Ancient Wisdom
This is a true story about black youth living way out on the fringes. I have changed some of their details out of respect and for their protection. The girl is 16 and angry; she carries homemade mace and a bag of rocks to protect her from the packs of young men that wander the neighborhood. She was un-raised by a mother addicted to crack. She and her fourteen year old brother used to watch their father beat their mother. The boy tried to protect her but he would get tossed like a rag doll until he finally gave up bruised and bloodied. Most of their days were spent watching their mother work the streets and the rest of the time waiting for her to get out of jail. There is no extended family willing to take on the financial and emotional burden of...
