Dope Sick








Walter Deans Myers made me think after reading his book “Dope Sick”. He is a skilled writer who I’d like to read.

The book is about two people named Lil J and Kelly. They don’t start off together but they meet up with each other later on in the book. They meet because Lil J was accused of a crime and was wounded. His only resort was to flee in an apartment that Kelly was in. while in the apartment they figure things out about each other and the past of Lil J is brought back to life. In the end there is a fatal lost.

Lil J is a seventeen year old father from east Harlem. He’s addicted to drugs. In order to get his fix he takes a job from Rico witch happens to be one of his friends. He didn’t know that the job would leave him and another person wounded and one dead. Kelly is an eighteen year old who lives in an abandoned apartment that haves a “magical TV” that can see the past, but in a mysterious way Kelly can see the future himself.
In the end you realize that an African American of any skin tone have no identity in the city Harlem. That’s how I feel in most cases. It feels like we are just an unknown mark in the United States. Yet I don’t think it is our fault. We are what god made us.
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Rehab , deleted chapter from Dope sick

After Kelly’s death Lil J knew that the right thing to do was get clean. So that’s what he tried to do. He started doing right by his son and girl. He was on the right track until he heard the dope calling him. “Smoke me” the rock said.
“I’m the only friend you got” said the pipe.
Lil J couldn’t take it anymore. So he said bye to his family and off to rehab he went. He walked to the front desk.

“Can I help you” said the assistant.

“ Yes, I’d like to check in” said Lil J.
While waiting he looks around the facility. While walking past a door he sees a man. He was just sitting there. Out of nowhere he starts to have seizures. The medics rush in to help him.


“Where losing him” said the medic.

“Will he be alright”. Lil J said on a scared voice.

“ You need to clear the perimeter” said the medic.
He walked into an open yard where dozens of drug addicts and alcoholics. He was torn by the looks on their faces. He didn’t want to become what they have become. The looks on their faces were heartbreaking. Sadness, misery, anger, the want to die, these are the emotions that overwhelmed the patients. “Excuse me sir I didn’t get your name” said the medic.

“ Just call me Lil J” he said.

“Ok were ready for you” she said.

“Can I ask you why do all the patients look so sad”? Lil J said.

“They all lost the will to live” she said. “ This place changes you”


Fear immediately struck him.


She escorted him to his room and all he saw was a bed and a dresser. He placed his things in the dresser and sat down. The first month was good, the second was alright, the third he heard them calling.
“ Lillllll JJJJJ, smoke us” said the rock and pipe.

After that he then realized that there was no escaping his addiction. Later on that night he hung himself leaving a suicide not behind.\

It read “dear family





My addiction is unbearable. I’ve tried and tried but I can’t get over it. I will not be able to live a successful life and provide for my family strung out on drugs. I’m dope sick. All that will happen is failure. I hope you don’t morn to long because it was my decision. I’m resting in peace, in a place where ever one is drug free.
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