Ghetto Stories

Once upon a time in the ghetto...

My first boyfriend lived across the street from me. His name was Sheldon. He was adorable.

He was American Indian, half Canadian Indian and half California Indian (Yurok/Koruk).

When your brown skinned in the ghetto, everyone assumes you must be Mexican. He wasn't.

Still, he found his way into the gang.

We lived in an area notoriously heavy with gang activity. It didn't take him long before he was writing me love letters from C.Y.A.

Before that, he was on house arrest. He would write to me and tell me how he wanted to rip off his ankle bracelet and come see me.

He was fourteen.

He was my first kiss.