I knew at an early age that if you want something you got to go get it. You see growing up I was not wealthy. I had to steal to eat. My father disappeared when I was like 7 so I had to support my mother and I the only way I knew how . I used to go down to the local fruit stands and wait till the time was right and grab anything I could.

One day as I waited for the right moment I saw something I would never forget for as long as I live. A man in a fancy black suit walked up to the fruit stand I was stalking out and not only did he take what he wanted but the man working the stand paid him. I was told by a friend of mine about people like this he called them Mafioso, but I had never seen one before. I knew at that moment this was what I was going to be.

It was a few weeks later when I saw the man again. I have never been one to be shy so I approached him. "Sir I want to be like you".

"You're a little young aren't you" the man replied

"I'm 7, but I can do whatever you need me to do"

"Is that so, why don't you go get me one of those apples over there."

I'm in I thought to myself, this would be easy I've taken dozens of apples from that stand before. I waited for the right moment. Then as I reached for it I heard a voice yell out, "FREEZE YOUNG MAN".

The cops!!! I ran as fast as my little legs would go. I ducked into an alley and hide till I saw the cops run by, my heart was racing. I had never been caught before, well almost caught. When the coast was clear I got up and began to walk home. I was about 2 blocks away when I was grabbed from behind and pulled into a car. Before I knew it I was in a car with the man in the fancy suit.

"You got guts kid and your quick. If you want to earn some money for yourself and poor mother I got a few jobs for you."

"Anything sir", I thought to myself how does he know about my mother. But what did it matter he was willing to let me work for him.

"Good meet me at the fruit stand tomorrow at 10 am."

Day 1 Nov. 2 2009

Tommorrow is a new day, and when the sun rises a new adventure begins

I was at the stand by 9 am the next mourning just waiting, didn't want to be late for my first day on the job. I was young but not dumb. The man in the suit should up right on time at 10 am.

"Young man good to see you. My name is Vinny by the way. You ready to get to work."

"Yes sir." I replied firmly

"Ok your first assignment is this fruit stand, every mourning Johnny here is going to give you $100 and what ever fruit you would like." He said all this while starring directly at Johnny "Isn't that right Johnny."

"Yes sir", Johnny replied with a soft monotone voice.

"You will bring me the money to my office on 19th st. 3 blocks down. It's 51 19th st., have it to me by 11 every mourning got it"

"Yes sir I understand"

"Good come with me"

I followed behind him as we walked down to his office. Inside he had his desk and 2 leather sofas. He had 2 men waiting inside. "Tommy, Tony this is....What did you say your name was youngster."

"Jake sir"

"This is Jake, he's only 7 but he works for me now. He lives with his mother over there in those apartments off of 17th."

The two men grinned as if they knew something but I paid them no mind. I was here for 1 thing MONEY and as much of it as I could get.

So after about an hour Vinny sent me out with Tommy and Tony. My assignment was simple. I was to take whatever package they got from inside this abandon warehouse and deliver it to some kind of what they called Drug Front Property on 15th. For this and my other task I would be paid $50 a day. At 7 I thought I was rich $50 a day and all the fruit I could eat.

For the next few weeks this was my daily routine. Extort the fruit stand and run drugs for Vinny. I dropped out of school, what good was it doing me I thought, you can't earn money there. Things were going smoothly until that day I ran into that damn cop again.

I had been at it about few months when it happened. It was a Tuesday, I was walking back to Vinny's office I had just dropped of a large amount of some drug to the DFP when I felt someone grab me. "Gotcha" he said.

I turned around and it was that damn cop again. The same one who tried to get me at the fruit stand. Well me feeling I was above the law at this point said to the officer, "You ain't got nothing, what it's against the law to walk down the street now"

"For you it is, it's called truancy. To put it in terms your little mind can comprehend, skipping school, I'm taking you to your mother."

The cop took me home. I don't know how he knew exactly where I lived but he did. My mom was going to kill me. I had been lying to her about how I have been getting all of the money and fruit for our home. I told her I had been working after school for a butcher a few blocks down the street. I was going to get it. The cop knocks on the door. As the door opens I can't breath I've never been in any trouble with the law before. Well never been caught at least.

"Officer what has he done" my mother asked

"Caught him running the streets, you better watch him or he's going to end up like his daddy"

End up like my daddy? I was wondering what he meant by that but before I could speak my mother told me to get to my room. I could hear the cop and my mother speaking for the next few minutes but couldn't make out what they were saying. When the door finally slammed I knew he had left and my mother would be coming for me next.

That she did, an hour speech about how important school is and how I needed to take my education seriously. She told me she would be walking me to school everyday starting tomorrow.

How was I going to get out of this one? What would Vinny say? How would I make money? My mind was racing. Eventually I feel asleep from exhaustion.

When daylight broke, my mother was in my room telling me to get up and get ready. I wonder what today will bring?  

Day 2 Nov. 3

I like what you got so far.

You got started young I see!

Ah that's a riveting history that you've got there, Jake.  And I see you've come from very humble roots.  It seems that you've done very well for yourself, considering.  Bravo.

I feel bad for that poor fruit stand owner, though.  $100 a day for a humble business is pretty steep.  I wonder if he hasn't got some other business interests in the works other than fruit...

It was time. I was all dressed and packed up, off to school. I hadn't been there in over 3 months and I was not looking forward to being there. But off I went with my mother by my side to make sure I made it through the doors.

It was awful, 8 hours of true hell, everyone in class whispering about me all day. But I really didn't care, who were they but some nothing kids. When that final bell rang at 3 I ran out of there as fast as I could. I ran straight to Vinny's to explain to him what had happened the day before.

When I got there things didn't go like I thought they might however. "Vinny I got to tell you..." I was cut of by Vinny, "where the hell have you been boy".

"I". !!!SMACK!!! He hit me with the butt of his gun across the face. I feel to the floor unconscious immediately. It was a few minutes before I came to my senses and when I did my head was pounding. I looked up and saw Vinny pointing his gun straight at my head. "Talk kid, explain yourself."

"Vinny please, yesterday on my way back here from the DFP, that cop from the fruit stand grabbed me and took me home. My mother found out I hadn't been going to school and took me there this mourning personally, I didn't want to be there but what could I do."

"Your mother huh, I understand your mother was just looking out for what's best for you I can understand that kid. Your mother loves you and wants the best for you."

"I guess but I did not mean to upset you. I still need the work."

"Well let me figure some things out and in the mean time you just go to school and mind your mother. Now get out of here and go home to her."

"But..."

"No but, just go it will be ok." dAY 3

It was time. I was all dressed and packed up, off to school. I hadn't been there in over 3 months and I was not looking forward to being there. But off I went with my mother by my side to make sure I made it through the doors.

It was awful, 8 hours of true hell, everyone in class whispering about me all day. But I really didn't care, who were they but some nothing kids. When that final bell rang at 3 I ran out of there as fast as I could. I ran straight to Vinny's to explain to him what had happened the day before.

When I got there things didn't go like I thought they might however. "Vinny I got to tell you..." I was cut of by Vinny, "where the hell have you been boy".

"I". !!!SMACK!!! He hit me with the butt of his gun across the face. I feel to the floor unconscious immediately. It was a few minutes before I came to my senses and when I did my head was pounding. I looked up and saw Vinny pointing his gun straight at my head. "Talk kid, explain yourself."

"Vinny please, yesterday on my way back here from the DFP, that cop from the fruit stand grabbed me and took me home. My mother found out I hadn't been going to school and took me there this mourning personally, I didn't want to be there but what could I do."

"Your mother huh, I understand your mother was just looking out for what's best for you I can understand that kid. Your mother loves you and wants the best for you."

"I guess but I did not mean to upset you. I still need the work."

"Well let me figure some things out and in the mean time you just go to school and mind your mother. Now get out of here and go home to her."

"But..."

"No but, just go it will be ok." dAY 3

i agree with Donpardo i like wat you have so far.

.

So I had been attending school regularly for 3 months. Getting shit grades and always getting into fights. Everyday after school I would go to Vinny's and everyday the same thing, "not yet kid". I couldn't continue like this it was killing me. I made up my mind and I was going to tell Vinny today I was going to run away from home.

!!RING!!! 3 o'clock finally I raced over to Vinny's to tell him my plan. When I got there I raced right in. "Vinny, Vinny, I've had enough I'm running away tonight, I got to get back to these streets."

"Kid you're crazy, just hang on now. Do you know what that would do to your poor mother? I can't in good conscious let you do that. Now run home just give me a few more days to figure out what to do with you."

"But Vinny you keep saying that."

"Kid just go."

So with that I headed home with my head hung low. Why was Vinny making me wait so long? Why couldn't he figure something out? When I got home I noticed the front door open a crack. "That's funny mom never leaves the front door open", I said to myself. I walked in the door and yelled for her.

"MOM.........MOM YOU HERE."

I got no reply so I walked back to her bedroom and opened the door. There she was on the floor covered in blood. Tears immediately raced from my eyes. She looked like she had been stabbed over 50 times. "NNNNNOOOOOOOOO, WHY, WHY". The neighbors could hear me screaming and rushed over. They called the police and I was taken to a foster home after I gave the police all the information I could.

The foster home was miserable, about 10 kids ranging in ages from 4 to 17. It was old and moldy and smelt like, well I can even explain the horrid smell. I hated it.

The funeral was to take place in 3 days until then I was to stay in the foster home under suicide watch. I would never think of something like that but I guess that's what they do for young kids who have seen such a horrific tragedy.

What would I do now? What was to become of my life? What a mess this was.

Day 4

I like what I have read so far,keep them coming!Also,they are very well written.

The day came. It was time to lay my mother in the earth. It was a very grey looking day not a hint of sunshine.

She didn't have a large funeral because lets face it we were poor. In fact I was the only one at the grave site. Well me and the Reverend. He said a few words and I laid one red rose on her coffin and then they lowered her into the ground.

As I went to return to the car with the Reverend, he brought me out, I saw a black Cadillac parked right behind the Reverends car. I knew that car it was Vinny. As we got closer Vinny got out.

"Jake my boy I am so sorry for your lose, but if I may I want to give you some good news."

The reverend answered," Get out of here you scum bag how dare you show your face here."

With that Tommy and Tony got out of the car. Vinny said to the Reverend, "Listen here old man you need to get in your car and drive away or else."

"Vinny don't ruin this boys life, please think about this he's already gone through enough."

"Old man I'll count to 10 then Tommy here will put a bullet right through your heart, your choice. Now like I said get in your car and drive away."

The reverend tried to grab me to go with him but I was not going to allow that. "You listen here don't touch me you heard what Vinny said." I wasn't going back to that damn foster home. The Reverend pleaded with me for a few seconds longer that's when I heard Vinny say "10". Just then I heard the sound of Tommy's pistol followed by the Reverend hitting the ground.

"Stupid old man", Vinny said. "Ok Jake like I was trying to say I have some good news for you on this otherwise sad day. I went down to the Court House and adopted you. You are going to live with me now. No more foster home sharing a room with 4 other kids. You're going to live like royalty."

"Oh Vinny thank you". I rushed to him to give him a hug.

"Hey kid none of that. I said you're going to live with me now you need to chill on the hugging, now come on get in we are going home".

This is the day everything changed. We got back to Vinny's house, it was magnificent. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, the hugest kitchen I ever saw, and he even had a maid. I was so happy I almost forgot about all the misery of the past days.

As I went to bed the first night Vinny came in "Listen boy tomorrow you start your training, play time is over. I know your young but I am going to make a man out of you". With that he closed the door and I knew that school was over and now my life of crime was going to begin...............     

Day 5

All of your days have interested me.Can't wait for Day 6,very good.

I've been living with Vinny now for 6 years. There have been some moments but for the most part it's been great. I don't do that petty stuff anymore, Vinny has me running a corner with a couple of my friends. It's nice we sell about 2 pounds of weed a day. After I give Vinny his cut and my boys theirs it leaves me with about $250, not bad for a 13 year old.

Today was a big day for me. We were so busy that we actually went through more then 2 pounds for the first time. As I went to sell my last bag though things went all wrong.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE", I heard someone shout. I knew the voice this was bad.

"RUN", I yell to my boys and we scatter in all different directions.

I could hear the sirens blasting from the on coming car. I dove into the nearest ally and just kept running. I could tell the car had stopped because of the sound of the sirens. That just meant run faster. "STOP KID YOU CAN'T GET AWAY", but I didn't listen just kept running toward the end of the ally. As I went to exit out the ally back into the road I was hit by a blunt object on the knees. I fell over, my knee throbbing in pain. "What the hell man". It was a second cop that was just waiting for me.

"Gotcha again kid, are you ever going to learn. Your mother GRHS would be turning in her grave right now."

By now I bet you have figured out it was the same damn cop. "You leave my mother out of this".

"Kid do you know how long I have been watching you on that corner, DO YOU"

"I know my rights I ain't saying nothing"

"That's fine then, Jimmy cuff him we're taking him in"

At that point for the first time I was really going to jail. They read me my rights and throw me into the back of the car. I was scared I never have been to jail before. The whole way back to the station the damn cps just kept telling me all kinds of crazy shit that happened in there jail system. I knew what they were doing and I promise you it will not work.

Day 6

Excellento Jake..marvellous