The hood days

When I was in secondary (high school) I was smart, but because the culture was that being smart made you a target for bullying (school was ghetto), to avoid having to beat them, I joined them. Chasing the hood girls around after school and cornering them and getting mine, rushing innocents because we could, and using a guy from the crew's mum's place as the spot to chat shit, watch sky and have mad house partys where the girls got HAD up.

We in the crew would square up every now and then to prove our manhood. I remember when it came to my turn and they put me up against this dude named Tariq. Now I'm a reserved character, but once I switch its a wrap. Sure enough when dude gripped me up by my chest, I saw red and started throwing him around until he gave up.

There were some really mad times though, like when guy named Dru threw a firework in the dinner hall, or when a next guy named Daniel beat up a bus driver because he would let him pay on the bus for free (try to pull an under 15 free flex).

I remember on GCSE results day when I got my 3 A Grades and they got their Ds Es and Us. I guess that was God's way of saying that a change needed to come. I replaced the hood circle with scholars and work people when I got my 1st job and made myself less and less available until my dealings with the crew was straight cordial.

I miss the days of reckless masculinity, but I'm glad I had had my priorities straight when I look back.