THE PRINCE OF THOMPKINS SQUARE

And after that first initial meeting she became my main squeeze for many years. I pretty much wasted about 15 years of what should be a persons most precious years. I feel that the years between 20-40 years of age will most of the time determine the vocation or career an individual will practice for thier remaining years. I spent mine slowly killing myself and in prison. I lived on the streets with the rats and the waterbugs. I lived in darkened rooms and nearly died several times right beside the candle light. My mind was very close to a liquid state. I held coucil among the dying and spoke at great lengths to puppets and dolls about matters of urgency. I thought that heroin was my savior until i realized that i never needed to be rescued from myself until long after my affair had already began to take its deadly toll on my life. I remember walking the streets till all hours, day in and day out over and over again just wishing someone would rescue me. I was mad. Back then you could'nt tell me nothing. I was "The King of the Inferno, the head of the snake, The Prince of tompkins Square Park. " Yeah, i was Mad alright, i see that now. Today i rely on my higher self and my network of family and close friends . Along with many teachings that i have learned to incorporate into my life with positive results. Today, i man up. I rescue myself.

ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE

I remember the first day i met my heroin. "Heroin", ironic that she should sport such a name. At that time in my life i felt as though she had indeed performed a rescue. The premature death of my mother had caused the premature death of my very own childhood. Several months after her passing i was spinning out of control. Fear and loathing in new york. It was all the "Gateway" drugs back then. Lots of Marijuana, hashish, Alchohol and Magic Mushrooms. I was 20 years old and i had no idea how i was going to take care of myself much less my 18 year old brother Michelangelo. I had sworn to her right before she died that i would always look after him and i figured it to be a mostly pleasant task as i enjoyed hanging out with my brother more than spending time with anyone else. Little did i know that this promise would weigh so heavely upon me as i soon dicovered the difficulty of taking care of myself was alone a dizzy thoughtfull.



So, there she was. In a small glycene package douple wrapped in a colorful plastic sleave. 10 dollars worth, she fit in the palm of my hand. "Just imagine that. Happiness, serenity, peace and quiet right in this little package in the center of my"......I closed my palm and we strolled together down Avenue B. Hand in hand just her and i, my heroin. I tore the little package open right there on the sidewalk and stuck a small section of straw into one corner. I looked both ways then i stopped and sniffed her powder through the straw. She hit me pretty quickly. I remember being overccome by a joy that presented itself as a warm, snuggly feeling of belonging and self worth, i felt larger than life. Then i got really dizzy and nauseous everything was spinning slowly and the concrete beneath my feet felt like i was onboard a ship in turbulent water. I grabbed hold of a street lamp on the corner and i gave into the urge which had totally destroyed my head. I bent over into the garbage can and proceeded to make Linda Blair look like a novice in the projectile vomiting department. "Wow". I was totally unprepared with what happened next. Amidst the lowest of lows, Just when i had thought the high was done and over, all my previous feelings were replaced by a sudden sense of tranquility and euphoria, both in equally astronomic amounts. I felt safe and protected as a baby in the arms of his mama. But i knew it was the work of my brand new friend. "Heroin meet Joseph", "Joseph This is heroin". Very nice to meet you Joseph, said my unlikely savior. "No. Heroin, the pleasure is mine, all mine, i insist" She gave me the kiss of death that day. I grinned wickedly into the warm sunny face of my alphabet city.
Little did i know i had entered the inferno.
My life would never be the same again.