The Busting Out of an Ordinary Man Read online

  Kwendi, a love lost, a black prince unborn, an idea killed.

  Yes, we were young and thought a summer of the Truth would be enough Stark white realities forced us to go to other places, come out of strange bags, go to war. We had no choice, as young and naive as we were, after we discovered for ourselves that the police really were our judges the courts only had real justice for the rich and that prisons were designed to make better criminals.

  Especially black criminals, reserved cells for those who have been taught best how to occupy them.

  What did we ask for, baby? Other than life, liberty and the right to pursue some happiness without being harassed.

  For asking too loudly they took you prisoner. Kwendi, my love, a stolen father, another black hostage of the State.

  Kwendi, dead now, another victim of the Lie.

  The Lie, that national force that operates with negative vibes, keeps criminals in positions of power, and tries to conquer us by subdividing ‘Them dirty A-rabs!’ Kwendi, Kwendi, Kwendi …”

  Lubertha stared at Kwendi’s name through her tears. Kwendi, let’s go! Kwendi, let’s go! Kwendi, let’s go!

  The complete realizing of why he had chosen to call himself Kwendi fell in on her. Oh wowwww! How can I sit around here writing laments for a black man who called himself “Let’s go!”

  She squinted at the paper and scribbled across the top of the page “No laments for Kwendi.”

  All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 1985, 2012 by Odie Hawkins

  Front cover photo by Zola Salena-Hawkins,

  www.flickr.com/photos/32886903@N02

  ISBN: 978-1-5040-3568-2

  Distributed in 2016 by Open Road Distribution

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  New York, NY 10038

  www.openroadmedia.com