It's now 2008. I'm twenty-three years old and a graduate of Southern California University with a Bachelors degree in criminal psychology. I'm going back to finish my Masters this coming autumn after Fatima and I get back from our honeymoon in Morocco. Fatima's father, who happens to be Moroccan, was very pleased that his daughter chose me as a husband and has spoiled the both of us ever since our June 5th marriage. He footed the bill for the wedding and the honeymoon, which wasn't cheap by the way, especially in the recession era economy we're suffering.
Mama is a deaconess at our church home, Blesses Redeemer Baptist Temple. Mr. Larry still does painting, construction and light auto work in the neighborhood. He has since quit smoking and attends church regularly with Mama. I think those two are gonna hook up real soon, at least I pray that they will, because I really dig Mr. Larry and I know they dig each other a whole lot.
Leon moved to Orange County. Some people say he's married now to a rich Jewish lady, but I don't know how true that is. What I do know is that I haven't seen dude since that fateful night back in 1999. I wish him all the best. I don't hold anymore grudges against him because I've been changed. I once did for a long time though, but not anymore - thank God.
Miss Shante gave birth to a boy back in '99. She named him William after her favorite actor, Will Smith. He's nine now and looks remarkably like his Pops. As a matter of fact, Mama always calls him li'l Montel. I do also, and as far as Montel goes, well he was indeed found guilty of assault with intent to commit murder, which landed him back in prison for a 50 year bid with no chance of parole.
I used to go up to Pelican Bay to see him all the time with Miss Shante, Nadia and Li'l' Montel. I haven't been up there to see him in about a year, because with the wedding and all, I've had a really busy schedule. But he knows this and is very understanding.
Gang bangers and ballers around the way still remember Montel as being the tough talking, gun toting Reaper he'd once been. His exploits as a rider became the stuff of local street gang lore, amongst the various gang sets in general, and amongst the Reaper sets in particular. I, however, don't think about my brother in that way because he's so much more different now than even before. He runs the kitchen in Pelican Bay and heads the Inmate Development Program, which since 2003 returned 2300 hardened criminals back into society with fantastic results and only a three percent return rate. He's now studying criminal psychology himself and is making remarkable progress in his studies.
Today, I realize that my older brother may never see the outside of Pelican Bay's walls again, however, I know that just as Baby said awhile back, that no matter what, God would be in control of it all. You know what-He is. No matter how long Montel is imprisoned, he taught me, and all of us, in our small little Compton neighborhood a little bit about a lot. To his family, he will always be our blood, and to the hood as a whole, he will always be considered everyone's Big Homie.
The End
by
Tysha