Good day peoples,
The world ain't fair. It ain't nice. Nobody cares if you get stiffed, if your feelings get bruised or how hungry you are. Everybody's trying to get a piece of the action, trying to survive. It helps to have to have connections, but the street is equally cruel to everyone.
Over the years, mostly through mistakes, you may have learned a few things. You can learn a lot from books, but it's not always enough. Remember though that nothing educates you the lumps you get on the streets.
Life is like the street. When you're feeling strong, you can't understand why other guys have so many problems. A few years later, you can be moving along fine, still feeling strong, only to be ambushed by one of a million things: family, work, health, divorce, tainted spinach, whatever. Some of these things you'll learn the hard way, but you shouldn't have to. If you're smart, you'll put these rules to use before you look back and wish you had.
Keep Your Guard Up
Some guys are like little dogs: all bark and no bite. However, all of their empty threats can soften you up for the real thing. I saw this happen to a friend of mine. Once, this scrapper made a threat and nothing happened. Time went by and he threatened again. Both times, my friend was ready for the dude, but by the third time, he thought the kid was an empty suit, all talk. He was wrong. The minute you let your guard down, you get burned.
Stay Out of Arguments
If two guys get in a twist and can't settle their dispute, you will eventually be asked to choose sides. Don't charge in like a sap, wait until they've worn themselves out. Getting in a fight that isn't your own is useless; it serves no purpose. Once they are exhausted, you can ride in fresh on the winning side, crush the loser, and look like a hero.
Meet Only When Necessary
One thing we hate to do on the street is have a sit down discussing solutions to issues. When a dude in your crew asks to meet, make sure he is prepared. If there is a meeting, there should be a decision. A meeting that simply serves to schedule another meeting is useless. Meetings are necessary, but not every three days. I often wonder: Do some guys just enjoy meetings? I thought broads did that.
Getting to know a lot of people is a good thing. In business, you can't be chummy with flatfoots, but you still like to know what’s going on. Try to have connections with every spent cop and conman because they might become resources to me someday. Knowing a person doesn't mean you must disclose anything to him. By the way, it helps to actually be interested, too. You can't ask someone, "How'd the operation go?" and then act like you don't care. Having a lot of friends and acquaintances not only creates opportunities, it also allows you to gather information for your own ventures.
Don't Be Too Proud to Retreat
If you face a situation that you cannot win, do not fight merely on principle. Saying "I've never backed down from anybody" sounds good, but some outcomes have long-lasting effects. Pompey didn't have to fight Caesar, but he did. Guess who won? Strategy is as important as bravery. Don't be a fool and take a swing just because you've been invited. Backing down can ultimately allow you to win. Run away, go into witness protection; sorry to say it, but retreat is sometimes a necessary evil.
Street Smarts
Tomorrow, you'll be on the streets once again, learning everything the hard way and hoping your kid doesn't have to do the same. There's no cure for this thing called life, so it's best to learn certain things early on. Nothing can truly prepare you for it, but if you keep your head on a swivel, you'll suffer fewer "unfair" surprises.
the audacious truth
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