Memoirs of a Badass

I've been working on this for a while now. It's about a drug dealer who's an isolated loner....there's more to the storyline, i'm just not good at putting things into words

I was waiting for a customer. It was chilly outside and I was freezing my ass off. Jones Town always had the harshest weather. Perhaps it was a consequence for naming our town after some crummy basketball player who never visits.

Damien Jones was born here and he was an “all-star” basketball player who made it big and got into the NBA. The people were so happy they named our town after him. Now to tell the truth, he wasn’t that good. But once you’re the birthplace for an athlete things change.

So now we have malls, restaurants and a school named after the guy. It was really ridiculous.

My customer was heading my way. I knew him pretty well because I sell to him twice a week. It’s always the same thing, a dime bag. His name was Deon Grey, he said the weed helped him focus and think. I never hung out with him, so I couldn’t say if the drugs really made him focus and think.

“Yo Keith!” he shouted my name as if he were a block away instead of right in front of me.

“The usual,” I said as I looked at him.

“Um,” he began to think as if he wanted to try something new. But we both knew that he wasn’t going to change up on me.

“Yeah, the usual,” Deon shrugged with a smile.

I shrugged and pulled out my green baggy and handed it to him as he handed me the money. The deal was done; I was getting ready to leave.

“Hey,” Deon stopped me in my tracks. I turned around and faced him. “You do your chem. homework?”

We went to the same school. We just didn’t hang out in the same group, to be factual, he had friends, I didn’t.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“Can I borrow it?” Deon asked as he fidgeted with his baggy. He seemed nervous; I intimidated most of my customers. It was probably because I was black and a drug dealer. Those two things were very scary to some.

“If I see you I’ll give it to you,” I shrugged.

“Thanks,” Deon turned and left first.

I pulled my coat on tighter and headed home.

I lived in a sub-division; all the houses were made from brick on the outside. Most of the tenants had money, the houses were too put together to lease to the poor.

As I passed my neighbor’s house I saw that the upstairs window was open. I could see Desireé; she was sitting in front of her mirror brushing her long hair. She went to my school too, and she was in my grade. Even though we were neighbors we didn’t really talk. I liked being alone, I was able to my collect my thoughts.

I headed inside my house. The smell of pork chops frying in the pan stung my nose.

My little brother ran by me up the staircase.

“Kevin Ezekiel Erb! How many times do I have to tell you not to run in my house!” my mom yelled as she walked up to the staircase. She suddenly noticed me. “Keith? Where’ve you been?”

My mom didn’t know about the drugs. I wasn’t dumb enough to keep them in the house.

“Out.” I said as I headed up the staircase.

She grabbed my arm. “Where exactly is out?”

I turned and nodded to the door. “Out there.”

She gave me her look of irritation. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You’re father’s going to love this one.”

My father didn’t know about the drugs either.

I ignored her and headed up to my room in the attic. I locked my door and headed over to my safe. I put in the combination: 3-6-23. I opened the door and pulled out my tin box. The box was locked; I wore the key around my neck for safekeeping.

I unlocked the box and pulled out my cash. With Deon’s cash my new total was now $90,560.59. I was only eighteen and I was pulling a five-figure job. I was saving my money to go to Europe. I remember being in the eighth grade and being fascinated with European art, there was always a story behind it, like with the Greek gods. So I started saving money to go to Europe to see the original paintings and what not. I guess it sounds crazy to say I started selling drugs to go see art in Europe. That was partially the reason. The other reason was just to have a hobby and keep busy. It was strange, but that was it.

I added the ten dollars to one of the stacks. I made sure I kept my money locked tight so I could keep thieves out. I was going to Europe no matter what. Nothing was going to hold me back.