elbow. 16 zips works out to less than $100 an ounce. That's just for sale as filler. Then you got the Motts and it costs about $1600 a QP or quarter pound. Yeah math majors that's 4 times as expensive, are you surprised? Don't be.

You spend more money on better alcohol right? How much does a bottle of Don P cost? The first time I smoked, after the purple haze started to wear off, I realized that if I liked this shit this much, other people must love it as well. Then thoughts of how to capitalize started running around my head, bouncing around. I thought if I could buy this shit in quantity, on the arm, I would be able to move it no problem. All I needed was a connect. And who better to use than my dealers connect. I needed a plan if I was going to do this properly and then it just started to flow.

I slept like a baby that night and woke up reborn. I skipped my first 3 classes and dragged myself to school. Then, after school, I beeped my boy Earl from the pay phone on his sky pager. He called back 2 minutes later and I let him in on a few key details, just enough to facilitate the plan.

"Yo, E can you come through on a Z of the Motts?"

"Yeah Sint, but do you have the green for the green? It's gonna be at least four hundred on the zip."

"No doubt, It's a little steep but you think you can introduce me to your man?"

"I'll have to ask but it shouldn't be an issue dog.”

"Good Looking Out."

And that was it the conversation that started it all. It actually didn't wind up panning out and dude wouldn't meet me because who the fuck am I right? I got my Zip for $375 and it put me in the right state of mind. The “I need money” state of mind. The “bag it and move it” state of mind. And the “I'm going to get it at any cost” state of mind. Feel me? Off to the village to pick up some baggies. Yeah you can buy anything in the head shops in the east village. Fake ids, whippets, blunts , bags, triple beams and digital scales. Doug wanted a new bong so he came along. It was always an issue to get the guy in the store to sell me shit. I knew his name and he knew mine but every time he put up a fight. It got real old real fast.

"What up Akmed"

"Oh how can I help you today sir?"

"Give me the book to look through I think I want a couple hundred .5 x .5’s with the smiley faces on them but I want to see them. Do you have anything new?"

Akmed had a binder with sample bags and their sizes and prices. He kept this behind the counter and only brought it out when he was sure you were not a cop.

"Sorry I don't know what you are talking about, my friend. Maybe I can interest you in some Strawberry Rolling Paper?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? Fuck you and your strawberry rolling paper my friend. Listen to me closely Akmed, we do this dance every time. Give me the fucking book before I go down the block to the other store."

He handed me the binder of drug or “jewelry” bags. There where hundreds to choose from skull and cross bone fifty piece bags to fluorescent pink coke 20 bags all the way to crack vials and glass weed jars. I copped 300 various at $4 a hundred. Alright now you are a few pages in and haven't bitched out we can really get down to our story.

Chapter Two

If I was in your shoes I would be wondering: WHO THE FUCK IS WRITING THIS BOOK? I won't tell you any real names and some other key details will be changed to protect the guilty. FUCK THE INNOCENT! If you work for the law and any specific scene gets your panties in a bunch – it’s all just made up… Wink Wink.

You know where I'm from; it's a great neighborhood at first glance but, to us who grew up in The Bay we see it as the ghetto. People misunderstand us - We don't try to act like we are hoodlums, we act like we are from the ghetto - you just got your shit confused. Baggy pants, slang and slinging. A victim of my surroundings, where it's all about survival of the fittest. You got to hustle to stay down and not turn into a mark and wind up extinct.

So it was a real quick evolution from being an innocent Brooklyn kid blowing shit up with fire-crackers, hustling a paper route, trying to write graffiti and trying to keep up with the older kids to become the Hustler that I am today. It was a hot June day and my boy Doug and I were about 13 or14 years old walking down east 22nd street towards Avenue X and this older guy, real spiffy looking with slicked back black hair, walks in between us and whispers

"Fireworks…. Smoke Smoke".

"Whatcha got" I replied out of curiosity

Dude pulled out a big bag of some green shit and put it in my hand. Doug’s eyes lit up.

"What the hell is that? I was looking for some M80's or some bottle rockets"

"Oh My bad. Sure, come take a walk I'll show you what I got."

"I don't know" D Said. "You think it's safe?"

"It can't hurt. Look, he lives right across the street from me."

I had smoked a few times before but Doug had been smoking and tripping since he was 11. He kicked his alcohol habit by 13. I'm talking a room full of beer cans and empty whiskey bottles. But Doug was down since the get down. We followed this guy who said his name was Steve to a basement apartment directly across the street from my house. He pulled at one of the books and the bookcase flipped around like he was Batman or some shit. It revealed a room full of illegal shit with everything from Drugs, guns, to fireworks and right back to drugs. But not just some drugs I mean a whole lot of white powder and garbage bags full of weed. Shit if it was illegal it was in this room. He probably got human organs in the back somewhere. Steve throws an M80 at me and then one to Doug and said:

"Take these as a gift from me and here is my price list for the fireworks. Let me know if you are interested in anything else boys."

Steve holds his arms out stretched as if he was Moses parting the red sea or at least some kind of Drug Sea. We bought twenty bucks worth of assorted fireworks and went to go bring them back to my house. You got to know that curiosity killed the cat...

...and satisfaction brought him back

So…..Fifteen minutes later we were back at Steve's basement trying to cop some weed. He put up a fight for oh about thirty seconds trying to play it off that he wouldn't sell drugs to kids. Here's how it went down. I rang the bell.

"Who's that?" A voice came over the intercom.

"It's Karl and Doug we wanted to grab something else."

"Who?"

"Karl and Doug - I live across the street. We were just here a couple of minutes ago."

"What up?"

"Can we come in?"

"Just you - have your sidekick wait elsewhere."

I explained to Doug that he needed to be ghost while I got the shit. He went to go sit on my stoop then I walked through the buzzing door. Steve was standing in the middle of the room with the bookshelf closed and there were some other kids with him.

"This is a few of my associates - It's Karl right?"

"Yeah that's my name. Karl with a K"

"This is Tony and Rocco."

“You Write?”

“Yeah SintOne DTA”

"What the deal son? I’m Zae" Said Tony.

"Chilling. I just wanted to grab some trees"

"We can't sell you this shit what are you 12?" Rizzi said with a smile.

“Here hit this Sint" Zae went to pass me a big cigar.

"I don't smoke cigars - thanks"

They all started laughing and explained to me what a Philly Blunt is and then passed me the Blunt again. I took a long hard pull off it and exhaled. Then I started coughing - It felt like I was coughing for 10 minutes. When I finally stopped Steve said:

"He's cool. Give him a bundle."

Rocco tossed a zip lock bag filled with smaller baggies with weed in them. This wasn't just any old weed this was the fucking Motts! It reeked through the bag filled with bags, it just smelled so damn good. This shit was the real purple haze that you trip out just staring at a fucking bud.

"Check in with me or Rocco each day and let us know how it's going and if there are any problems - Rocco over there likes to handle problems. You get $5 on a bag and two for your head. Is that clear or do you want me to speak slower? “He smiled.

"Here's my number" Rocco said as he handed me a business card that looked like this:

TREES - ROCCO
917.373.3333
WHAT

Chapter Three

As soon as I showed Doug the bags he said

"Can I have one on credit? You know I'm good for it Karl. Ill have dough tomorrow and ill smoke some with you."

Normally credit is a bad thing but my business was based on it around school. Never more than a hundred bucks and they always came back round so I didn't sweat losing 10 bucks here or 5 bucks there because someone bounced and never came back to school. So we went back to my house after buying a couple of Blunts from the store on Ocean Avenue and avenue U. What a great store they will sell me beer cigarettes and now Blunts. Nice. I guess it was peer pressure or something but papers weren't going to do. We got to do it like the big boys.

"Damn, Fuck fuck, SHIT! I can't roll this shit Sint you fucks with it"

"I guess if you want something done right you got to do it yourself"

I rolled a pregnant, broke-dick looking blunt with so much of the second sheet it looked like it was wearing a sweater. But oh boy did that blunt smoke. We passed that shit back and forth in my room for almost an hour. We were coughing our brains out and laughing about it. Then coughing then laughing then he asked me why we were laughing so we started laughing some more.

…

I BLACKED OUT

…

I really didn't remember much else until the next morning. I woke up with the bag of bags under my pillow and my entire room reeking like trees. Then I saw on my mirror a note from my Mom that said we need to talk.



Ha, ha real after school special, right? The parents were cool and all but, I wasn't in the mood for them to try their parenting on me this morning. So I got dressed and ran out of the house before she could catch up to me. I wasn't going to school at all today. I had bigger plans. I wanted to wild out and have a good time. Way too much stress for a young in like me. Back in the days it would have been laser tag, mini-golf or go-carting but nowadays I wanted to scam on bitches and get high. Fuck if blazing and scheming were Olympic sports I would be competing for the gold.


You know me already it sure isn’t about fucking them – sometimes it is about getting head but that’s whatever son. If you haven’t come to this conclusion on your own yet, you’re behind. Time to play catch up.


It was all about the challenge. The more of a challenge the more I was interested. Chick gives Sint the cold shoulder that’s the biggest turn on there was. Attention, The Sint needs attention that’s for shit sure.

I called Doug's house and got his mom on the phone. I told her I had to check one of my answers from last night's math homework. We aren't even in the same grade. She woke his ass up and put him on the phone. So you can only imagine that the next day things started getting very interesting. We got off the D train at west 4th street and started walking towards Washington Square Park with an itch to meet some chicks. We made a quick stop at Toot Toots for some whippets. I loved these things it was like sucking the gas out of a whipped cream bottle but so much better. All of our knowledge about what they did was from word of mouth. As legend had it you couldn’t hurt yourself with these things if you didn’t hold your breathe for too long or you didn’t inhale clean air with the nitrous. We bought a case of 24 cartridges and 1 metal cracker, 1 plastic cracker and two psychedelic balloons. We turned the corner and each cracked one, right off 8th looking at the park.


Yeah, right on the street. Why not?


We did these in the back of class… Teachers sound a lot more interesting on Nitrous, kind of like Charlie Brown’s teachers.


Waaaa Waaa Waaaa Waaaa Waaaa



Crack….

….Wooooooosh.

“What a cool looking balloon!”

I screamed to Doug as I inhaled half of it and exhaled back into the balloon. Repeated a few times until I was laughing so hard I dropped the cracker. Doug went to grab it probably feeling just as fucked up as I was and BOOM. We whacked our heads together and both went down. That sobered me right back up. I scooped up the cracker threw it in my book bag and we were back on our way. I pushed my way through the crowd and made it to the center with D right behind me.

"Light that shit Sint"



"Nah, hold up and hold the work down - I got something I gots to do."

Before he had a chance to react I threw my clinking book bag at him. The fucking look on his face and everyone else's was better than any high i have ever known. I pulled out a spray can of Rustoleum Summer Squash Yellow from my waist and threw up a little

SintIsm Worship Me

D.T.A.

I cracked my signature smile and pushed the can back into its brown paper bag and rolled it behind a passed out bum.

"Whatcha waiting for D sparks that shit."



"You are one crazy mother fucker but, you couldn't hook me up right?"



“The Cans right there hook your self up - Don't be a bitch."

Then she appeared.



I'll never admit it to him but he definitely saw her first.

Who you might ask? Well this was the first chick I ever met that was down for the cause and she was about to put us on. I mean SHE WAS ABOUT TO PUT US ON FOR REAL! She handed me the first flyer, even though D had been staring at her. Well maybe that's why... I hit the blunt and passed it to chickie before Doug… Not so cool I know, I know but back then pussy was pussy and your boys would always be around.

NASA

COME HOMe

Location to be announced

Then she said

“I got Chocolate - dimes and better. And Yellow Sunshine."

Passing D the blunt.



I looked at D and he knew something was up but he thought I wanted to rob her. Maybe eventually, but I wanted to use and abuse her. It was my in to a whole new market. Fucking sweet. She must have sensed something was up and she followed it with

"You Know Sid - Acid"



"I’m with you I know what we talking about. But Nah we are good for right now - So is this your party?"



"Nah, I am a promoter for NASA. Haven't I seen you at one of those STORM Raves in Brooklyn?"



"Don't think so."



"Well come check it out I'll get you comped if you bring at least 10 people.”



"Who's going to be there? And there is no number on this flyer why don't you write yours on the back for me?”



"Oh, it's a great line up we got Frankie Bones, Heather Heart, Adam X, Lenny D and a bunch more. You should come check me out. I'll see you there."

As she took the flyer back and gave me another one with a phone number on it.



I didn't even get a chance to respond she just winked and left. Ghost. And I didn't even get her name. I turned to D and said:

"Oh well I guess we are going to be Ravers now are you ready?"



"Yeah we should have bought some acid."



"Don't worry D by Saturday we will be selling it.”

We chilled around the city for a while busting tags and smoking blunts. Harassing girls and loving life. From Saint Marks back to Washington Square towards Broadway and over by liquid sky. I felt like I was on top of the world. I sold 6 dime bags and 2 20's. That was enough money to pay for what we smoked and our day in the city. Well at least on my part D-fresh had running credit. Why not – his parents had him on an allowance. Steady income for not doing anything must have been nice. We still didn’t have enough to rave this weekend. But the snow coming down from the sky might as well been Cocaine cause we were about to cash in on it. Shoveling wasn’t scheming but it was taking advantage of people in a rough situation. A little more work than I would like but we always made good dough. 200 bucks times 3 of us in 3 hours or so.

My mind was going a million miles a minute and all I could think about was the money, lots and lots of money. Weed isn't going to cut it if we want to make a fortune. The markup is much better on E or Sid. So we had to figure out a way to either get a lot of it on the arm or to beat someone for the shit.

CHAPTER 4

I got home late night and my weed was gone …the whole shit.

I am a burn out and have a bad memory but 16 ounces isn’t something you can just misplace. And it definitely doesn’t get up on its own and walk the fuck out your room. A pound of weed takes up some space and I know I left that shit under my bed. The house smelled like weed. My Parents were passed out on the living room couch.

Are you kidding me?
What the fuck was going on?

I collected my shit and bounced quietly with the trees. I went knocking on Steve's door but there was no answer. I went to the pay phone on Ocean Avenue and Avenue W by the big apartment building and beeped Rocco. He called back with the quickness.

"Who's That?"

"Its Karl Rocco - we are going to a Rave tonight can you help us be the life of the party?"

“Fuck yeah. Meet me at Rizzi's house in 10 minutes"

I got to his door just as Rocco was getting out of Steve's Camero. He threw an aspirin bottle at me and the keys to the car.

"Here I need $14 back on each of those Full Moons - but you can break them fuckers in half and sell Half Moons for $25 a piece or 3 for $60Make your money don't give anyone a better deal. He pulled one of the moons out of the bag and said lick it. You need to know what they taste like."

“Tastes like shit – almost numbs my tongue.”

“Exactly.”

"What's with the car keys?"

"Rizzi wants you to take care of it while he is gone. He said to tell you he trusts you with it. You know move it when there are street cleaning rules and shit - you cool?"

"Yeah I'm cool" Even though I’ve never driven before.

Chapter Five

After school Doug and I hit up Brooklyn Styles so I could get my skin fade. You know I got to look fresh to death. Everything is all about appearance if you haven’t had that beaten into your head yet. My barber, Charlie has been cutting my hair for a few years now and the only other person I would let touch my hair was his cousin Danny. And that’s still true to this day, word up. Props to mad talent. After the barber shop we went to Doug's house so he could grab some clothes for the weekend and I could ditch the bulk of the weed. It would be safe here in Doug’s room. He told his mom he was sleeping at my house and I didn’t have to tell my mom shit. Then we bounced to go get ready for the rave. I dialed the number from the back of the flyer, figuring I would get the chick, but instead it was a voicemail with some hippie named Rainbow Bright giving directions to the event. Of course I wasn’t ready for them so I grabbed a pen and dialed again.

I decided the more the merrier and power is in numbers. So during school I asked a bunch of the kids we smoke with if they wanted to come and check out the party. It wound up being Andrew, Fred, D and Me. I wanted to get to the party early to set up shop. You know I had big plans. We got off the train in Alphabet City and walked about 15 blocks. There was a crazy line going around the block and the party didn’t start for another hour. It was fucking cold and this line looked like it was going to take 3 hours to get in. My mind started going a million miles a minute and then it hit me.

Ding! Like a light bulb popped on over my head.

I remembered the work was good to go. I had pre-bagged those fuckers. Half moons in little bags. I started working the line - moving in between groups of girls and banging out 4, 5 even 10 half moons in a shot. I whispered “X” as I passed groups of kids and all I could think was I am so glad I bagged them up! I palmed two hits in my hand and gave dude at the door the secret handshake you know...

...passing him the hits.

C'mon keep up man!

He smiled and waved me in. I pointed at the boys and he waved them in too. Some kids we didn't know jumped in with us and then the bouncer put his hand up and stopped Andrew. He said “your dad can't come in with you. Leave him at the door.”

I laughed it off and said

"Yo he’s 15 years old dude I think it will be alright" and I hit him off with another hit. He smiled.

“You owe me $25 bucks Andrew hit me with it before the nights over.”

Andrew nodded in acknowledgment and went to put Visine in his eyes and started screaming that it was frozen. I said yeah be happy that you aren't as frozen as that visine kid. Here you go. This should warm you up. I tossed Andrew a half moon and another to Fred. Enjoy these they're on me. Go run around and make friends. I saw one of these youngsters that followed us in when the bouncer was occupied. I snatched him by the back of his neck and said

“You think your slick?”

He hit me with 50 bucks and said:

“I wouldn't have gotten in, I don’t have any I.D. So here is $25 for the door and another $25 hoping you got something that will make this a great party.”

It took me a few seconds to break down what he just said through his thick southern accent and then I thought about it again. I hit him with a half moon and a stack of promo flyers. Again I was so glad we set up the work yesterday.

For real.

“You work for me now. Go give out the flyers to girls. Anyone wants more of what you just ate point them to me.”

It was crazy dark in there. You see, I had broken most of the hits into two and put them in little baggies. I had given D 20 of the halves and put 20 in my pocket and the rest went into my sock. After 20 minutes people were loving on us - no joke. I was getting hugs and kisses from bitches. Even guys were trying to thank me. We were a success. We sold out in 25 minutes and started debating if we should take another half each and really bug-out. I had close to 2 grand in my pocket and we could go waste a couple of bucks and get fucked up.
We went looking for someone else selling something but we weren’t having any luck. To top it off these fucking ravers kept hounding us for more and telling us that they loved us.

We had groupies.

This one brunette chick started kissing D out of nowhere. She walked up to him and stuck her tongue down his throat. I have never seen this kid so happy in his life. And then it happened. She threw up all over him. I mean all over him - in his mouth, on his shirt.

That shit was so nasty, but I couldn't stop laughing. I was literally rolling on the floor laughing. It was too fucking funny.

We meet this weird, pierced up dude with holes the size of pennies in both ear lobes with some plastic shit in it. Freaky deaky for sure. I was sure he had to be moving E but after a quick convo I realized he only had Sid. His name was Alex and he was real friendly. He was moving some Beavis and Butthead Hits. He threw us 2 for free because he must have recognized the gangster.

I learned later that word had just started to get around that we were up and comers on the scene. I told Alex we would meet up again. Doug and I exchanged glances and then dropped the Sid on our tongues. And finally we saw the chick from the park. She had to be holding. I made my way over to her and put my arm around her.

"This is a great party - lots of great people"

"Fuck yeah there is some great music and amazing drugs"

"Can you put me on girlie?"

"Yeah what do you want?"

"100 hits of E - what can you do me for?"

"I don't know about that kid - I don't know you like that." She removed my arm from her shoulder and gave me a real pissy look.

I threw a fifty dollar bill at her and said "fair enough give me two of those bad boys."

Reluctantly she handed me two full moons and said “Here, enjoy.” I broke one in half and swallowed it. It tasted like shit but I just kept smiling and took a sip of her water. I threw the other whole one at D. He caught that shit in his mouth and swallowed it. He said ”Here comes the candy flip.”

"Alight I guess your cool $10 on the moon - $1000 total"

"Can I get my Fifty Spot back?"

She laughed and put her hand in my pocket and dropped something in. I put my hand in my pocket pulled one pill out of the bag and licked it.

"Tastes good" and I started counting out twenties behind D while he was blocking the security guards' view of our transaction. 10 minutes later we were good to go moving these new pills as whole moons for $40. And everyone ate them up so we sold out in twenty minutes. Cats fighting over the last two that went for 40 on a half. We went back to the girlie and she looked a little nervous which made me a little nervous. But when we said we want more she looked ecstatic. I told her we needed 200 more.

"Can't do it - all I have is 100 if that and they are gonna be $20 on a piece. It's getting late."

"A'ight we will take all of them it's cool. Everyone has got to eat." (Gleam)
We settled up and started pushing the pills again for $40 a whole and now $25 for a half. We moved about 40 of them before the ravers started coming back to us and asking for their money back.

"Yo, Sint this chick is trying to tell me that this shit is all fake. I'm bugging are you bugging?"

"Yeah D, I'm fucking whacked out. A little Sid a little E, but it looks like all the customers off the last two batches are complaining. Check it - We are still up - give people who are complaining a free half moon. Then in 10 minutes meet me out on the corner. Keep your eye open for this fucking cunt - if you see her grab her. Empty her pockets and take off her shoes and socks. Don't let her leave."

We did our thing lying to everyone's face giving out free hits popping them into girl's mouths running around like we owned the place. Good times, good times. I was definitely bugging - grinding my teeth, losing myself staring into the air. I got to hurry up or I'm going to get caught out here.

"I can't believe this fucking bitch played us"

"Yeah and how well she did it too! It was like she was expecting it."

"D I think she was - the two hits she gave us were real and maybe a few more randomly in the bag - that's it"

"Almost every hit we sold that we didn't bring with us was fake?"

"Yup she fucking G'ed off - Well actually we didn't do too bad either. We are up almost two grand after we pay off Rocco."

"Yeah but it could have been closer to four grand if this bitch didn't play us."

"I think we can still bring that number back up." I said as this doofey guy walked towards us

"Um can you uh- Do you have any hits left? I need 10 of them. Oh yeah I'm Lou from Ohio"

"Yeah actually Lou from Ohio we are leaving now but we can give you a good deal on 40 full moons for … only $25 a piece."

"Are you serious? That cheap? I will be right back." Lou from Ohio consulted his boys and came back over to us.

"I'll take them here you go A Thousand Dollars" as he counted 10 $100 bills.

"Here you go there are actually 42 and some pieces in there so enjoy"

My signature smile cracked as I looked at D from one eye and spotted a cab with my other. We gave the driver $50 to take us back to Brooklyn and let us burn a blunt in the car. I was so whacked out and so proud of myself at the same time. About $3000 profit - So that's $2000 for me and $1000 for D.

Don't look at me like that Did you think I was a 50-50 kind of guy?

Don't worry he was extremely happy to make a $1000 for a night of partying. He was already into me for almost $300 bucks so I tossed him 7 Benjamins and a bag of trees. That was great for D - the most money he has ever seen at one time. Thinking about it a G for a night of partying is great for anyone. Don't ya think? Most of your parents don't make a G a day. Do they? Do you?

Ah but 2 Gs is even better. This was proof that I could be a millionaire before I turn 21.

"So are we coming back next week Karl?"
Gleam.

Chapter 6

"FUCK!" I said looking at 3:43 PM on the clock in my room.

"What's wrong" D asked

"I forgot to move Rizzi's car he definitely has a ticket and he is going to kill me. We got to come up with an idea. "

"Like what - get someone to steal it?"

"That's a great idea lets go steal it."

I grab the keys and head out towards the door.

"Come on - don't be a bitch!"

I opened the car and grabbed the ticket off the windshield and started her up. We headed down avenue X and got on the Belt Parkway and then it stalled. I couldn't do anything and we were on the off ramp for the Belt Parkway. I flooded the engine trying to get her to turn over again. We could smell the gas. I looked at D - and he looked back at me. I grabbed the baseball bat from under the seat and broke the driver's window, bashed the radio in and broke the steering column and then we bounced. Laughing all the way back to my crib baseball bat in hand - then it hit us.

FUCK! Rizzi couldn't find out.

Everything seemed like such a great idea. Stealing the car busting it up and now it seems like a druggie after thought that might get us killed. We just had to play it off. Play it by ear when he gets back and see what we can do.

Walking down the block I ran into Sume, a bombing buddy of mine and it looked like he was ready to go: bag of cans, surgical gloves, a face mask and a palm of fat caps. He came all the way from Park Slope and he was definitely looking to do the run through with The Sint. We were going to get on the tracks at Avenue M by Murrow high school and walk the tracks up towards Newkirk Avenue, catching tags leading up to the top to bottoms over the station. Doug tagged along to puff, but he didn't write anymore. He said something about it being stupid and looking for trouble. Yeah, yeah, we know. He got some common sense and stopped flipping drugs for me as well. But he just loved to chill.

There were a couple of old Bust and Spin TOK tags up there from 91 but no one has ever really hit it with a fill in. It was time to blow it up. Literally word up with an atomic bomb theme. I was already getting hyped. As we were climbing the gate we heard police radios. So we started booking. We got under the platform and almost didn't look before moving on to the tracks. We would have gotten blasted by the d train. I grabbed Sume by his bag as the train came into the station. We fell back onto Doug and we waited as the train rolled by our faces sparking and hissing. It came to a stop... People got off and then it started moving again. We hopped onto the tracks and followed the train out of the station. I just couldn’t help myself and ran up with the quick SINT throwie on the back of the car, yeahhh boyee. And then we were walking along the rocks on either side of the third rail. Jumping back and forth over it like idiots. Hitting up small tags on our way to get high.

High on graffiti what a rush...

Sume gave each of us a pound and went off in separate directions. Then it was just me and Doug E Fresh.

"Let's go stop by my house and then chill by Bedford Park - see if we can move some trees" I said amped from the daytime bomb.

"Yeah we can go burn one and show off the merchandise."

"Let me go count out Rocco's dough so we can stop by the park and hit him off."

"Good idea Sint, you are always thinking"

We get to the corner of avenue U and Bedford, and the usual skaters were chilling with a couple of older kids. I walked up to Lenny who was smoking what looked like the remnants of a tiny little joint.

"What up - Lenny Len what the fuck is you trying to smoke?"

"Awwww Shit Sint! Tell me you got something better!"

I got an elaborate pound that ended with a snap and something out of The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air.

"Actually I do. Go collect chips and we will match you dollar for dollar" As I smiled pointing at Doug

"Bet! Damn you always make me smile, Sint!"

6 minutes later Lenny handed me $36.50 and said

"Let's get this joint going I got a roll of paper."

He broke out E-Z Wider on a fucking roll. Can you fucking imagine - Like if was toilet paper - On A ROLL! Now I knew I had to make this session memorable. I pulled out the zip lock, with the prettiest buds I picked for head to blaze and pulled out a bud the size of a snickers bar and wrapped that shit up without even breaking it up. Wow that shit burned for more than an hour and everyone got blitzed, zooted and done. And I also had 8 new customers. And a story these kids will be talking about until... Well actually I heard Lenny telling that story about a year ago you know, 10 years after the session. Now if that's not gangster. What is?? $20 a gram wasn't going to make me a fortune but if we move it right it will help me live. Lenny handed me a flyer for some crazy foundation party with Adam X, Frankie Bones, Heather Heart Lenny Dee and more. Space to be announced, Wednesday night... I am so there… the further underground the better.

Chapter 7

Macking, going back into school with this new weed was great. I got to the courtyard at 8:55, the earliest I have ever been to school. I rolled a Dutchmaster before I left the house and grabbed up a few puffers sitting around smoking cigarettes between the dumpsters.

"Who wants to blaze?"

Denise, Eli, Sean, Osiris, Russian Mike and John Potato headed the call for weed and we left school to go to our favorite buildings hallway around the corner from the park. It was also across the street from Murrow. It was our spot for a while. We chilled in the inside hallway past the locked door. You just needed to shoulder check it to open it. The spot was on point and low key until it was covered in graffiti from ceiling to floor. Literally! Trust you me, It wasn’t Sint that blew it up, but after a while I had to hit it! I was running a fill-in on the ceiling that said Sistine Sint for about 5 years. Get it like the Sistine Chapel??

“Aight what you working with Sint, Dimes – twenties?

“This one's on me and if you like it I got 20's. This shit right here will knock your head off.”
Click (damn child safety shit)...
Light...
Puff...
pass...
cough... cough… cough… cough… cough… cough… cough… cough… cough…

“That’s that shiiiiiii…..”
cough!!!!!!!!
“….iiit right there word up. The murders.”

Blunt went around 4 times; everyone bogarting, huffing and puffing but it was worth it. I sold out before A band and went to class. Russian Mike took a 50 from me and said he would give 70 tomorrow. Couldn’t knock that so I accepted. Mike became my regular credit taker and I would get a pay check aat the end of the week. It was kind of nice. High as a kite I made way through the front door flashed my id and headed towards B band. I was antsy and couldn't sit still in math class. This teacher Mr. Blansky killed me. His voice is like straight up torture. I took a Pilot marker out of my Jansport and caught a tag on the bulletin board behind me.
BORED SINTER…

If it wasn’t for a few girls gasping and going “ooooooh I’m telling.” Mr. Fuck face would have never been the wiser.

“This is not acceptable, go to the Dean’s office right now.” Still all monotoned.
I dilly dallied, made sure I was really clean, nothing on me. I cleaned my hands good and put some Visine in my eyes. I chucked the bottle and bought a can of iced tea and leisurely made my way to the dean’s office. As I enter Mr. McHugh’s reception area, a cute girl no more than 18 was sitting in his secretary’s chair. Not too cute but a great person to get in with. Then she said it.

“Hi are you Karl? I’m Linda my dad will see you now he is expecting you.”

I open the door to his office and who is there? Officer bitch fuck from the hood. He is another asshole with a hard on for trying to bust me. I’m his fucking white whale.

“Hi there Karl we will be conducting a search. Please empty the contents of your pockets in this bin here.” The cop said as he put on rubber gloves.

Is that supposed to intimidate me? I’m sure glad I sold out. All I had was $350 in cash my beeper and a cell phone. I dumped everything into his bin and said

“Alright now what.”

"What am I suppose to make of all this, Karl?"

"Make of all what?"
He points to the dough in the bin.

“The money and the drug dealer gadgets smart ass.”

"Don’t hate me because I’m doing better than you Moe. That phone is for my parents to get in touch with me and that beeper is for my computer business. And the money well I just happen to be going to the bank after school to make a deposit. Do we have any other questions, Officer?"

"Alright smart guy, off with your shoes and socks. I bet you’re high right now. Aren’t you? Aren’t you?"

"Now you’re getting personal. Do it yourself if you have the authority officer. My lawyer will have you both in holding before the day is out though. It’s your move."

On my way back to class laughing. Yeah I wanted to smoke a big fat blunt for head. I wasn’t going to stick around school today, I can get high elsewhere.
So now, a little bit richer and a lot bit wiser, I went to go check my boy KE off avenue U to see how shit was going for him but first a pit stop at the Kings Highway spot to grab more trees. I rolled up and lit the blunt walking down Ocean Avenue back into the neighborhood to my house to re up. Now KE was a kid after my own heart. We started stealing and scamming together when I was 10 and he was 9. My dad knew his mom so we wound up hanging out a bit. Riding bikes, eating candy, selling non-existent things to people who would have never thought such evil could come from two young kids like us.

It makes me laugh every time I think about it. The two of us going door to door with a stack of New York Newsdays. Just newspapers and a piece of a paper with a picture of a kid on a bike and 30 blank lines.

Now I hope you get the scam before I explain it to you…
Yeah I'm waiting…

Okay so we robbed a little red headed boy for his sign-up sheet for a raffle to help benefit some bullshit cause. Whoever got the most signatures would win the bike in the picture. I ran and put a quarter into the newspaper machine on the corner and took out all of the newspapers. Sell $8 subscriptions to people give them a "Free Newspaper" and walk away to never see them again. We worked this scam that first day for 16 hours and made over $400. I don't know who thought of the scam first but we never exchanged a word with each other as we were going - So it was on another level. Kind of instilled in our brains already. Ghetto instincts. Now with the dough we were going to buy comics and sell them for a profit.

After 45 minutes in the comic store we spent almost $200 on comics and shit. But here is the kicker. As we walked out of the store I waxed a bag that was on hold for someone with more than 100 comics in it. It was a big, fat, brown paper bag. I must have scored almost $300 worth of shit in that bag.

Waxing - It's kind of like stealing but much slicker. For example: I just waxed that guys wallet and he didn't feel a thing. Yeah I just grabbed the brown paper bag and put it under my smaller bag and held it against my chest like my life depended on it with a big smile on my grill as I cruised out of the store. And it was on. After a while we could steal anything anywhere. We thought we were untouchable. Then the very next day his moms got knocked for some insider trading shit and he was grabbed and put through the amazing foster care agency of New York City. But, things have changed and KE is living with his pops off Avenue U and scams full time now. When I saw him I didn't have to say a thing. He already knew. He said

"Get the fuck out of here! It’s fucking Sint Rocker and it looks like he's holding. Let me just grab my beeper and we out."

Later I found out he wasn't so psychic - I just reeked like fucking weed! Better yet, it turns out he was running shit for RUN selling dime bags out of Millet Park. People would beep him with how much they wanted and their code. KE would meet them by the handball court and make the transaction. Because he only had dimes and skimpy dimes at that, I was going to make a fucking killing. I had $20's of the best weed he ever smoked. We burned 2 Dutchmasters down - Me and KE went head to head, blunt for blunt. I told him to throw me 15 and before the L’s were done I had sold 8 bags and then another 3 for 50 to RUN. Got to show him a little respect - It is his park and once that smile, from the trees, wears off his face he is going to either get really mad or go out and get much better pot. It could go either way so I need to try and be his connect before he gets it elsewhere. He gave me a pound on his way out and said

"Someone just snatched your bag Sint - Ohh shit you going to let that Russian kid steal yo' shit?"

"Where? My fucking Jansport! Don't fuck with me man who fucking took my shit"

RUN and KE both pointed to this OTB looking kid playing basketball with some other weirdoes. This isn't funny because all of the new work was in the bag. I started to see red and started fuming. Smoke coming out my ears and I jumped up and headed for the kid.

"YO WHERES MY SHIT AT SON"

"I NO KNOW WHAT. YOU ARE HOW YOU ARE SAYING"

"WHAT?!?! GIMMIE MY SHIT BITCH"

"NO SPEAK - NO WANT PROBLEM -NO ENGLISH"

And I hit him dead square in the nose. His shit exploded everywhere blood covered my hand and shirt. It was so disgusting and all I can hear over this kid screaming was laughter... Laughter who the fuck was laughing?? - Well it was RUN And KE rolling around on the floor laughing with my tagged up Jansport in between them. I grabbed my bag and broke out. I was pissed as fucking hell. I'd get mine from these mother fuckers. Just got to be patient.

Chapter 8

I went home and cleaned myself up, cursing at myself the whole way home. I couldn't believe they played me. I thought I was invincible and that's two mother fuckers who herbed me in the last couple of days. I got scooped up for stupid shit in school and now this? From here on out I got to have a crew - a click to always be together. A wall, a barrier. I wasn't going to get bitched again. Got to learns from your mistakes and keep your eyes open. Money scattered across my bed with 20 sacks of weed everywhere. I sure came a long way in the last few weeks but I have a long way to go before I am where I need to be at. With that thought in my head I heard the doorbell ring and I went to go see who it is. I walked over and looked through the peep-hole. Now I am not very good with faces. I’m a burn out. But this mother fucker, I remembered because he was so fucking doofey and thinking about beating him made me smile. Then my smile disappeared. When I remembered the last time I saw dude and what happened.

It was Lou from Ohio Banging on My Mother Fucking front Door!

Can you imagine what kind of bad luck I was having! FUCK! I ran back into my room and called Rocco's beeper number off the card and punched in my house number followed by 911 911 911 and Rizzi called me back in 30 seconds flat and was outside my house with a rusty machete over his head 45 seconds after that. He didn't waste any time at all. He swung it right at this guy Lou's shoulder as he pierced the skin something hit the ground with a loud clanking sound. It took me a second...

"A GUN" I screamed,

"He has a fucking gun"

Rizzi was screaming like he was Tarzan on crack, you know like

“Ahahhhhhhaaaaaaaahhaha ahaha ahhhhhhahh ahahaa”

Lou grabbed the piece off the floor and ran off with this machete still stuck in his arm. He got into a car across the street trailing blood and we never saw him again. He chucked the machete out of the window. Me and Rizzi looked at each other and then he turned around and went back inside. Blood everywhere, and a machete on the floor. It’s just another normal afternoon in Sheepshead Bay. Actually I never saw Rizzi again either. Rizzi didn't just look like Tarzan on crack he was Rizzi on crack. He apparently robbed his ex-wife's sister's house of over $50,000 in jewelry and bought crack and smoked it up in his crib lying low when I beeped Rocco. Rocco was lying unconscious on Rizzi's floor over some twenty dollar discrepancy. The pigs had Rizzi's house surrounded by the swat team, police cars, ambulances, fire trucks - you name it they were there. You can only imagine he didn't go out without a fight and he threw a grenade at the cops. It blew up and killed 3 cops and a civilian with a dog.

Yeah I felt bad for the dog too. A hand full of other people got hurt from the shrapnel. And then there was another loud boom and the house came down into a pile of rubble. Riz loved the booby traps...I wish it didn't happen this way but hey what can you do? You can't change the past, you got to roll with the punches. I called D and KE and we went by the park to see if now that the big guy was gone. What we could do. I was still sitting on a lot of work from Rizzi and if I can get it back on the street to make some money why the fuck shouldn't I? We ran into Seth, Bird, Gundy and a couple of other regulars.

Regular potheads that is. I rolled up and started passing the shit around telling everyone the war stories. No one could believe that RIZZI was gone. I gave out eight ounces on the arm for $150.00 each to some school kids and some neighborhood kids. Everyone was going to come out to this outlaw party in Williamsburg with us. I figured if we go out there with a mob, we can bless the place lovely like. Let everybody get some money.

I needed to chill for a bit and decided to head out to Canarsie blaze with some heads out there. I met up with JL his sidekick Flick, Inna and Anna. Anna was hot and used to be with JL and Inna was a serious pothead. We all chilled here and there blazing during school and scaming. I walked into their corner store and waxed a 22 of old E. Don’t get me wrong I had $2.50 but everyone was all like oooh that was slick. Until I dropped it on the floor trying to balance it on one finger and it smashed. With everyone laughing what was I going to do?

I went back in and made with the slight of hand again and stepped over the broken bottle and was out. The store keeper looked puzzled. We were going to chill in some chicks house that Anna knew. We got to her house, this little mousey girl and started blazing. One blunt two blunts three… Nice cipher and then we were out. The girls snatched crazy shit from the girls house. I mean jewelry, pills and the whole nine – not the kids I want to be chilling with. So on my way back to the hood I pulled the trees I snatched up my sleeve from the last roll up and rolled a white owl on my way home.

Loving life, Doug and I went to the city to chill in Washington Square Park. I saw this girl from across the fountain and told Doug I'm going to make her my girlfriend. He laughed and said that's the same game you been spitting since day one. I have heard you say that 50 times in the last year. But she was just so different looking, almost mesmerizing; there was just something about her.
I took off after her and gave her an RTL promo flyer and asked her about the foundation party tonight. She said she was going to meet a few girls over on the other side of the park and maybe go get a bag of weed and smoke.
Gleam!

“I got you guys covered lets go grab your friends and I got a friend and we can all be friends.”

She smiled and introduced herself to me. Her name was Jennifer Bane. She was pretty and had some great friends. 16 years old and went to Saint something or other...

Ah that's why I liked the fucking uniform. Fucking A! I guess I should say thanks to the Catholic School Board for picking them tight, short, plaid skirts.
Too bad she was very empty. I knew it right away, but I was enjoying chilling with her friends Liz, Zoë and some other chick. We blazed, they blazed, and we all got wacked. I invited them to my birthday party and then I realized - I guess I was having a birthday party. Jen said she was going away with her parents to Fire Island. But they would be back the day of the party so she would see me there. Zoë said she would come and bring some other friends as well. It was weird because I kept thinking of Jen the whole time she was away… A kid just wants what he can't have, so while she is away she is so tantalizing and what I want the most. While Jen was away the other girls called for some smoke and trips here and there but we didn't chill. I was looking to hit Jen, period. I didn't want to fuck that up and there are plenty of other biddies on the scene.

Ah, the day of the Foundation party. I was going no matter what. It looked like no one could go with me so I wound up taking Andrew at least he looked like he was older. He was taller than Doug by at least 4 inches and Doug was almost 6 feet tall. The location was announced 1 hour before the party on the hotline - a 3 story house in Red Hook. Not the greatest neighborhood but I didn’t care and I didn't tell Andrew it was a bad neighborhood. So we were all good. We walked in, paid our 10 at the door to Heather Heart and Andrew bought a copy of her new tape. We mingled a little and I was offered pure MDMA powder... Not pills but straight up white powder in a little coke bag. The rest of that night was crazy and all a blur. Thinking back on more than a decade later. Andrew bought and sniffed his before he saw me throw all my powder in my drink. He was gagging on the drips and it was pretty funny because he had a big smile on his face the whole time. I just drank my special drink and started smiling myself. I think we met some really cool people but I can't be sure... It was a happy high not like them Brooklyn bombs aka herion. They were the moons but with yellow spots – everyone said that the spots was the herion but who the fuck knows. This MDMA was so clean it had me on cloud nine. I went back and copped 10 more for $200. I was thinking ahead.

Potato had a party the next night that he was calling his e party. His mom was going out of town and he wanted to plow his 15 year old girlfriend for the first time. John was 16 so it was still ok. Chill. I got $50 on a piece for the MDMA caps and g’ed off lovely. That grand bought me a book of cid that brought me much joy. I loved that yellow sunshine. But back to Potato. I got there and put the kiddies on to their snacks stuck around to puff a blunt and got to see a little action. Potato lived with him mom and sister in an apartment above a house. The house belonged to this gangsta of sorts. He was the guy on this block that sold fireworks but he had 20 years on Rizzi easy. No one was ever really scared of him. It was big Mizzah, Potato, a couple of guys whose names escape me and the 3 bitches. We were blazing out and he started banging on the door.

Everyone freaked out cause they were holding and they thought it was the cops. It was big Frankey from upstairs come to see what we were doing. I didn’t really see what happened but it ended with dude falling down the stairs, us all bolting the fuck out and Potato getting evicted. But thems the breaks at least the kid got laid that night!