Confessions of an Auto Finance Company Employee

So last Friday morning we were awakened out of our sleep by somone laying on our buzzer! If you've ever been awoken out of your sleep by any loud sound whether it be a baby crying, smoke alarm or whatever then you know how it leaves you in that sort of panic state. So I stumbled to the living room and politely, asked who was at the buzzer. Naw I'm lying I think I said something like "who the hell is this?"

The respondant stated they were with some auto recovery place and they were looking for the previous tenant. I yelled back they don't live here or something to that affect. They persisted to ask where he lives now and is he in another apartment. I again yelled I don't know, but he doesn't live here. They tried to again aggressively question me through the intercom. Finally, they said well this is unit ___ and we have his car on the tow truck. I was about to say I don't give a.... "wait what kind of car is it?" (I'm good but I was half sleep so you know I had to just make sure. lol) He replied "A Mercedes Benz." I yelled back "oh ok well whatever he don't live here bye!"

After that I looked at the time and it was like 4am. I was left unable to go back to sleep for probably another hour. Mind you I get up at like 6:40am. But in the end I guess I found it kind of funny, just because of what I used to do for a living. So as a treat to all those that may be struggling in this down economy I decided to re-post the blog below. Some tips that may help you out if you're in the same spot as my man with the Benz.
______________________________________________________
To begin, this is an anonymous posting. It is coming from a person that has expertise in this field/industry and felt the need to help out some individuals by giving out inside information. Use the information as you choose and at your own risk. We assume no liability for what happens based on you using or not using the information...

As we all know today's economy is not what it was 8+ years ago. People are really struggling now a days. They're getting laid off from work, they're in debt, and barely able to keep their head above water. In some cases they're unable to afford food to eat let alone keep a roof over their head or a car to get around in.

Well I work in the car finance company and I have witnessed the people struggling to pay high car note payments. It's hard out here for everyone. And when you're put into a situation as to whether you keep a roof over your family's head and food in the fridge versus to pay a car note payment well it's a simple choice as to which is going to fall by the way side. However, business is business and well the Finance Company is in business to make money and if you're not going to pay for whatever the reason may be well they have no choice but to do what they have to do. And ultimately that decision will be to come looking for their collateral which is the car and or truck or motorcyle.


Well I've been in this field for over 5 years and I've seen and done it all when it comes to car financing and repossessions. However, I'm just the low man on the totem pole so I'm just like the average person. Possibly a paycheck or 2 away from being a victim of the same fate. Therefore, I am writing this confession in an attempt to hopefully help some unfortunate individuals avoid the Repo man. Keep in mind I am not advocating or urging anyone to not pay their bills. Paying your bills on time is always the right thing to do. But just in case anyone finds themselves in a rough spot given these tough economic times well here's a guide to hopefully help you out some. If this doesn't apply to you then be happy but anyone can fall on hard times. But if you can't utilize this information you may know someone that can, just pass it on.

First off keep in mind that all Finance Companies are different in the way they operate. Some are more lenient and allow you to go further behind and will work with you more than others. While some are much stricter, especially given that many customers are no longer paying. Therefore, use this only as a loose guide.

Always keep in contact with the Finance company as soon as a problem arises and you can not pay. If you just got laid off make sure that you contact them immediately. Usually most finance companies offer some type of payment deferment for situations like these where you can skip 1 or 2 months payments at least once a year. Therefore, my first bit of advice is even when times are tough and you're not able to pay for whatever the reason to always keep in touch with your finance company. Of course once you get behind they will without a doubt begin to call you. Although no one like to talk to bill collectors, keep in mind that this isn't a credit card, phone bill, or any other unsecured account. Your vehicle is that company's security. So if they feel at any point that their security is is jeopardy they have the right to come and get it. So if they call answer the phone or if they leave a message return the call. The fastest way to end up on the Repo list is to lose all contact with your finance company. They will assume that you've purposely stopped paying. So when they call you let them know you are not neglecting the car note and plan on paying as soon as you have the money to do so. However, do not make false arrangements that you know you can not keep just to get them off of the phone. Breaking arrangements is also another swift way to get put on the repo list. Also, if you're required to have full coverage insurance on your vehicle then a lapse in your insurance will also bring about the red flags and may even cause them to put forced placed insurance on your vehicle at a higher cost than you providing your own insurance.

So let's say you've exhausted all your means of help meaning you've gotten extensions on your payments and you're still unable to make your monthly payment. Well most companies will make a decision on whether to repo once a person is at least 30 days past due. This means that say your due date is the 20th of each month and you've missed last month's payment. Well when the 20th of the present month comes along you're officially 30 days past due and are technically due 2 payments. Most customers feel like I'm only behind on the last month's payment. However, the finance company will look at it as 2 payments behind and based on your previous payment history (how many payments total and made on time), the value of your vehicle vs. the amount you still owe (if your vehicle is almost paid off it's likely to be worth more money), and sometimes even your attitude towards the collectors when they call you will all determine if you go out for repo. So I would use the 30 day mark as a range of when you can start to suspect your vehicle may be out for repo or about to be put out. At that point you should begin to implement the rules I've listed below.

1.) Keep it Garaged!
If you have a home with a garage then whenever you're home always make sure your vehicle is in the garage. Technically by law a repo company can not enter your garage without a court order (we'll discuss that later). However, that doesn't stop some grimy repo companies from attempting to go in your garage depending on what type of garage you have. Therefore, if you have a garage with windows on it you should cover up the windows so that no one will be able to see inside. Just keep in mind that a repo companies are powerless if they can not find your vehicle. The most they can do is try other clever ways (keep reading) to attempt to retrieve the vehicle.

2.) Keep it Fenced or Blocked In
If you do not have a garage but have a gated or fenced in driveway or hard then you're in just as good a shape. Although they can see the car because of your gated driveway they can not remove the vehicle. Just make sure you have a heavy duty lock and or chain because they are not above trying to cut a lock. Also if you don't have a fence but say you have more than one vehicle or live with a group of people then you can essentially block your car in. The idea is to make sure it's blocked in nice and tight though. Although they are able to most likely easily obtain a key for your vehicle, they are not going to be able to tow 4-5 vehicles out of your driveway to get to yours. Nor will they risk trying to drive it out or tow it out for fear of damaging the other vehicles.


3.) Switch Cars
If you are not fortunate enough to live in a house with a garage or if you work at a job that doesn't have secured parking this may be the best option for you. If you have someone that is willing to help you out ask them to switch vehicles with you. They drive your car and you drive theirs. However, please remember that when you applied for this loan you filled out a reference sheet with 3-5 people you put down as a personal reference. You supplied a name, phone number, and address for those individuals. So make sure that the person you switch with is not on that reference list. I would venture to say that switching cars is probably the most effective way to avoid the repo man. Because they essentially have no clue who has the vehicle. They may know exactly where you live and work and how to contact you. But if you are not driving the vehicle they are looking for then that information is useless. However, as you keep reading the person you switch vehicles with will need to keep some things in mind as well.


4.) Cover it Up.
Although this is not as full proof as switching cars or keeping it in a garage it can possibly be a temporary fix for those of you without garages. While standing on the outside of your car if you look in the front windshield on the far right at the bottom there is a little notch inside there are 17 characters (numbers and letters). This is your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). This is how they can officially identify your vehicle as being the one they have out for repo. Another way to identify is by plate #. Well if you keep that number covered with a paper or something from the inside it makes it difficult to identify if they have the right vehicle. So they may spot a vehicle that fits the description of the one they have out for repo but if they can't verify that VIN then some companies are reluctant to repo the vehicle for fear of repossessing the wrong one. However, keep in mind that if you simply have it covered there's nothing to stop them from popping your lock and removing the paper you have there. Remember they are a towing company and have the tools to do so. You can try to remove that Vin # from the panel but I don't know the difficulty of doing so. Also, another extreme means would be to paint your vehicle a totally different color. I'm not sure what a paint job runs now a days but I guess if you had the money for a paint job you'd pay the note.

Another indicator of whether or not it is the correct vehicle is the plate #. Repo companies utilize license plate numbers all the time. This is why the switcharoo described above is still not full proof. If you're spotted driving your friend's car or if your friends car is always parked in your driveway then there is nothing to stop them from running your friend's plate #. Once they do it will come back to your friends name and they can then retrieve the friends address. So I would recommend keeping the plate # covered up or removed while parked in your own personal drive way. Now if you do that while parking on the street or in a public parking area you will risk getting ticketed which will bring about other problems as you keep reading.

5.) Avoid Tickets
If you or even if you have switched vehicles with someone it is important that you and that friend avoid getting ticketed for any reason. The reason is because there is a way (At least in the City of Chicago) that you can check to see if a vehicle has received a parking ticket or a red light violation ticket. Once that information is obtained there is a way (which I can not disclose) that the finance or repo company can find out the exact location of where that ticket was given. So say you got a ticket for expired plates or no city sticker while you were parked over your girl's crib. Well they can then find from that ticket your girls address and in turn attempt to repo you from there. Also, the red light violation tickets are online as well. Some you can actually view the video of you running the light. It may be harder to indicate where you were going at the time but it can at least pin point a radius of the area you are in. Also, remember that if for whatever reason your vehicle is booted due to excessive tickets it can then be impounded. Once a vehicle is impounded the finance company will receive notice of this. There is usually about a 3-7 day lapse as to when they receive notice though depending on the city you're impounded in. So if you are impounded and know that you are behind on your payments you better get the vehicle out of the pound right away. Because once the finance company receives notice they will immediately go and pick up the vehicle.


6.) Don't Run Your Credit
Unless you're trying to get a loan that will pay your car note up to date I would avoid having your credit report ran or applying for any new credit. The reason being that any new information you give such as a job, address or phone number will most likely appear on your credit report next time it is ran. And keep in mind that you signed a credit application allowing the finance company to run your credit and they can do so in order to find you or find out information about you. Also, say for instance you just opened up a new account with a new creditor there are ways (which I can not disclose) that they can get the information you provided on your account to that new creditor. Including your current address, phone number, and job information.

7.) Home for the Holidays
Remember I mentioned those references? Well unfortunately you may want to avoid visiting them in your vehicle that is out for repo especially on the holidays. That is right finance and repo companies will some times make it a point to check certain addresses on holidays. If they have your mom or grandmom's address they will run it on a holiday hoping to catch you visiting on Thanksgiving, Christmas or 4th of July. Also, speaking of references if you have any bad blood with any of the people you've put as a reference you may want to quickly make amends with them. Because when it boils down to it they will not hesitate to snitch you out to the repo or finance company. I've seen bitter baby mama's and ex-girlfriends do it a lot. And just know that the finance company is not above offering financial restitution [A bribe] in exchange for information on where you or their vehicle is. What's a couple hundred dollars when it will lead to them recovering their vehicle worth thousands of dollars.

8.) Trap Cards
There are plenty of tactics that can be used to get you to call and once you do they will try to fish for information. One of these tactics is called using a trap card. The repo company will leave a card and or letter at the address stating something that will get you to call them. Once a company we utilized left a card indicating that they were trying to deliver a package to the customer. Well the customer called them back stating she's not home during the day and to deliver the package to her work. Well needless to say that information was used to repo the vehicle and there was never a real package. So if something sounds too good to be true it usually is. Also, with this you should avoid answering unknown/blocked calls, or calls from numbers you do not recognize. If you must return a call check the next tip on how to respond.

9.) Use a Payphone
If for any reason you decide to or have to contact the finance company it's best to do so from a payphone. I know they're kind of hard to find now a days but it will keep them off of your trail. Don't try to use your friend's phone or anyone else because they will find out who's phone you're using. And with today's technology even if you call in blocked or (*67) they can still get the number you're calling from. And if you call from a number they don't have already even if it's a friend's phone they will find out the name and address that number goes to. There are ways they can even text message you with hopes that you respond.

10.) Change of Address
If your vehicle is out for repo they will try to find you at any and every address they have associated with your account. Even old addresses you didn't even know they had. So, if you've moved from a previous address you may not want to put in a change of address with the post office. If your finance company sends a letter to your previous address then the post office will send a change of address back to the company. And you know they'll be looking for you at your new address.

11.) Don't Answer the Door
Just as with answering the phone for unknown callers don't answer the door either. Repo agents will come right up to your door and knock to get in touch with you. Some agents may use aggressive or scare tactics in order to reach you or to obtain the vehicle. For instance some agents carry badges but the badges are simply repossesor badges. But obviously they're hoping that you or the person that answers the door will think it's a police badge. I've even heard of agents lying saying that the vehicle was involved in a hit and run accident with hopes someone will give up some information. So if you have a peep hole use it and don't answer the door for any unknown individuals.


12.) Be on the Look out
Most people think of repo and think tow truck. Well now a days repo agents don't drive the traditional tow trucks. Some have high tech vehicles that look like regular pick up trucks. Also, as I mentioned they can get a copy of your key very easily. So some times they will travel in a regular car hoping to spot your vehicle and simple drive off in it. So, if you're on the look out you'll want to look for anything supsicious not just a tow truck driving down your block.

If you follow the above rules and tips you should be able to avoid the repo man for a time being. Again, this is not a guide for someone to rip off the finance companies even though they may have ripped you off (should've read the fine print). But if you're in a bind and need to buy yourself some time in order to get your finances together then these things may indeed help you out. The last thing that I want to discuss is something that can be a consequence of avoiding the repo man too long. Of course you can face adverse credit ratings, and possibly having your wages garnished. But if the vehicle is expensive and worth a lot to the finance company they can obtain what is called a Replevin. Basically a replevin is a court order in which the finance company has obtained which allows them to demand that you give them the vehicle back. Once this court order is obtained and served to you by a sheriff officer you must surrender the vehicle within the specified time or you will basically be arrested. So, again utilize the above info only to buy yourself time don't go into the business of ripping off finance companies.

--Anonymous--

Low Profile

As the light turned green the driver began a left hand turn. As he turned he looked right and noticed a police car stopped at the red light. As he turned fully onto the street he said to his passenger "Damn the cops." The passenger replied "what did you do? You're not drunk are you?" "No I only had 2 beers with dinner."

As the light turned green for the cop car he immediately pulled up behind the driver. The driver then said to his female passenger "I'm about to be pulled over." She replied "what? Why? how do you know?"

The driver pops a mint in his mouth right before taking off at the next green light.

As the car passed through another major intersection, the cop shined his bright light and turned on the police lights to pull over the car. As the cop pulls up the driver begins to roll down the window. The cop has his hand on his gun and flashlight in the driver's face. He motions to him without saying it to "keep his hands where he can see them."

Next comes the questions and answer session, which covers everything except the color of your mom's vaginal walls when you were delivered during birth:

Cop: "What state are these tags from?"

Driver: Ohio Sir

C: They expired last year

D: Actually they are not expired you can see that someone tried to unsuccessfully steal and remove the tag

C: Whose car is this?

D: My girlfriend's she's right here.

C: Do you have a license?

D: Yes... *reaches for ticket in his wallet* I'm driving on a ticket, but I paid it and they still haven't sent me my license. Perhaps it got lost since I've moved.

C: You didn't change your address?

D: No not yet.

C: Well where are you coming from?

D: From Home

C: Where do you live

D: Give his exact address

C: How long have you lived there

D: A few months

C: [Speaking to the Girlfriend] You do know you're supposed to change over your tags within 30 days of moving?

GF: Yes, I'm here for school.

C: How long have you lived here?

GF: 2 months.

C: Where do you live?

D: Attempts to answer..."She"

C: Give look of I'm not talking to you nigger I'm asking her...

GF: We live together

As he speaks to the couple the cop continues to shine his light into the car looking for any suspicious items, drugs, guns, etc. The cop's partner is on the passenger side with his flash light doing the same. An under cover car pulls up as they're interrogating to ask if they need assistance. The cop waves them off & the Under cover car speeds off.

C: Do you have insurance.

GF: Yes I just have to look for it.

GF begins to look through the glove compartment for the insurance card. Pulling out papers from the glove compartment she gives some to the driver to look through as well. She finds a card but it is expired.

Cop walks away and goes to run the plates and license while they continue to search for the insurance card.

GF: I must not have put the updated card in here.

D: Oh well nothing we can do now.

Cop comes back to the driver side.

C: You need to remove that placard from around your plates because you can't tell what state it's from. Also, you need to get this registration changed over as soon as possible.

**hands license to the driver**

C: You folks have a good night.

D: Thanks

As the cop car pulls away. The couple begins to notice it wasn't just one car that pulled them over, as they begin to count together aloud...

D/GF: One, Two, Three, Four... Four Cop cars Wow!

D: And there was an undercover one I saw too but they just didn't stop.

The End...


The story above is a true story I am the driver and the passenger is my girlfriend. We were pulled over for no reason 2 nights ago. We were less than 5 minutes away from our home and racially profiled.

My story is one that has been told before not only by me, but by the many black males throughout the country that face this problem on a daily basis. Yes it's 2010 and guess what? No matter what people may think, racism and racial profiling still exists. I've seen it time and time again that I've been pulled over for no other reason than the fact I'm black.

Some would say "you're lucky you didn't get a ticket." Or it could've been worse. Well I guess I say to that. If I had've gotten a ticket it may have at least made more sense to me. It may have made it more random. But the fact none of that happened well it just goes further to prove my point. But again, my plight is not greater than any other black man in America. The only difference is that mine did turn out good. I only imagine how it would've turned out if I had've had a record. I'm sure they would've searched the car. But wait, I've had that happen to me in the past same situation same girlfriend, just a different car. So, all I can say to that is this is reality.

I once said that to know when the police are behind you for a black man is like a "6th" or "spidey" sense that you're about to be pulled over. But maybe it's not. Maybe it's just that when they do get behind you just anticipate that it's going to happen and being black means that the odds are in your favor that it will happen. Irregardless, the end result is the same. You get left feeling humiliated, embarrassed and pissed all at the same time.

Side Bar: I guess the only thing they haven't done to me yet is pull me over with my son in the car. That is a day I absolutely dread. The main reason being is this. When I was my son's age I witnessed my father handcuffed, arrested, thrown into the back of a cop car and accused of a crime he didn't commit. While I stood there and got to play on the police computer in the front seat. I could only imagine the thoughts that went through my dad's head at that time. I pray I never have to experience that situation, and pray that 10 years from now when my son is driving that things will have gotten better.

But I guess that's what it's all designed to do anyway. Especially if they can't actually pop you on any type of charges. Honestly, I can go on for days and days and honestly, the handful of times I've been pulled over probably don't even equal 30% of the times my brother has been pulled over. He drives for a living so unfortunately he's had to face this on many more occasions than I have. He keeps a tally of the # of times he's been pulled over but I don't.

**Sends text to brother to see his current total # of times he's been pulled over**

So the figure I got back was a whopping 42-44 times he's been pulled over. I don't know how far back he went with that statistic but regardless that's a lot of times to be pulled over. I would say in my lifetime it's probably been less than 15, so my 30% is just about accurate. To close I'm know that I'm working on 1 day being a successful business man. But regardless of what kind of money I make in the future as Kanye said "Even if you drive a benz you still a nigga in a coup."






I know this was supposed to be a comeback blog since it's been so long since I've written, but sorry that it turned out to be a long drawn out story.


--C-Recks--

@crecks on twitter follow for more daily insight.

My 4th Of July: Chilling, Domestic Violence, Racist Cops, and No BBQ!!

So I hope that everyone had a great 4th of July weekend. For the most part mines was good. Well let's just say it was going good up until the actual 4th of July. I got to spend some time with my son and took him to a carnival down the street from us. We had a great time. Although I will say that carnival games are a damn rip off. Who the hell spends $10 to win a man in a toy boat, a bottle holder and some Mardi Gras Beads?? Now unless I can use those beads to...well you get my point it was a Rip OFF!! Next time I'm taking that $10 and taking my son to Toys R Us and tell him to pick something! LoL. But he had fun and was satisfied with his beads and toy boat so I guess that's priceless right?

Well moving on. After my son left on the 4th. I didn't have any solid plans at all really. So I was basically just in chill mode. My aunt had invited me and my mom over to eat so we were possibly going to do that later on. So I'm in my bedroom chillin and just watching TV and on the computer. Basically doing a whole bunch of nothing. Which was fine with me. So as I'm chillin I think I hear some bumping coming from the stairwell. Well it stops shortly after that so I think nothing of it really and proceed back to chillin. Well with a minute or so after that I can hear someone in my Apartment and it's not just my mom's voice. I try to keep quiet and see if I can recognize the voice, but I am unable to. At first it sounds as if they're laughing so I assumed it was one of my other aunts that was supposed to be stopping in town.

So again as I stated I'm chillin. And hopefully it's not TMI but that involved me laying in bed in some drawls and a t-shirt in front of a fan wishing I had a cold beer. LoL. So thinking it may be my aunt at the door I quickly, jump up and throw on some suitable clothes to go out. That's when I see my mom ushering a young white girl into my apartment that's crying and in tears. The young lady is hysterically crying and short of breath and really unable to speak because she's so worked up. Instead of rushing out and demanding to know what is going on I decided to play the back for a bit. Immediately I hear the young lady say she was in a physical fight with her boyfriend. That clue right there told me exclusively to play the back and let moms QB this one. I didn't want her to see another male and react accordingly.

So as I fall back to my room I look out the window and see one of my neighbors a taller man of Indian Decent rushing and jump into a car in a hastily manner. At first I thought nothing of the man and was definitely more focused on what was taking place in my living room. I went back to the doorway and listened. I overheard the girl still crying and trying to talk and my mom trying to calm her down. So in the midst of this she asks to use my mom's phone to call someone. My mom's response was if you're at all injured you need to be calling the police. The girl declined my mom's repeated requests to call 9-1-1 and just asked can she call a friend. Well there was a problem. Apparently her phone was left at the boyfriend's house and of course like most of us now a days she doesn't remember any of her phone #'s. So she's going through in her head trying to recall #'s and each time to no avail my mom was calling the wrong #.

So my mom gets her some water trying to calm her down some and hoping she catches her breath. In between trying # after # I hear my mom trying to get the story from the girl on what happen to her. From my room this is what I heard her describe: I been dating this guy a couple months. He's of Indian descent and he doesn't drink or smoke (weed). I lied to him and told him that I stopped smoking (weed). Well I had been drinking today. He was going through my phone and saw a text message about me having smoked with some of my friends. He got upset and we began to argue. The argument started to escalate and I decided I would just leave. So I began to go down the stairs. The next thing you know he's coming up behind me and choking me! The tears begin to flow again. My mom tried to calm her down and was trying to encourage her to still call the police "if not for you at least for the next girl he may try to do this to." Moms even tried to let her know if it happened this one time he will do it again. She didn't seem to be trying to hear her on that though.

Now at this point I'm walking into the living room closer to my back door, which she came into. She hasn't seen me yet. But she starts to get spooked asking my mom "do you hear something? Is someone coming in here?" She assured her the door was locked and that it was only her son that she was probably hearing. The girl then proceeded to go back to trying to remember a friends #.

Side bar: Okay I have a serious problem. It's probably good and bad. But that problem is I'm too damn suspicious. First off this is a small 6-Unit building. Most of the people in the building I know or have seen. I have not seen this girl before. So of course with the more #s she's not able to remember the more suspect I got. Now I too don't remember any phone #s. My phone is my only contact with the outside world for the most part and if I lost that I would not be able to contact 'hardly' anyone. However, I know 4 phone #s by heart. Those being my mom, my brother, my grandfather, and my son's mom. That's it. I will admit I don't even know my girlfriend's #. Just the area code. Sad I know. So needless to say I began growing more and more suspect with each wrong #. I'm thinking she may have got up in here and her dude waiting outside to try to pull the jack move on me/us. I had a lot of things going through my head so I was on guard for whatever. In fact, I was on twitter before the drama popped of so I ended up basically tweeting the incident live. Check out some of the tweets I received during the ordeal. Some of them may provide some comic relief to a serious situation.

ToshaRenelle@crecks DAMN! I know you thinking, "Why she have to knock on MY door" smh!5:44 PM Jul 4th from TweetDeck in reply to crecks

ADopeFiend@crecks Sound like a crackhead to me. tell er be gone! She gone jack you son!5:47 PM Jul 4th from web in reply to crecks

ToshaRenelle@crecks My mom woulda done the same thing. And I, like you, would've been side-eyeing the hell out of the situation, LOL!5:47 PM Jul 4th from TweetDeck in reply to crecks

ADopeFiend@crecks i mean EVRYONE knows one number at least, I mean ONE number. liesliesLIES!5:48 PM Jul 4th from web in reply to crecks

ADopeFiend@crecks Light that ass on FIRE!!!5:49 PM Jul 4th from web in reply to crecks

1JennaMarie@crecks tell her 2 call 911.. If ur in danger the law has 2 legally transport u to a safe location & tell her to get an ordwr of protection5:50 PM Jul 4th from UberTwitter in reply to crecks

ToshaRenelle@crecks That means she's gonna take him back! Or else she would've called the police before trying to search her brain 4 numbers of friends5:51 PM Jul 4th from TweetDeck in reply to crecks

1JennaMarie@crecks omg.. Let her know that abusive behavior hardly ever changes & it only escalates..5:52 PM Jul 4th from UberTwitter in reply to crecks

ADopeFiendRT I know a # 9-1-1 by heart. @crecks You know! Hmmmmm keep tweeting b, i need to know what goes down lol. Intriguing!5:52 PM Jul 4th from web

ADopeFiend@crecks If I see kwdkudywiudfyeiu`fg,iuwdg`tdkg,`ugduwy all up on your tweets I'll know that shit just popped off. LOLLOLLOL5:53 PM Jul 4th from web in reply to crecks

ADopeFiend@crecks YO, I GOT YOUR BACK MANNNNN! lol!6:02 PM Jul 4th from web in reply to crecks

nikkig09@crecks sounds funny..... What does she want u to do if she doesn't want to call police and claims to know no ones number....6:13 PM Jul 4th from TwitterFon in reply to crecks

nikkig09@crecks if I were to lose my phone I wouldn't know a lot of numbers but there's a few key ones I would...i.e Mom, dad, aunt, etc.6:14 PM Jul 4th from TwitterFon in reply to crecks

Thanks for all those that tweeted me during the ordeal.

So finally she remembers a #. Her mom but there was no answer. Then she remembered the friend's # she had been trying to reach but got her voice mail and just left a message. Then she called another friend. That friend answered and she in a panic tells her to pick her up from "the guy's apartment" She told her to get there right away and to call her on my mom's number when she gets there and she'll come down. The girl continues to talk to my mom and I hear her say "He has the keys to my mom's car." That's when I chimed in and asked what kind of car it was. She proceeds to say the type of car (I forget the make and model). Now up until this point I had no clue who the "boyfriend" neighbor was she was referring to. But when she mentioned the car, I asked was it a red car? She said yes. I asked was the guy of Indian decent? She said yes. I then said I saw that guy jump into that car shortly after you came in here. She then started panicking saying that he took off with her mom's car. This is when I realized this had to be my neighbor across the hall from me, since they are the only Indian people in the building.

Well her friend calls about 20 minutes later and she's downstairs. She gets up to go downstairs. The girl was hobbling and crying saying her ankle was sprained. The girl didn't even have on any shoes. My mom put on her shoes to go downstairs and I let her know I'm going too and we walk her down. Her friend is at the door with an upset look on her face. My mom opens the door for her and she walks up to the girl and asks where is he? The girl starts balling again hysterically. Her friend says she's going up there and going to take a golf club to his head. Now it sounds like a great idea to me, but then I notice the girl is about 8 months pregnant. I'm thinking if he choked her out what will he do to you. But that's neither here nor there. The girl then says she's going to call the police on him. Finally someone thinking with some sense! So we walk them outside to the truck where the friend's boyfriend was waiting in. They both thank us. My mom and I walk back upstairs.

This is when my mom tells me her version of the story. She says she heard someone in the hall screaming and some commotion on the stairway. The commotion is what I heard but I didn't hear screaming. She then said she opened up the door and saw the girl crawling up the stairs. She immediately helped the girl into the apartment. As she came in she began to close the door behind them and that's when she felt someone pushing on the door trying to get in behind her. "Wait!!" I replied. "You mean he was pushing on the door?" "Yes." my mom replied. I was heated. I exclaimed I wish you had've said so because I don't care what the situation was aint nobody pushing up in my crib. She replied that everything happened so fast that she just reacted and closed the door and locked it. I let her know that I would be having a chat with the neighbor asap in regards to that.

As I retreated back to my room I looked out the window and I saw that the young lady and her friend were still downstairs in the parking lot. I let my mom know they were still out there and we both concluded that they must've called the police. My mom said she's going to go back down and check on her. I of course accompanied her downstairs. Just as we get outside it starts to rain. Also, the police pulled up just as we walked out. My mom walked up to the girl to check on them. I chose to play the back and waited by the door.

So as the police got out of the car there was the girl, her pregnant friend, the friend's boyfriend and my mom. So immediately the police get in her face and they're asking where is the guy? One of the officers looks over my way and immediately states "Is it that black guy over there by the door?" I'm once again heated (of course I knew it was coming but still heated), I yell back "naw it's not me." See and people wonder why I hate the police. How do you go past the white guy standing with her and assume that it's the black man standing on the side that's the guilty party? I could've just been taking out the trash or something? WTF. And if I was guilty the black instinct in me is to not stay on the scene almost a whole 30 mins. later and wait for the police! Damn idiots! My mom replied "No that's my son, and we're the ones trying to help the girl out!!"

So the racist officer continues to question the girl about the incident and what happen. Of course she leaves the part about the weed out. Then he asks about the guy. "Is he black or white?" She replies "he's Indian." The officer then asks "Is he in this country legally?" I mean come on wtf are there not any American citizens of Indian descent? Next he asked her where he was at? She said he went to work. He asked her where he works. She named the city he worked in. He then asked "where does he work in said city? Is it a gas station?" I mean man do all Indian people work at gas stations? What a racist ass! However, the girl then replied "well yes he actually does." Okay he got that one right but still it was an unnecessary stereotype.

From where I was it seemed like the girl was denying wanting to press charges on the guy. That's when one of the officers left. Then he asked to see her neck. From there he said why don't we just go down to the station and just take some pics to at least document the incident. The girl finally agreed. Her and her friend both gave my mom a hug and thanked her for her help. She asked them to call her later and let her know that everything was okay. The girl got in the police car and they drove off to the station.

So as we walked back upstairs my mom was saying that while they were talking to the cops that the friend got a call and apparently the guy had drove over to the girl's moms house. He had given her a totally different story about what happen and the mom even gave him an okay to keep her car. My mom also said the bruises on her neck were all over and they looked terrible.

After all that drama my mom and I decided to stay in and not even go to my aunt's house. Unfortunately, that has potential to bring a whole new set of drama that we were no longer prepared to endure. We had, had enough drama for the day! So I had no BBQ on the 4th of July!

I made an attempt to knock on the neighbors door but got no answer. My mom stated that the next morning someone from next door knocked on the door and was asking about what happen? She wasn't sure if it was the guy or not but she refused to speak with them given it was so early in the morning. I again attempted 3xs the next day to reach someone there with no avail. But trust I will eventually have that conversation very soon in the near future. I'm sure there are 2 sides to every story. And he can tell his side in court I don't care to discuss that. But I will let his ass know don't ever push up on my door again cuz his bitch ass will have to be fighting a man then. And it may not be the same results as his fight with his girl.

So there you have it. That's how my 4th of July went. I didn't even have to seek it out, drama came knocking right on my back door. I still thank god my son wasn't around for this incident. I could only imagine how he would have reacted. So In conclusion I say this. Domestic violence is real and there are people that go through it daily. I felt very sorry for this young lady. I also had suspicion that she may even go back to the guy. It is a very sad reality. I hope and pray she is able to move on from this guy and hopefully get past this devestating incident. And I hope that the guy gets his in the end. Also I conclude that I still hate the police and that I still have reason to do so. Finally, I conclude that without BBQ it's really not 4th of July. It felt like a random saturday, besides all the drama of course.

I hope that everyone else had a much more enjoyable 4th of July than I did.

--C-Recks--

Tons of Guns

"I got mines I hope you [got yourself a gun]" Nas - "Got yourself a Gun"

I'll be honest I don't listen to or really read the news. The reason being is because it's usually all bad news. So I can appreciate when ClnMike does his Good News Tuesdays. But last week I came across an article about a young 11 year old boy that killed his pregnant step mother with a gun. Well the twisted part is that apparently the gun used to kill the 8 month pregnant step mother was a youth 20-gauge shot gun that was given to the child. Just 2 weeks prior to this tragic event the boy won a turkey in a shooting competition. I just don't understand what some parents are thinking these days. This tragedy could have been prevented so easily. But now a woman and her unborn baby are dead, a young boy is facing life in prison for double homicide and a family is torn apart.

Now I know I started off with something a little depressing, but that story made me think about me and guns when I was a young boy. So on a lighter note I have a little confession. When I was younger like most young boys I had a fascination with guns. Upon saying that some may assume that I had plenty of toy guns to play with. Well actually it was the total opposite. My parents absolutely refused to buy or allow me to play with toy guns. Yep they were all off limits. Water pistol? Nope! Cap gun? Nope! Suction gun? Nope! Trust mom and dad vetoed them all.

So, as a young boy I was stuck at a crossroad. I mean how am I to play cops and robbers with no gun? What kind of cop or robber has no gun? So what was I to do? Well being the innovative young boy that I was (and still am) I didn't need an actual gun. Yes ladies and gentlemen I turned any and everything into a gun. I made guns out of legos, Lincoln Logs (that's old school for the younger readers out there. Lol), sticks, and of course my finger. Pow! Now as much as my parents tried to stop this behavior they just couldn't keep me from making more guns. As soon as they took one of my make shift guns away I would immediately grab something else, aim it at someone, and say POW! I think its just one of those things about little boys. Its somehow in their nature. Although I will admit I was an extreme case.

Likewise, my son's mother and I adopted the same philosophy to keep our son away from guns. But of course it doesn't stop him from running up on me with his finger or some other object and unloading on me. POW! Lol. Luckily for me his fascination is with cars and rarely thinks about guns or violent toys. As for me I eventually turned to sports cards and video games and my gun fascination died down some. However, when the super soaker was out I had to have one.
Again, the key word is it died down "some." I can recall at about age 12 a friend of mines and I bought these 2 toy guns. They resembled 9 millimeters. But what kept them from looking real was the fact they were painted in camouflage fatigue colors. Well in an effort to make them look realer we came up with the bright idea to spray paint the guns black. So, after spray painting the guns to the average untrained eye the gun really did look like a real 9 millimeter (similar to the toy gun to the left). Bright idea #2 came when we decided to actually carry these guns around. Yep just like they do in the movies in the waist band. Now we didn't do anything devious with these guns but we just carried them around to make us look or feel cool.

Fortunately, no one ever mistook the guns for real guns. However, there was one particular incident that I recall so vividly. Now let me first paint the picture. The year was around 1992 or 1993, the place Los Angeles, California (Technically the San Fernando Valley). So this was after the Rodney King verdict and L.A. riots. So tension between blacks and police were at an all time high. A 12 year old young black male walks out of a local mall. He has a toy gun spray painted to look realistic. A police squad car with 2 white officers in it passes by and they notice him reaching for what looks to be a gun. They immediately stop! They tell him to stop and one of the officers walks up to him and asks what he has tucked in his jeans. He pulls out a toy gun and immediately states "it's just a toy." Officer #1 replies "this thing looks real why are you carrying it?" The boy replies "for no reason its just a toy." Officer #2 states "don't you know we could have shot you thinking this gun was real?" The boy keeps quiet. Officer #1 says "we're going to give you a bag to carry this thing in."

Next, Officer #2 interjects and says "no better yet we're going to just drop you off at home. What's your name and where do you live?" The boy panics and tries to think fast. He gives his first name. They then ask him his last name. He attempts to think even faster. Well he didn't want to give his real last name, so the only thing that he could come up with quick enough was Mc Williams. "Mc Williams is your last name?" Officer #1 asks with a suspicious look on his face. He then sarcastically states "Okay then hop in the back we're gonna drop you off at home Mr. Mc Williams." On the trip the young boy realizes he can't be seen by his parents with a squad car dropping him off. So as they approach his apartment complex he tells them to stop at the building right before his. The officers let him out of the back and give him the gun in the bag. They leave him with a stern warning not to carry the gun out in public any more.

Well of course that young black boy was me. Whenever I think back to the incident I just think God was with me that day. Those cops could have shot me and would have gotten away with justifiable homicide because I decided to carry a fake gun. Then I laugh at me choosing the last name Mc Williams. There was a white girl in my class with the same last name so I guess that's all that came to mind in time. Back then I didn't realize that it was strictly an Irish last name. So the chances of a black man having that last name were the same of Rodney King still having some of the money left that he won in the civil trial. Although my brother once out drank an Irish man and called him self Dre Mc Williams, beyond that it wasn't a plausible alias. LoL.

I don't think my fascination with guns was quite the same after that incident. Pretty much non existent would describe it best. Although once my ex father in law (an ex-police officer) took me to the gun range once when I was about 21. That was the first real life gun I had ever held let alone fired. So I guess that allowed me to finally live out some childhood fantasy. Whatever the case may be a child does not have the mental capicity to handle real guns. Hell there are plenty of adults that shouldn't even be handling guns. So to purposely hand a child a real gun is a tragedy waiting to happen. Just my take on the story.

--C-Recks--

Light, Camera, Action!

Since George Orwell wrote the book 1984, the term "Big Brother is watching" has been commonplace in the American lexicon. It was normally spoken as a warning of the days to come. Well people, those days are here with a vengeance. I have been all across this nation. Almost all major cities, all except for Miami. (I've only gotten as close as Ft. Lauderdale). And now in many of them they have red light cameras. In my current city of residence Phoenix, Arizona, they also have cameras to catch you speeding. All of this has made for a formidable journey on our roads. For those of you who are blessed to live in a city without any of these cameras, let me be the one to prepare you for what's probably coming to an intersection, or roadway near you.

It all began sometime back in the 90's. (Sounds like such a long time ago). I lived in Los Angeles back in 1996 and 97. At the corner of Desoto Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard there was this contraption that sat right next to the bus stop. I had absolutely no clue what the hell this thing was. I consider myself a pretty intelligent person, so I came up with what I thought to be a reasonable explanation for what I saw. "This is obviously a means by which the bus can change the light so that it can breeze through intersections". It was a plausable explanation, I had just moved back to L.A. from Chicago, and the newest rave in the suburbs of Chicago was that all emergency vehicles could change the light to green so as to minimize the possibility of a collision as they came through the intersection. Brilliant. Well in the city that invented, patented, and perfected the art of the traffic jam, I thought it was great that L.A. had found a way to at least keep public transportation moving. Plus given that back then I actually rode the bus at times, that would only mean that my time spent on the bus would be lessened.

But as I traveled throghout the city, I began to see this contraption more and more. And not always next to bus stops. And then the moment of despair, I saw a sign that indicated that the intersection was photo enforced for red light violations. And the fine was $280. Damn! They weren't playing at all. So now the cops don't have to actually be there to catch you making a quick dash through a yellow that quickly turned red on you, they have a camera that catches your moment of weakness. And the penalty was ungodly in my opinion. I had no idea that this was just a first in what the police would use in combat against those who broke even the slightest of laws.

In late 96 and early 97, I spent some time in Phoenix, Arizona. The city of Tempe, a suburb most known for being the home of Arizona State University, devised a program to combat speeders. The police department took an innocuous white minivan, and parked it on the side of the road. unbeknownst to the passing motorists, this van was equipped with a radar gun, and a camera to snap pictures of both the driver and license plate of any vehicle caught speeding. I heard about this during a local news program, and almost choked. This was patently unfair. What happened to having to look out for motorcycle cops wedged in between two parked cars? Or a squad car conveniently positioned behind a high bush? This pushed entrapment to the extreme in my opinion.

Fast forward, oh maybe 7 years. I began to come out to Phoenix on a semi-regular basis. Of course I'd continue to see the vans on the side of the road. Unfortunately, many more cities throughout the Phoenix area had caught on to this new racket. However, there was a new one. On the 101 freeway, the road was now equipped with cameras that would catch you speeding. This was crap. I mean, yeah, I know that speeding is a crime. I know its not something that we should be doing, but we all do it. And for them to post a camera on the freeway was wholly different from them posting it on the streets. I understand that on the streets we're talking about a more confined space that includes other motorists, and pedestrians. But the freeways were off limits in my opinion. If the speed limit is 65, and I don't have somebody in front of me, and I decide to go say 75, what's the big deal. If there's a highway trooper that catches me, so be it. How fair is it though that the camera catches me? How much more danger am I placing myself or other motorists in by going 75? Actually in my many miles of travel, I've actually come to the conclusion that you have greater attention and care at higher speeds than you do at lower speeds. When you're going, say 80 in a 65, you're much more likely to be checking for police, road hazards, and other drivers that may get in your way. If you're only doing 65 in that very same 65 mph zone, a lot of people put the car, and subsequently their brains, on cruise control. I would bet money that there are just as many accidents caused by people going the speed limit as there are by people speeding. I tried to do a little research, but I was unable to find any specific statistics to neither prove or disprove my theory. They must keep that information under wraps. (If John Stossel ever reads this, you are more than welcome to use this as an inspiration for your next issue of "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity").

On the other hand, there are individuals who push things to the limit, and make it bad for the rest of us. I mean, I'm no stickler when it comes to speeding, but going 114 in a 65 is well over the top. That was the case on January 21, 2008 when rapper DMX was caught speeding in his 1966 Nova by the before mentioned cameras on the 101 freeway in Scottsdale, AZ. DMX, or Earl Simmons as his government name, was arrested for criminal speeding (anything 25 mph or more over the speed limit), public endangerment, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license. I would love to defend a hip-hop titan, but in this case I can not. This latest run in with the law by DMX was definitely of his own doing. And not that I want them to throw the book at him, but I have to admit that he deserves whatever he gets.

(DMX's photo being taken on the 101 in Scottsdale, AZ).

The last thing I want to discuss in the area of "Big Brother is Watching" are what I will call community policing cameras. These cameras hit the scene in Chicago a couple of years ago. They have blue lights that flash constantly, and can be seen from a mile away. (Probably further than that). I have also seen these cameras in use in Philadelphia. As my brother discussed in an earlier blog, these cameras are used as a deterrant for illegal activity. They have a range of several blocks, but its amazing that it seems like the negative element of the neighborhood doesn't seem to be very far from the cameras. I guess that as long as you're out of the direct view of the camera, there's really no reason to actually cease your potentially illegal activity. These cameras don't trouble me as much as the others. I don't hang out on street corners, and I guess that if they're somewhat of a deterrent, then by all means use them. Those flashing lights can be annoying though. And of course there's a slippery slope effect. I mean, depending on the camera placement, can the police have access to view what may be going on inside a person's home? That I can say I will never be in support of, but for the moment I can give community policing cameras a pass.

As I said before, right now, there's really no way to know where we'll end up when it comes to Big Brother watching us. In London, England, they have 10,000 closed circuit cameras throughout the city. I can't remember the exact statistic, but your picture is taken something like 10-20 times per minute. (Forgive me if you find the exact statistic and I'm slightly off). In the case of the bombings of July 7th, 2005, the cameras helped Scotland Yard discover the identities of the bombers. So there are very good uses of cameras in our society. I just hope that we're not giving up more in privacy than we get in safety.


-DrizaDre-

Only In The Hood

Although I live in the suburbs I was born and raised in the "hood" for a good portion of my life. I have friends and family that still live in the "hood." So, at times I find myself driving through the hood. Well if you've ever been in the hood or through the hood then you know that there are some very unique things that you will observe and won't see anywhere else. So, I've taken the time to compile a list of things you will see "Only In the Hood." This may be an on going segment so please look for more to come. But I'll be your ghetto tour guide so sit back and relax as we explore the hood. By the way, if any of you have never been to the hood you may want to pay close attention. If you happen to be driving and you notice any of the things listed below that means you're in the hood and you may want to turn your ass around quickly. Do Not Pass Go do not collect $200. LoL.

(DJ Khaled - "I'm So Hood" Remix)

Bootleg Movies/CDs

Going to the movies is expensive now a days. Even a matinee will cost you $7. But who really goes to the movies alone? So, add another $7 for your date then popcorn/refreshments and you've easily spent close to $30 or more to watch one movie. Also, what does a new CD cost? About $10-$16? Well luckily in any hood you can find someone selling bootleg movies/CDs. If you are unable to find anyone just look for your local barbershop or beauty salon. If they're not inside then just ask one of the barbers or beauticians most likely someone has their number in their phone. As far as prices go, most times you can get 3 for $20 and if your negotiation skills are up to par you will pay even less. My rule when buying is pull out only what you are willing to spend. If you got $10 say I need the 3 for $10. Trust me if they can make $10 and it's right in they're face they're not going to turn it down. But if you pull out a $20 bill and say I need change they're going to want the whole $20. *Warning* Don't purchase any bootleg Movie or CD expecting top notch quality. Sometimes they have the portable DVD players so you can view before you buy, which I do advise you do. Because trust me the movies can have anything from babies crying, cats meowing, to people laughing and walking past the screen. Also, that new Lil' Wayne The Carter III CD will most likely have songs from The Carter I & II mixed in with the new songs. So be forewarned.

Loose Squares (Cigarettes)

I don't smoke cigarettes but I do know that smoking is an expensive ass habit. Here in the Chi I'm sure with the new Cook County Sales Tax most are paying well over $6 a pack. It's sad when an illegal habit (i.e. smoking a $5 nickel bag of weed) is cheaper. But luckily in the Hood someone has already spent the $6 for a pack of cigarettes. So, if you happen to be craving a smoke just listen for the person yelling "Loose Squares!!" Now if someone spent $6 for a box of 20 cigarettes that's about $0.30 cents per cigarette. But you're going to come out of pocket with at least $1 if you're trying to get one of these loosies. Your best bet is to negotiate and try to get maybe 3 for $2. The same negotiation rules apply. Exact change only!! Oh and don't expect a huge variety of cigarette brands to choose from. Newport is the Hood favorite so that's what you'll be getting when buying a loose square.

Speed Humps

Now you're probably thinking speed bumps are everywhere. Well the hood is the only place I've seen speed humps on residential streets. Some blocks have 2 or 3 of them on that one block. I don't know exactly what brought about these speed humps. Perhaps people were speeding so much that residents complained and this was the answer. But I think more than anything this was a tactic to help police. No one wants to be running from the police driving 50+ mph and hit one of these speed humps. That's one car chase that will end quite quickly and leave your front end pretty messed up.

Liquor Store near a Church

Only in the hood have I seen a Church that is on the same block as a Liquor Store. Sometimes they're so close they're practically next door. This is the old chicken and egg theory so I couldn't tell you which came first. But it's one of the biggest contradictions there can be. I get it though. You come from church where they preach about Saint John and then you go to the liquor store to get a 40 oz. of St. Ides. Or you go from listening to the Old Testament and then grab you a 40 of Old English. Or after hearing about his crown of thorns you get you a bottle of Crown Royal. I can go on all day. But you get the point. LoL!

Food Stamp/Link Card Hook Up

Even groceries are more expensive these days. However, if you find yourself in the store shopping and have a cart full of items be on the look out. You know that your grocery bill is going to easily be $100 or more. But if someone walks by looks in your cart and asks you are you paying in cash don't be alarmed. Hear them out. This little conversation may actually save you some money. And who doesn't like to save money? So how does it work? Well the person that asked you that question will say let me pay for your groceries on my Link Card. They will say if you have $100 worth of groceries you can pay me $75 in cash to use my Link Card. Now don't forget your negotiation skills because if they said $75 you can easily get them to $60. All you have to say is that you were going to pay with your debit/credit card and you only have $60 in cash. Trust me they will take it. However, here's the other rule. Make sure the person walks through the line with you and after all the groceries are rang up and the total displays have them run their card through and input the pin and make sure the transaction is approved first. Once it is and your groceries are bagged and in the cart then you can pay them the money. Keep in mind the link will only cover food/beverage items (liquor doesn't count). **Warning** You may want to have the grocery bagger carry your groceries out to the car, because you don't want the same person that gave you the hook up to hit you over the head in the parking lot and make off with your groceries and the $60.

The Best Chicken

I'm not talking about fake ass KFC chicken. Other than your momma or grand momma's fried chicken the best chicken will always be found in the hood. Whether it's Harold's Chicken (Chicago), Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (Los Angeles), or Mr. P's (Memphis). If you want some good chicken go to the hood and ask someone where the best chicken is and they will let you know. But please keep a couple things in mind when visiting these fine establishments. One, they may appear to be a hole in the wall, but don't judge the chicken by the look of the building inside or out. And two, don't expect great or even moderate service. Again, you're not paying for good service or a good looking building, you're paying for great chicken. If you can keep these things in mind you'll get to taste some of the best chicken money can buy. On a side note, if you want great service you won't find it at any restaurant in the hood fast food or otherwise. LoL.

Undercover Police Cars

I'm sure I'm not the only one that hates when they see a Ford Crown Victoria and thinks it's the cops so you either slow down, stash your weed, guns, drink etc for nothing. Lol. Although under cover cop cars are not just in the hood, you will see a good number of them while you ride throughout the hood blocks. But you better not get caught doing any illegal activity when they ride past they don't call them the "Jump Out Boys" for nothing. Oh and here's a hood fact for those of you that don't know, the best way to tell if it's really a cop car is by the license plates. The plate numbers will usually start with a green M.

Police Cameras

Speaking of Police. They no longer have to patrol every block in the hood as frequently. Many Police Departments now have an eye in the sky to assist them. So if you're driving through the hood at night and see a blue light above the lamp post blinking don't worry you didn't see a shooting star or a UFO it's simply the police camera. Now I don't know how much of a crime deterrent these cameras are but you'll find them strategically placed on "high crime" blocks and neighborhoods. However, there have been plenty of times where I've driven through the hood and as I pass the police camera all is quiet on the home front. But as soon as I turn the corner of the next block I see plenty of illegal activity going on. (I was vague so I'm not snitchin. LoL). **Warning** For those of you that are involved in illegal activity remember that these cameras can zoom in up to several blocks away. So don't think that if you're 2 blocks away doing what you do that it can't see you.

Target: Rat Signs

Ever since I was born my grandmother has lived in the same house. There is an alley right next to her house. And since I can remember even up until recently they have had this sign on the telephone pole. Although I've seen plenty of "hood rats," in the 28 years I've been around this house I have never a rat in this alley. Nor have I ever seen one in any Chicago alley. I guess the targeting is working. Good Job Mayor Daley maybe the head of the rat targeting should be the Police Chief. Actually, the only time I have seen a rat was in one of the lower parts of downtown Chicago.

Ignorant Rims

"Only in the Hood" will you see a car with rims that are bigger and taller than your average 5 year old. What is the fascination is with these rims? Well your guess is as good as mines. It doesn't really make sense to me to have to carry a step ladder with you just to get in and out of your car, but hey everyone is free to waste and spend their money as they feel. If nothing else the owner of these rims has definitely achieved their goal of being seen. Is a car like this even street legal?

Children Fundraising

You're probably thinking awww what's wrong with children raising funds for their schools or sports teams? Well if I could verify that's where my funds were going then I wouldn't have a problem donating and supporting. However, I've driven through the hood and stopped at plenty intersections and had kids ask me to donate to their sports team. Now the first problem I have is not a one of these kids has on a jersey, pair of cleats, team hat, or anything representing the sports team their collecting money for. Not even a damn Bulls or Cubs jersey come on! All they have is an old tootsie roll bank or jar with white paper around it and something scribbled on it. So, I don't know if I'm contributing towards team uniforms or to some kid's new pair of Jordans. Now some of the kids I've seen at least have the fundraiser box of M&Ms and they give you a pack for $1. Although those fundraiser boxes can be purchased at any Sam's Club, at least you're getting something for your money. I remember one time years ago I saw some kids collecting money to help their momma go to the Million Woman March. True Story!!

Ghetto Entrepreneurs

Some may call them Street Vendors but in the hood you can call them Hustle Man or the PC term I came up with Ghetto Entrepreneurs. Basically at any given busy intersection in the hood you're liable to find these individuals selling almost anything you can think of. I already mentioned a few of them earlier, the loose cigarettes and the bootleg movies/CDs. But other examples I've seen for sale are as follows: Bean Pies, Final Call Newspapers, The Chicago Tribune, candy, socks, towels, t-shirts, framed pictures, etc. Also, they are very opportunistic so they won't hesitate to take advantage of an opportunity. For instance, if it's hot outside they have cold water and or pop/soda. If it's a holiday like Mother's Day or Valentines Day they will have flowers and teddy bears for sale. If the city's sports team wins a championship they have plenty t-shirts, hat, and team memorabilia for sale. The funny thing is that on some intersections you will have up to 5 or more different hustle men selling different things. Not to mention the kids "raising" money for their team and at least one bum panhandling. Don't ask me how they all get along out there perhaps Rodney King would know. But good thing it's not drugs they are selling because I don't think most dealers like sharing corners.

Hood Sports

In the hood most parents have little or no resources to provide sports equipment for their children. However, as you know a kid is going to find a way to play regardless. Sometimes it just takes a little innovation. That's how a milk crate with the bottom broken out or a wire hanger bent into a circle can become a basket ball hoop. Or that's how some old extension cords can become jump ropes. Also, this is how a stick can become a base ball bat. I remember my brother and I broke my aunt's broom using it as a bat once. We got our asses whooped of course but we had a ball playing with it. Last time I was in the hood I drove past a group of kids (one being my little cousin) playing hockey in the street. They were using an empty water bottle as a puck and everyone had something different as their hockey stick. My cousin had a single crutch. It was funny and sad to think that somewhere someone was hobbling around looking for their other crutch. LoL. Guess this is why I should donate to the kids' sports teams more often huh?

Crackheads aka Hypes

Well I saved the best for last. Now I know you were all wondering when I was going to get to them the whole time you were reading this? How could I forget about the crackheads? They're like what makes the Hood go round. Just as they say there's one in every family so you better believe that I'm not exempt. So, when I speak it's from a personal level. With that said although crackheads are every where there is an abundant number of them in the Hood. Why, do you ask? Well it's simple that's where the drugs are. A hype will steal from their own momma (I've seen it done) to get money for their next fix. So, if you come across one of these unique inividuals you never quite know what the encounter will be like. They will sell any and everything in order to raise capital to fund their habit. I've come across hypes selling all kinds of items. Whether it be food stamps as previously mentioned, or actual food. Here's a random list of items I've seen hypes selling in no particular order: Shoes (not new shoes I'm talking a pair off of someone's feet), half way working TV sets, DVDs, VCRs, food out of the freezer, used clothing, appliances, furniture, perscription glasses, purses, wallets, gloves, coats, etc. You name it a crackhead has probably stolen and sold it. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has purchased merchandise from a crackhead. Hell, Some of you may be reading this blog on a computer you bought from a crackhead. But I'm not mad at you one bit unfortunately someone else's loss can be your gain. Now I know we've discussed negotiation skills throughout this blog. But when dealing with a hype you need to just remember 2 things. Low Ball the hell out of em'!! With the other negotiations the other person you were dealing with had a totatlly different mentatilty. However, this is crackhead mentality you're dealing with so if they want $20 then you offer no more than $5. If they want $50 then you offer no more than $20. You get the idea. Basically, there may be some haggling back and forth but once you low ball them you've established that you're not paying over a certain amount. So the likely response to your initial offer will be "come on man you can give me at least $10 you know this TV is at least worth that." Feel free to either accept or counter offer here. But as always make sure you have exact change for the transaction.

That concludes our Hood Tour. Come back soon we'll be adding more attractions. In closing, I'll leave you with a few comedic interpretations of crackheads and how they act.

(Crackhead Night)

(Menace II Society)

(Tyrone Biggums)

--C-Recks--