“But Alonso kept smiling that smile and nothing made any sense with that smile looking you in the face. ‘Jim, don’t tell me that, you know, brother-shit. I have been through it all. Take, you know, advice. There is only one thing and that is the kick, the Now. Nothing else counts. Get yours. Get it because, you know, no one cares and they will always put you down in the end, Jim, and the only word that counts is, you know, Now. Not that foolish brother and bopping jazz, Jim. Now. Because if it all don’t go up in any, you know, twenty minutes; up, all gone; then they are going to put you down and keep you down. Now.”

“I don’t like the way people cherish the ghetto, as if it’s some royal palace, or kingdom. I also don’t like the way people treat each other in the ghetto. It is really hard to find love, trust, and respect. You don’t find too many people that want to do better for themselves in the ghetto because so many people seem to be satisfied with where they’re at.”