My Corrupt Education

"I showed up early everyday...to gather my friends and cut the hell out."

I was doing image searches on google and I came across this pic of my high school. It's funny, but I thought how you really can't see how much it looks like a jail in this picture...or even how big it really is. I'm tripping off the fact that it's actually got a listing in Wikipedia...and how they mention the rumor that it's sinking! People who graduated from other schools always try to rip on us about that. Wikipedia (or whoever posted this) is wrong about the fire...it happened in 95-96. I remember cause we had a week off after a big blizzard then the school caught fire the weekend before we would have returned, when I found out...I rolled over and went back to sleep. There were several parts of the building that were never in usage...except by enterprising students with illegal activities in mind. That sign is the place where I used to gather up my fellow cutters in the morning. Optimal smoking places were the train tracks to the south, Clifton Park, the depths of the gym, the bleachers, the music room...let's say there was no lack of opportunity. Actually Lake presented no lack of opportunity to do anything cruddy. I always talk with my man about how all the worst things I ever saw happened at that school. I saw a dude get his ass whopped at that sign and as soon as he managed to stand up security came and threw him in a sleeper hold.

I have seen more good fights (one on ones), bankings, beatdowns and rumbles here than at any time in my life. I remember the word would go out across the school to let you know which end of St. Lo Drive the fights would take place at, however some things were worse (or more entertaining) than a fight:

• Slam Contest - This comes to us courtesy of the thugs who hung out on Harford Rd. and The Alameda. Basically these cats pick out a small guy (most likely a freshman) and see who can pick him up and slam him on the ground the hardest. The messed up part is it would become more about the contest than about trying hurt the person (though the prior facilitated the latter). Dudes would even have do-overs saying, "Nah yo, I know I can do better than that."
  
• Dead Birds - I don't know who started this, but one day someone put a dead bird on one of the bridges then people started trying to top them. Let's just say it sucks to cross the bridge and have to avoid 5 dead birds...the only thing worse than that was when they put a dead dog on one of the heaters...my savage ass peers.
  
• Snatch and Grab - An invention during my senior year this involved a boy/girl duo who would go around targeting cats. The guy would sneak up and throw him in the sleeper-hold then the girl would hit his pockets. The unlucky victim gets slammed to the ground without a cent to his name. I saw this happen once and it was not pretty especially cause the victim thought it was a friend playing around at first.
  
• Sex in the Corner - I had some freaky classmates. Let's just say there were alot of staircases and on the lowest levels there was an area you could go behind the steps. I know a few people who have claimed to use this area for a mid-day quickee. I know for a FACT that lot's of people got suspended for being caught doing it. The Cand D stairs were the favorite spots.
  
• Disrespecting a Senator - Nathaniel McFadden used to work at our school. I knew he was involved in politics when I was a freshman and we thought he probably demanded respect...WRONG. The seniors let us know as everytime he walked down the hall you would hear chants of "Mr.McFaggy!". They did him worse than Rodney Dangerfield.
  
• Freshman vs. Senior - Everyone thinks that their class is the best/toughest or whatever. Our class was out to prove it. Seniors used to love coming by a classroom and yelling stuff like, "Freshmeat" or "Damn it smells fresh in here". My classmates responded with such things as, "Suck my Dick", "Fuck you whore"...I think you get the message. Suffice it to say my freshman year there were a lot of fights and most of them were between seniors and freshmen.
  
• Blackeye for Teacher - I actually know the cat who started this trend. My man Eggy from around 20th street got into it with a teacher and basically popped him. After this about 5 teachers ended up with blackeyes...I swear at my school things would happen and people would just be like..."Oh you can do that, word!"
  
• Hair Removal- I'm sure this happened in plenty places...girls get into a fight and any fake hair is summarily snatched out and cast aside. I remember one time in particular as we were walking down St. Lo one girl seemed to be moving a little too fast then when noticed the crowd behind her picking up speed. Shorty breaks and the crowd gives chase. She even get's to her porch but when she knocks no one opens the door. About 15 girls descend on her and give her the ass-whopping of a lifetime. They then leave with people twirling her tracks in the air like trophies. The really messed up part is, after she has had her ass removed and handed back to her someone comes and opens the door for her. I kept thinking whoever showed up late to open the door might have caught the wrath of my beat down. You couldn't grab a frying pan or something and help me out!
  

Despite all of these things it's sad to think that my High School is worse now than it was then. Save the children.