I want to make her happy because I love her, but I hate to let my homeboys down. Being there for them is just like being in heaven. Man I hate when people put this kind of pressure on a brother. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I should have never got in 45th street gang. Being the leader isn’t any better. It just builds up the pressure for me.


This was my story of the way I (Damien Bostick) live in this world. I wake up every morning to gunshots and the smell of drugs in the morning air. What I’m trying to do is leave this trashy neighborhood and have something to do with my life. The best part about this situation is I have basketball to fall back on, and a great girlfriend that supports me.


Oh yea, I can’t exclude having Lexie in my life. I think about her day and night. Sometimes I wonder if she likes or loves me the way I Love her. She is the apple of my eye and I want to be with her for ever and ever. She is the reason I even think about going to school. She also comes to every game and cheers me on to play my but off for scouts, coaches and myself most importantly.


But on to the real stuff, Basketball has been my life since I was 4 years old. If it wasn’t for my uncle and my father I don’t think I would have made it as far as I am now. I go to Marietta High school and plan on going to Duke University to play for the best coach ever, Coach Krzyzewski otherwise known as coach K. My dreams are to make up my mind on this stupid gang stuff and to plan out my college career. I have a 4.0 GPA and I plan to maintain that average for the rest of my high school and college career. Teachers didn’t really see me as a trouble maker but they decided to say I defended myself very well. I make a name for myself in good and bad ways; but I don’t want to have a name in a bad way. It all started last week when me and a Blood gang member got into a huge fight and I sent him home with two broken legs and a bloody broken nose. All I came home with is a sprained wrist from hitting him so hard. The funny part about this situation was that his homeboys and he both know not to mess with me, or they will have something serious coming for them. Now that I’m back from my 30 day suspension I walk the halls all big and bad, but not too cocky. Hours go on and the last period is over, finally I can walk home. As I get about three miles away from the house I hear my friend running up to me let’s get that fool he stole my brothers basketball goal.


With my state of mind I ran and chased the boy down with my 4.2 speed and pushed him off the bike. Boom, bang, bam, was the sound it made when he hit the ground. We punched and kicked and elbowed him until he started bleeding. We got the bike back and took off running next thing you know I heard the cops write behind me. I tried to get away but they were faster. They caught me and said they saw the whole scene. My mind went bland and that’s when I heard put your hands behind your back. I couldn’t explain how mad I was because my so called friend told on me. The cops questioned me but all I could do is stutter. They just threw me in the car with no respect and drove me to the county jail. I saw my life going to waste. As I sat in my cell thinking how Lexie was right I heard my name being called. Damien Bostick, Damien Bostick!!!!!!! It was the head chief telling me my parents just belled me out. I shouted for joy and left. They wouldn’t shut up so I blocked them out on the way home. All I was thinking about was the game the next night.

Next Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I sat in last period looking at the time to see if the bell would ring. Ring, ring, ring. Finally there it was I headed to the gym to see my teammates and tell them everything. I looked at the clock and saw it was 5:45 p.m. so I got dressed and let the trainer tape me up. As everybody else left the locker room I stayed and got my head in the game. They called my name out and I heard all the fans cheering. I ran out and warmed up with the guys. It was finally time for tip off. I looked in the stands and heard my mom chanting my nickname. D.j. , D.j. I laughed and looked next to her. Next to her I saw college scouts such as Duke, USC, North Carolina, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Georgia. All is said was play your but off to myself.

They tipped off and we got the ball, I scored on the first play with a dunk and the crowd roared.

4th Quarter!!!!!!!!!!
The game was tied with 4 seconds on the clock and we were down 1and they gave me the ball. I shot a 3 and it went in. Everybody jumped up with joy. After the game ESPN interviewed me and asked me what college am I going to. I told the Duke University on a full basketball scholarship, so they congratulated me and walked off.

I left that night heading to college. Soon as I arrived my coach picked me up and we went straight to the gym. We practiced all day until I heard my name on the intercom. I went to the office building and they canceled my scholarship. I asked why and they told me they found out about my jail incident. I couldn’t do anything but cry my heart out. All I thought about was my life went in the trash, dang!!!!!!