Born in poverty, and raised in the mean streets of [ New Orleans’s] notorious 9th ward. I was not content in having everything I needed, I just was stuck on getting what I wanted! By any means necessary. Drive- by shootings, death by street violence ( as I myself have suffered from as I lost both my younger brother. Gerald and my uncle “Bunny” to street violence), etc. Are the societal norm within the 9th ward; and as we, all of us are the sum total of our life experiences was pivotal in creating selfishness and emotional callousness in my young mind! So much so, it was all about me! Everyone else be damned if i wanted it, I got it, Regardless off who I hurt. Whom I caused pain, none of it mattered! It was all about me! My family, as loving as they were, and as often as they tried to nurture me with the right thinking morals, and values, were no deterrent. It was ll about me! Period! And my young mind was okay with that, and I believed my future was destined to be grand one! Cause, it was all about me!
Then as the fate would have it a category 3 hurricane hit the [Gulf of Mexico] and then hit [New Orleans, La] I don’t remember the name of this particular hurricane. Cause at the time, my young mind was too scared, as I huddled up with my family ( nothing like a storm to bring a family together!) In our living room, with no power nor electricity as the storm raged it’s fury outside our home! The storm lasted a full day and night! Lightning flashing; thunder booming; and a torrent of rain. strong enough to crack the glass on our window panes! The next morning, my family and I ventured out of our home to assess the damage wrought by the storm. The damage was bad; even worse a flash flood was raging down the street.
[Almonaster] from my home! It was surreal, as we, the hood, could stand on the street corner; and a deadly flood is streaming by at high speed a mere few feet away.
Then, all of a sudden, a blood curdling shout cries out!! As we, all in unison looked in the direction of the scream.. A woman (one whom) I recognize as a teacher at my school G.W. Carver Middle School!) Was hanging on for dear life holding on to a tree in the middle of the flash flood! The tall waves of rushing flood waters, periodically engulfed the woman, her strength of will (and panic) refusing to let her grip on the tree slip for even an instant! Everyone was shouting, pointing but no one was actually doing anything to help the women! Since cell phones as we have today did not exist at the time, and there was no power.. The situation was very grim!!
Above the roar of the raging flood, a loud splash! Everyone looked towards it, and courageously wading through the powerful currents of the water was my Uncle (Charlie a gangsta in all respects) with a rope around his waist, which was tied and anchored to a tree on our side of the street corner! I was scared out of my young mind for my uncle, as more than a few times, he slipped under the waves, but came up again and again!
After a long while, my Uncle Charlie made it to the teacher, and secured the both of them with the rope. He then, pulled himself and the teacher slowly stubbornly through the rough, relentless currents of the flash flood! With the help of more than a few of the other men from the hood pulling on the rope. Charlie and the teacher made it to our side of the street! I was beside myself with awe and happiness as I ran, with tears in my eyes, towards my brave Uncle Charlie! After a round of applause( in the hood no less! History was made I;m sure and much deserved accolades, finally my uncle and I were alone!
Hugging him tightly( after all Charlie was my favorite uncle!) Still in tears, I asked: “Why did you do it? Especially when you can’t even swim?” My Uncle Charlie, simply said: ” Cause, it had to be done. See, it ain’t about me, it’s about everyone else. ” This from a feared gangsta my bewildered young mind thought and right then and there, it’s as if everyone else did start to matter. Everything I thought I was, was nomre, and life began anew for me! One where compassion for others, and respect for others. Property and well being did matter, and helping others for the sake of helping become a life worth living! Thanks Uncle Charlie. Life is what you make it! TRUE. It becomes better when you make it better for others as well!