Street Kid

"I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty is actually about not giving up in the face of adversity, standing up for oneself and not letting others bring you down. The lyrics are about having the courage to face challenges, even when others are telling you that you can't do it. I haven't felt this feeling in a while but when someone told me I couldn't do something it would make me work even harder. This got me through a lot in life there will always be someone who says you can do more or better. Take there words bite your tongue which can be easier said than done and do your best.

During the fall season, I discovered a lucrative side hustle as a pinion nut picker on the Navajo reservation. As I became more experienced, I realized that these nuts could be sold at the Navajo Nation Fair for five times their picking price. With this in mind, I shifted my focus to buying and selling the nuts for a profit. The subtitle song I chose is “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young. The lyrics describe a couple dancing under the moonlight during the autumnal harvest season but I think it translates my feelings about the Pinion Season rather well.

I stole a car and felt uneasy, but my wife wanted to go out to eat, so I packed up our baby, and we headed to the mall. But before we could make it, a cop car pulled me over and asked for my information. I had been on the run for years, and now they had finally caught me. I was sentenced to jail, but as I stood in front of the judge, I was shocked when he recognized me and decided to give me a second chance at life. The subtitle is a song by Shinedown "Second Chance" The song emphasize the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and making the most of a new opportunity.

In this episode, I pick up a girl I call Brunette in the rain and offering her a place to stay. Soon after, Brunette's friend, Blonde, moves in with us, and I get the idea to rent out apartments and bring in more girls to earn extra income. One day, I get a call from Blonde asking me to pick up a TV from Brunette and deliver it to her, this seemingly innocent request would lead to me being falsely accused of stealing the TV. The accusations result in me being sent to prison, leaving the girls to fend for themselves. The song subtitle I chose is fairly straightforward - Billy Joel is expressing his deep love and appreciation for his partner as an "innocent man" in a world that can be harsh and unforgiving. He sings about the joy she brings to his life, and how he is inspired by her purity of heart and spirit but something about the chorus line “I am an innocent man” hits harder when it's true.

This story is about my birthday which falls on Christmas Day. My family, particularly my grandparents who are devout Catholics, do not believe in celebrating birthdays and instead prioritize the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. As a result, I never had a birthday party growing up. However, on my 14th birthday, my mom surprised me with a birthday cake and a gift of $1000. But the happiness is short-lived when my mother tells me that I need to leave the house the next day, as she can no longer tolerate my behavior, which reminds her of my father. I chose the song “Breaking the Habit” by Linkin Park as the subtitle knowing the song is about drug addiction but children cost money, drain you physically and mentally also they are not easy to quit “abandon”.

I never talked to my step father. Maybe I hated him when I was younger because I felt as if he took me away from my imprisoned father. At 14 I understood the truth and no longer held a grudge. I soon realized this man without speaking to me wanted to be in my life and turned out to be a friend I needed.

Trying to find a job with no experience is nearly impossible but with persistence and time anything is inevitable. Either you get what your after or luck intervenes. Learning how important our time is and how fast it is ticking away is a lesson we all need to learn. How can I accomplish more? Why am I waiting for this to do other things? Do I have to wait? What can I do differently? I learned that everything revolves around time management.

I was born on Christmas Day so I’ve always hated my birthday. Either nobody remembers or they remember but still only get me one gift. On my 14th birthday my mom gave me two gifts the first gift was money and the second was a lesson on life I would never forget.