Alejandro Oviedo Going Home
Being the youngest of 5 wasn’t really good for me, at times I wished I had a lil brother after me but my parents didn't. Also maybe it was a good thing they didn't have one more because who knows what would have been of us. My older brother did jail time, so have I and maybe even my youngest brother if I had one. Growing up I always looked up to my oldest brother. I wanted to be just like him and my older cousins.
I was still young tho. Still in elementary school and in 6th grade. I would say I was like 11 or 12 years old at that time. I remember hanging out after school in the school park with my homie Terrence and Kyle and another friends called Jimmy and Emanuel. We would hang out just minding our own business and some kids from high-school would march over to our elementary school and fight us.
Time after time they did the same thing to us every time. Senn High School was mostly black kids, rarely any Latino kids. My friends Terrance and Kyle were black and the rest of my friends were Latino, but Kyle and T were like family too. I had so much love for Jimmy and respect for him because he always got down and never ran. We’d lose but all never left each other.
It came to the point where it was a struggle. Just going to school at a young age, me having to walk to and from school. Let alone having to watch my back from these kids. At this time I didn’t even gangbang or associate with any gangbangers. I would wonder why these highschoolers would even come to an elementary school to mess with younger kids.
I was in the 6th grade and so were my friends. We didn't know anything about gangs at this time. We talked to the 7th and 8th graders to help us click up and retaliate because it would be so many of them, and they were on board as well. Turns out some of the 8th graders hung out with the Kings, they assisted us too. We chased them down because most of them would run, but when we did catch them we would do them worse than when they caught us.
It was a war, Black vs Hispanic, and I was only a kid. I won't deny that I would have to worry about having to walk to and from school. Sometimes my mom or dad would drop me off, it was getting home that was the tricky part. I always had to watch my back so instead I would always try to be with some of my friends to not get caught alone. But it didn't always work out. I would get jumped and then we would go looking for them until we caught someone.
It got to the point where I started smoking weed at a young age and started getting into trouble at school. To the point where I was about to get expelled from school. Mr. Gomez, our principal, hated me with a passion. It was because he felt like me, Kyle, Terrance and Jimmy and Emanuel were the ones who started the war. But it honestly wasn't, it was the kids from Senn High School. It came to the point where the kids from Senn High School would wait for the 6th and 7th graders to come out after school.
And right there we would brawl, all of us. It was so serious that they hired a couple of security guards to be posted after school and police driving around. So instead my parents thought it was my friends who were the reason why she always was getting called to go down to the school. And I would be suspended and almost expelled so my mom did what she thought was best and we moved.
Which meant I had to change schools. I was a kid and getting caught in this bogus lifestyle. The streets turned me out. I felt I kinda didn’t have a choice in a way because honestly just going to school was a struggle. Again this new school which wasn't really far from my old one, meant I had to deal with new kids. And truthfully it was exactly the same issue. My mom really didn't know at all. All she wanted was for me to do good in school but she did try.
I got moved on in the new school as well but I’d come back with my old friends from my old school. Jimmy’s mom took him out of the school as well and last thing I heard, he went to Washington D.C. or something like that. Terrance and Kyle same thing. They left, I honestly don't know what happened. Just knew I never saw them anymore.
I still had some of my other friends tho, Manny and his older brothers and some of my 7th and 8th grade friends. I honestly had it hard coming up but as I see it now, other people probably had it worse. I attended Mather High School because there were Kings there and Senn was only Folks. As I got older I understood you had to be a part of something because if you wasn't, you weren't going to make it. You had to have a mob behind you and that's part of the reason why I turnt out what I am now.
I was young and didn't know anything, I just knew I liked to fight because I went from getting beat up to standing on my own two feet. I started standing on business, but that was my mistake. I didn’t think, but hey who really thinks when they're young, huh?
Due to my gang I started growing up and kinda felt I had to prove myself, which I did because I was young. In some cases I did a lot of things coming up, some of which we all know we can't speak of. Where if you from the streets you just know. When that adrenaline pumps thru your blood and you ' re just thirsty to slide. You know what I mean, when you ' re like bust this left, make a right here and hit that alley and you bail out and hit that gangway because you know them dudes right there in the front posted.
When that adrenaline is in you, you know exactly what I’m talking about because you can relate. But here's the catch. Once you ' ve done what you ' ve done, it's not over. You still have to get up out of the jam. That is when you start to think. You're not in the clear just yet, but just knowing your past can always come back to haunt you is a scary thing in this lifestyle. A code that we live and die for in this game. One thing we learn as we get old is loyalty. Loyalty to one another because we came from the same struggle and grew up just like family. I lost some good brothas all because of the choices we made as young kids. Choices that have to this point affected our life at this moment.
I have spent close to 9 yrs in prison due to my mistakes in life. During those years of me being incarcerated, I've gained a lot of wisdom, knowledge and understanding of life itself. I've learned how to carry myself as a man when truthfully I was still young. The older brothers who wasn't coming home anytime soon gave me the knowledge I needed to view life a whole different way. Coming home from doing 8 ½ yrs felt good to me. I had spent so many birthdays, Christmas, New Years big confined to a tiny cell only being let out 3 hrs a day.
I guess after time you just just get used to it and figure out ways to make your day go by fast. Which by then you get a routine each day exactly exactly the same.
I was 20 or 21 yrs old when I 1st went down state, never knowing anything about the joint or what to expect at the time. I was still young and knowing I had just received a 9 year sentence only made me break down and cry when I made it back to the deck. At that time things in my life weren’t really looking too good. I knew I had to sit down for a while so at that point I felt like I had to do the hardest thing in life.
And that was letting my girl at that time go. It was the hardest thing I had to do at that time only because this was my BM. But even tho it killed me deep down inside to let go, I knew it was the best choice to make for both of us. For one, I couldn't go down to the joint and stress or worry about who she is with and what she's doing. And second, I had time to do.
So instead, all that I asked of her was to answer the phone calls, and send pictures of the kids and once in a while bring them to see me where I would spend my next few years incarcerated. I just wanted my boys to know me. But as time went by, the pain wouldn't go away. I was going thru it harder than I ever thought. I had been doing seg time so much that I lost myself in there. Alone, stuck in my own thoughts. I wouldn't receive any pictures of my kids, my BM wouldnt let me let me talk to my kids, no letters no anything. Not being able to see how my kids spent their bday hurt me.
I started keeping busy and started to go work out in the yard to release stress which honestly helped me out. My sister, I can honestly say, didn't miss a beat. Letters, bday, cards, phone calls, visits, she was there, my parents as well. I had my family’s support during this time. But it wasn't the same. I guess you can say it took me a lil while to finally get over the thought that I should realize that she ain’t been here doing anything and shit wasnt gonna change. So I accepted that and started to work on myself and read self-improvement books.
Over these years that I had been incarcerated, I started to meet good people and gained a lot of knowledge from a lot of older heads. They taught me how to carry myself as a man when in reality I was still young. I was a shorty because I came to prison at a young age. Over time I got older and got the hang of things and learned the rules. I guess. I guess in a way I was sadly institutionalized. I did most of the time in Illinois River but then I got moved to another institution and again, I had to start all over. It wasn't that bad tho because I got a change of scenery and helped my time go by fast as well. Still kept my same routine. I used to wake up early in the morning and attend rec whenever we had it. Only this joint had rec twice a day and had a lil more time out.
I took advantage of this opportunity and worked out, come back and shower and I stayed drawing. I learned how to be very creative over time. I did pillows, t-shirts, cards, roses, and cut hair. Being in prison, you have nothing but time to learn things, I took advantage of it so I drew to make my time go by. I hustled in prison too. Not that I needed it, but why not, you know.
Around this time I had like 2 years left on my sentence and everything was looking good because now I was able to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Then for whatever reason it was, I honestlydon’t know how it was but it just happened. I met this amazing woman while I was serving the rest of my time. She stayed in tune with my lil kuzzin and he had posted my picture. I received a few likes I guess he looked and when I called him he told me hey this one female liked your pic. I asked who, he described her and I knew who he was relating to (Smiles).
I told him to shoot her a message for me and I had thought about what I wanted to say the night before. I was up all night just thinking of what to say. I finally figured out exactly what I wanted to say and wrote it on paper. The next day told my kuzzin what to say. He did me a favor to fly her that message. I had basically said that I wanted to get to know her when I got released. Even tho when I was out I had seen her around I never really got to cut into her because at the time I had too much going on. I would appreciate if she gave me the opportunity to get to know her.
To my surprise shedid respond and textedback saying why wait until I get out to get toknow her when I could call and writeher. She told mykuzzin that shehad sent me some pics and some money.My response was I’llbelieve it when I see it(smiles), which aday or twolater I received aWestern Union saying shehad put some money. The next 2days or so I received a letter with the pics(smiles).
I went from hardly receiving any mail to this woman always making sure I had something to read. I can’t lie I stayed writing letter after letter and getting a response to each of my letters. Over that time period I got to know the deepest and darkest secrets to this woman ’ s life. Her favorite color, favorite food, her likes and dislikes, got a glimpse of her childhood as well.
She made sure I always had a smile on my face, never missing a beat. I thought about it all when I 1st came in and remembered how lonely I felt. How some of my guys ’ girls used to always send them pictures and letters and me never receiving anything from the person I wished would come thru. Instead one of of the bros would tell me don’t trip brotha, every time I get mail you get mail (smiles) and he would show me his pics and read his letter out loud. Made me feel good a lil bit.
Then over time it went from phone calls to video visits in person visits too. She would drive 3 or 4 hrs just to put a smile on my face. It was my first date all over again. We had our little date, a table food, drink and a microwave (smiles) nothing fancy, you know, but all worked out for the time being. It was a dinner date, my 1st one in so many yrs. Sadly it was a date in the visitation room (LOL).
I remember those days being so lost and hurt to finally being able to talk to someone, having someone to vent to. This woman did these two years with me and I always was smiling from ear to ear. I finally found my ride or die.
Fast forward to my release date, upon being let go I paroled to her crib and to my surprise she already had a few things ready for me and to even say she had already booked a concert called Suenos which she paid for. To be completely honest I never attended any concerts nor been to any places outside of Chicago. I had been stuck in the hood up until my 20’s and from 20’s in DOC.
I was so excited to finally see what was in store for my life. I had waited so many years to finally put everything I once thought about into play. My girl helped me get a decent job working with her dad. Which I can honestly say wasn’t bad. I would receive $21 an hour and way too much overtime. My checks every week would be $1,000 after taxes which was great.
Next she planned a trip to Wisconsin for us to go to a water resort called Kalahari. We took all our boys and I had a blast. We booked a room and spent family time there. This was all new to me because honestly when I was with my BM I failed to do these things with her and my kids. Yes I’ve done Chuckee Cheese and lil things like those pool places, but never planned something out how I did with my girl. She was on top of everything, always making sure our boys had something to do.
I also remember one time for her birthday I had been thinking long and hard about what I wanted to do for her birthday, until I finally decided on a helicopter cruise. To be honest I didn’t even really take the time to really think how I would feel until I was on top (smiles). I honestly was scared as hell no lie. But to me honestly I didn’t care. All I ever cared about was making her smile. I enjoyed that cruise so much. I can’t lie.
I think my birthday was the best tho because she honestly surprised me. I thought she was taking me and the boys to eat even tho she kept telling me no babe we ’re not going to eat(smiles) so we took a lil drive. What was planned was honestly way better than anything anyone has done for me. She had took me to an ultrasound place where I got to see my baby in 3D version. I felt so happy deep down inside because she took the time to introduce me to my son, I loved her so much more for that.
To be honest in the little amount of time I was home I felt we did so much together in life. Being with her felt like I had been with her a lifetime. My baby was due in December so me and my girl hustled night and day to make sure that when our baby was born he would have everything he ever needed.
Weobtainedmanythingsinthatsmallamountoftime.
becausewealwaysmadesuretheyhadit. Ilookbacknowandthinkaboutwhat certainthingsIcouldhavedonedifferently, maybelistenedmoretomygirlattimes.
Ourkidsneverlackedanything
Through it all I know that I was a good man to her and to our kid, yes we had our bad moments but who doesn’t. She is the person I want to spend the rest of my days with, the only woman I have eyes for, the woman that I wish to marry and have more kids with because I’m in love with her.
Still to this very day she still hasn’t switched up on me. She has been here every step of the way and I owe this woman my life. I appreciate her so much that I dedicate this book to her. She is the reason why I am a better father this time around. Thank you for the memories we ’ ve built together amor. It’s 5-19-20 until death do us part. Love you today, tomorrow, always and forever.
Until the lion learns to write their own story, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter - African Proverb
