Being humbled could sometimes cost you. I remember when I was a young tough guy I use to walk up on people and punch them in the face. It was called the sucker-punch. I had a great punch and would usually knock you out when I hit you. I did it several times; but one time I hit the wrong person and I had to fight it out with him. Barnett was a hard dude and he could fight, I don’t know what possessed me to pick a fight with him. He hit me back and I felt the pain and was hoping someone would stop it. We fought for almost ½ hour; it started in the park and moved all the way to the grocery store. Hoping someone would stop it I kept fighting him back, but I was losing the battle, my worry was that I would lose in front of everybody and would have to hear it every day. He was also getting tiered and I believe he also was hoping someone would stop the fight. In the ghetto if you punk -out of a fight everybody will abuse you so you had to deal with it. For some of us our reputation of being tough is all we had; our pride was all about respect, not the respect you give a college Professor, but a respect of being a tough guy. “How lost we were” for the only thing we capitalized on was an “ohhhhhh don’t mess with him he is tough” ” he can kick your ass.” I started to think, so I can find a way to stop it “ I tell him;” Hey Barnett how about we take a break and have a ice cold beer”?. “Than I could finish kicking your ass later”, he said OK ” but I’m kicking your ass when we finish”. I said fine” I bought us a few beers and we got drunk and the fight was over and neither one of us lost our reputation. I learned a valuable lesson and decided to keep my punches to myself and use them for self defense only. I also learned that the biggest weapon we possess is the brain when used righteously we can get a long way without having to hurt someone else. The ghetto was rough, but I learned a lot living in those rough streets they call the boogie down Bronx. Barnett died I don’t remember when, but when talking to others I have seen on face-book when I asked about him I was told about his death. May my friend RIP.

Have a nice day :0)

Tyrone Garcia

My book “Soap That doesn’t clean” will be out soon