A Lesson Well Learned

When I was young my mama told me to get out the streets and get in the books. I should’ve listened
because now I’m dead. My name is Jordan Tucker but everyone calls me J.T.  I grew up on the
Southside of Detroit which lead me to jump off the porch at a early age. I was always mad because
I seen people with stuff that I wanted. That’s when I started robbing and finessing.

My first time getting a little money was me selling flour acting like it was cocaine.

After I bagged up the flour I sold it for $150 and went and broke bread with Lil Von.

Lil Von was my 12 year old brother and my best friend.I was two years older. I knew mama didn’t
have enough money to pay bills and get us everything we wanted so I would always look out for my
brother when I get money. The next morning I went to go visit El Jay. El Jay was the dude in the
hood who sold anything that you needed. I took what I had left of my money and bought a Sig P226.
When he gave me the pistol I pointed it at him and told him I needed all the guns and drugs. He
packed everything into two duffle bags. That would be the first time I ever robbed someone.

Four years past and me and Lil Von are now ages 18 and 16. Von started robbing with me when he
was 14. Later that night me and Von went to a northside party. We went for a reason and that reason
was to catch a goofy slipping. We enter the party and the first thing I seen was females shaking ass.
I told Von to stay close and we progressed to the back wall. As we were leaned against the wall we
spotted the goofy who we were going to rob. His name was Swervo. Swervo was very known on the
northside and he controlled most of the drugs and money on the north. We smoked a couple blunts
and waited for Swervo to go outside and after 45 minutes he left the party alone.

After we seen him leave me and Von followed him into the alley and that’s when Von smacked him
with the pistol and I told him I needed everything he got jewelry and all. At first he was hesitant until
I punched him. I told Von to go bring the car around for we can get away fast. When he pulled around
I ran towards the car and Swervo got up. When I heard him getting up I stopped and shot him twice
striking him in the leg and shoulder. I hopped in the car and went back to the south. I knew they he
was going to retaliate but I didn’t know when.

Three weeks have passed and its Lil Von’s 17th birthday. We were supposed to hit the mall and chill
after. I called to tell him to grab a pack of woods. As I was waiting for him to pull up I noticed a weird
car circling the spot. As soon as Von hopped out the car they started shooting. It was Swervo and his
crew. We took off down the street and hit the corner. We ran half a block and slid through a alley. As I
looked back the car was gone and my brother was laying in a puddle of blood. When they killed my
brother a piece of me left with him. I went home and grabbed my draco and loaded it up on my way to
go kill the people who shot my brother but my mama stopped me and made me move out the city
because she didn’t want me dead like my brother.

It’s been a year since I left Detroit and I’m now living in New York. When I moved I learned that
there was more to life than just robbing and finessing. For once in my life I did the right thing. I got
myself together, got a decent paying job, and my own crib. I also got a girl and a newborn son. My
cousin Tatyanna asked me to come back to visit her for her birthday weekend. I was hesitant at first
but after 35 minutes of begging and pleading I promised her I’d be there.

As soon as I got there I stopped by my mama house and chilled with her for about a hour then went in
my old room. She left everything like it was since I left. I loaded 2 glocks and put them on my waist
then I headed to Tatyanna’s house. When I got there she was excited to see me. She introduced me to
her friend Breanna. They wanted me to go to a northside party with them tonight and I told them I
would. I thought I was gone come home, smash Breanna, and chill with them the rest of the weekend
but God had another plan for me. We went to the party and I started having a good time. Me and
Breanna was dancing for hours then I saw the people who killed my brother. Swervo and his friends
noticed me and I noticed them. All of a sudden one of his friends pulls out a deuce deuce and starts
firing. I grab my cousin and started looking for Breanna but I noticed she was struck in the head.

Me and Tatyanna run out the party. We parked a block away. When we were halfway there coming
out of the alley, I gave her the keys to the car and told her to leave. She didn’t want to leave without
me but I made her anyway. I hid behind a car waiting for the group to come from the alley. When I
saw them I started firing. I hit one guy in the head and another in the stomach and neck. I took off
running to duck behind another car. There’s only one of Swervo’s friends still alive. I’m hiding behind
a truck. I see his last friend approach a car across the street. I fire two times both bullets striking him
in the back.

I’m walking down the street looking for Swervo. As I’m walking he shoots me in my left shoulder
and I hurry to cover behind a car. He told me I was dumb and I shouldn’t have came back to the
northside. I told him I was good in any hood. Then he replied “ That’s why you’re in this situation now.
You gone pay for what you did to me just like your brother did”. After he said that I was pissed off
and my adrenaline was rushing. I hopped out and Swervo was right in front of me. He tried to shoot
but he was out of bullets. I throw my gun down and hit him with a right hook making him stumble to
the ground. I waited for him to get up and put his fist up. I swing and hit twice. I try to swing again but
he dodges my punch and hit me with a hard left. He tried to swing and punch me again but I dodge it
and pick him up and slam him. When I slammed him it took his breath away. I walk over to the pistol
and pick it up. I empty the clip pointing it at his face. A few moments after Tatyanna pulls up even tho
I told her to go home. I hop in the car and drive back to the south. After I dropped her off at home
safely I went to the river and threw my pistol as far as I could. On my way back to New York I think
about everything I’ve done my entire life. I’ve done so much more wrong than good. Tonight was a
lesson well learned.