My neighborhood in east Harlem had a lot of drug users. When I was young I did not used drugs. But heroin was the drug people sold their first to black Harlem. Not in Italian Harlem.

Later that changed saw young kids from our neighborhood get hook on junk. At first I was surprised by that, but don't know why it surprised me. My best friend Donato Donnie Serra got hooked on junk. We were thieves together as kids he moved from my tenement to a hun 9 street. I go to visit him he gives me a gun and tells me to shoot if I hear anyone near his door. That I see him shoot up for the first time that shocked me. Then I see him throw up all over his used coach.

Later I got high on goof balls uppers and then Coke.

Now I dont even drink or smoke I don't even use salt on food don't gamble and I loved to gamble. The only thing I do now is fuck and play soccer not bad for someone in his mid 70.s I was talking to my brother yesterday he is 80. He is almost healthier then I am still drives to work two days a week 80 miles one way.

I told him I don't think we will ever die.