This morning I walked & talked with a kid I've never met before
One of my stories again, sorry lol.
My car broke down a few weeks ago & I'm currently using public transportation until I either replace the engine or buy a new car.
Anywho, I'm still learning the bus routes so today I had to walk a mile or two after I missed one 😅
On the way this guy stopped me & asked me where the urgent care was. I asked which one & if he was okay. He told me he was just trying to find a park & Google Maps said it was next to the urgent care. So I asked him the cross street & he told me.
Thats when I told him he was walking the opposite direction 🤣 I figured he must be young if he didn't know his directions yet so I asked how old he was. He said 15.
He kinda reminded me of my younger brother a bit because he was walking in this crazy ass heat, carrying a basketball. Which my brother did all the time as a kid. Didn't matter what the weather was, he was always walking to the parks to play ball.
The kid had to walk the same direction I was walking so we ended up walking together since we were already talking. He told me how he just moved from California so he was still learning the area. He also talked about his family.
He said most of his family are involved in gangs & he doesn't have a father.
So he plays basketball because years ago his family sat him down & told him they don't want him living the life they did. He needed to find hobbies so he didn't spend all his time on the streets so he got really into basketball & found out hes really good at it.
He said he wants to go to the NBA someday & that playing basketball helps him stay focused.
To him, he said it seemed like his options were either basketball or trouble.
I told him that I agree with his family. I told him that for kids in the hood who dont have family support, it's easy to get mixed up in the streets. When you're with your homies & they look out for you, you look out for them too, it feels like family. Like you belong to something.
I told him how when you're young & you first get into the gang life, its scary because you don't know what you're getting yourself into. It truly is scary & I can admit that because I did it. But you fight that fear because you're trying to prove yourself to your friends, you're trying to prove you're tough like they are.
After a while you get lost in it. It becomes 2nd nature to you. I told him that I'm 25 years old now & I've seen so many friends die or get arrested.. I'll never see them again. I told him how often in my life I literally feel guilty that I'm still alive & free, while so many of my friends aren't.
I was just as stupid, I did the same shit they did.. yet I'm still here. Oftentimes that doesn't seem fair to me.
Like why did I deserve to make it & they didn't?
The kid seemed very understanding & very self aware. We talked the whole mile long walk I'm kinda proud of him for having his head straight at a way earlier age than me.
I had to split a different direction eventually so we said "take care" & went on our way. I just realized I didn't even get his name & I never said mine either 😂
But hopefully he remembers that conversation because it felt important to me.
I'm sure he would've been okay in life without meeting me but I'm glad I met him.
I honestly enjoy being able to talk to people & using my experiences to teach something.
My car broke down a few weeks ago & I'm currently using public transportation until I either replace the engine or buy a new car.
Anywho, I'm still learning the bus routes so today I had to walk a mile or two after I missed one 😅
On the way this guy stopped me & asked me where the urgent care was. I asked which one & if he was okay. He told me he was just trying to find a park & Google Maps said it was next to the urgent care. So I asked him the cross street & he told me.
Thats when I told him he was walking the opposite direction 🤣 I figured he must be young if he didn't know his directions yet so I asked how old he was. He said 15.
He kinda reminded me of my younger brother a bit because he was walking in this crazy ass heat, carrying a basketball. Which my brother did all the time as a kid. Didn't matter what the weather was, he was always walking to the parks to play ball.
The kid had to walk the same direction I was walking so we ended up walking together since we were already talking. He told me how he just moved from California so he was still learning the area. He also talked about his family.
He said most of his family are involved in gangs & he doesn't have a father.
So he plays basketball because years ago his family sat him down & told him they don't want him living the life they did. He needed to find hobbies so he didn't spend all his time on the streets so he got really into basketball & found out hes really good at it.
He said he wants to go to the NBA someday & that playing basketball helps him stay focused.
To him, he said it seemed like his options were either basketball or trouble.
I told him that I agree with his family. I told him that for kids in the hood who dont have family support, it's easy to get mixed up in the streets. When you're with your homies & they look out for you, you look out for them too, it feels like family. Like you belong to something.
I told him how when you're young & you first get into the gang life, its scary because you don't know what you're getting yourself into. It truly is scary & I can admit that because I did it. But you fight that fear because you're trying to prove yourself to your friends, you're trying to prove you're tough like they are.
After a while you get lost in it. It becomes 2nd nature to you. I told him that I'm 25 years old now & I've seen so many friends die or get arrested.. I'll never see them again. I told him how often in my life I literally feel guilty that I'm still alive & free, while so many of my friends aren't.
I was just as stupid, I did the same shit they did.. yet I'm still here. Oftentimes that doesn't seem fair to me.
Like why did I deserve to make it & they didn't?
The kid seemed very understanding & very self aware. We talked the whole mile long walk I'm kinda proud of him for having his head straight at a way earlier age than me.
I had to split a different direction eventually so we said "take care" & went on our way. I just realized I didn't even get his name & I never said mine either 😂
But hopefully he remembers that conversation because it felt important to me.
I'm sure he would've been okay in life without meeting me but I'm glad I met him.
I honestly enjoy being able to talk to people & using my experiences to teach something.
