Short Story

Rags to Riches by Tommy G.

“No Tiana, I will not take out the trash! I have to go to school.” “No! You can just pick it up on the way out the door!” Tiana said.
This is how Julian and Tiana usually started off their days. They would always be arguing. So today they were arguing about the trash.
“No, I’m not taking out the trash. Do it yourself you old bag! I’m leaving. Bye.” And that was the last thing Julian said to Tiana.

Julian is a 16 year old African-American living in Harlem New York. Some of his friends call him tenacious because he is so persistant and never gives up on anything. His parents died when he was young so he has been getting raised by his aunt Tiana for the past 14 years. Him and his aunt argue about everything, but deep down inside they know they love each other. So Julian goes to school at Jefferson High School and he is a junior there in 11th grade. Julian is a B and C student but is also one of the more popular kids in school. But today isn’t any ordinary day, and Julian is soon going to find that out.

As Julian is sitting half way through his D block which is chemistry, he gets a call to be dismissed. So he packs up all of his things and heads down to the office. When he gets their, he is greeted by a very cool state trooper who goes by the name of Jon. When Julian first meets Jon, he thought he was in trouble, but soon realizes he has some tragic news. Jon said that Julian’s aunt Tiana had been shot walking into Walmart. As soon as Julian hears the news, he feels confounded. He feels confused because he doesn't know why anyone would so this. But the his heart sinks, he feels doleful and he falls to the ground crying. He almost seemed puerile or childish. His first thoughts were he should have been nicer to her. All he could think about was how mean he was to her today, yelling at her and not taking out the trash. So then the cop asks him if he has any place to stay.

Julian said “I have a friend who lives on the other side of Harlem, his name is Jose. Jon said “Can I give you a ride?” Julian replies “That would be helpful”.

On the car ride over, it was very quiet and awkward. Julian didn’t know what to think after everything he had just heard.

“Thanks for the ride Jon…” “No problem kid, if you have any problems you call me, ok?” “Yes sir” replies Julian.

So Julian goes and knocks on the door and Jose answers. Julian just walks in and Jose already knows what has happened because he saw it on the news. Now Jose deplores to Julian, expressing his regret.

“I’m sorry for your loss bro” Jose said. “Thanks” Julian said.

Now Julian already knows that Jose is the leader of a gang called the Street Kings. So he has a feeling Jose is going to ask him to join.

“Hey J, I know the man who shot your aunt….” Jose said. “Who is it!?” Julian replies furiously. “His name is Pablo Montoya. He is a member of our rival gang, The Mexicanas.” “Ok I’m just going to ask you, can I join your gang and get revenge on him!?” “That is cool with me…..But to be in the gang you have to be fully committed and sell at least 5 G’s worth of drugs a month.” “Aiight Jose, just as long as I get a gun.” “I got you brah.” “Thanks”.

Now it has been a month said Julian’s aunt has died and Julian now realizes it was a bad choice to join the gang. He feels morosed or depressed. He has dropped out of high school and is slowly getting no where in life and he knows it. So one day he confronts Jose and asks him if he can leave the gang. Jose says no and if you do you die. Jose is very immutable and will never change his ways. Also, Jose is showing how fickle he is, lacking loyalty. So Julian, feeling provoked by the offer, says he wont leave to avoid being killed on the spot.

Now it is July 30, 2012 and it is Julian’s birthday, and this will be a birthday he will never forget. Julian goes to the corner of E 114 S and N 47 St where there stands waiting one his normal customers who goes by the name of Dk. Dk has $750 waiting to give to Julian in exchange for the drugs. When they are standing on that corner dealing drugs, a black Cadillac Escalade is driving slowly down the E 114 St. Then all of a sudden the passenger side window rolls down and it is Pablo. When Julian sees Pablo, he reaches for his gun but is too late. Pablo sticks his gun out of the window and fires 3 bullets at Julian. The 1st two hit Dk and he is killed but the third one hits Julian in the upper left shoulder and the Escalade speeds away. Julian falls to the ground, then reaches for his cell phone and calls Jon. Julian knows Pablo shot him because he knew Julian was out to seek revenge on him, but Julian feels like an anathema or someone who is cursed. He feels like he should of knew he was coming. He considers Pablo to be a malefactor. But then Jon shows up and upon seeing Julian, he sees a gun on the ground and drugs in his pockets. So Jon brings him to the hospital to get him all fixed up and they head down to the local police station. Their Julian admits it was his gun and drugs. Jon takes him aside and tries to make a deal with him.

Jon says “I can put you in prison for 3 years for what you had in possession, or you can do this. You move to another state and finish high school and finish an 8 year college to become a doctor which will all be paid for. So what is your choice?” “I’ll do the second choice you gave me… But what state am I moving to?” “ You will be going to Connecticut and finishing off high school at New Haven High School and then you will be going to Yale University for a Doctorate degree. How does that sound?” “That sounds fine with me.”

While going through high school and college, Julian has no problems and ten years later, Julian graduates from Yale University. Julian sends in an application to work at Boston Hospital as a radiologist which is someone who studies pictures taken from a patient’s body. They ask Julian to come to the hospital a week later for an interview. After the interview is done, they offer to pay him $380,000 a year. He happily concurs and then flies back to Harlem to talk to Jon. He talks to Jon for a quick 20 minutes and was very loquacious. Julian tells him how he did at the interview and how much he thanks Jon for what he did. When the conversation was over, Julian flew back to Boston and rented a condo near the TD Banknorth Garden so he can go see the Celtics whenever he feels like it.

So that night, Julian bought a Celtic’s ticket to go see them play the Cleveland Cavaliers. While sitting in the stands, he thinks about how crazy his life was and how lucky he has been to be where he is now. He starts to think more sanguine or optomistic for a moment. He starts to think how well his future is looking. He assuages or feels relieved at the thought. But as soon as the referee blew his whistle to start the game, he took everything off his mind and sat back and relaxed and watched the Celtics win.