Paco's as bad as I am at forgiving and forgetting. Once again, people should feel sorry for me. I'm the one who has to catch all this horrible grammar.
She'll see I'm not so tough
Just because I'm in love with an uptown girl
-Billy Joel
I was born and bred and even died in New Orleans. Ain't I the special one? Never had much in the way of money, my family's always been poor. My parents ain't never been worth nothin' in any way. My old man left home when I was 5. Guess the situation is kinda familiar now, he beat the shit outta me cause I guess he didn't like my face. That and I took money that him and my mom could've used for better things. Like their fuckin' booze. My mom only lasted a couple more years after that, she ended up doing the best thing she ever done for me and dyin'. Her sister took me in and took care of me.
Carmellina Vasquez was the best woman that ever lived. Well, I guess second best now. I'd probably still be there and maybe even stayed out of trouble if it wasn't for Miguel. He took away my life and forgot all about me. He's my cousin by blood. And I'd like to see his blood spread out all over the street. When I was still a kid he took away Carmellina. He and his gang were out havin' fun and he ended up shooting his gun out the window of a car. Bullet went through her one year old boy José and into her. José got paralyzed and she got dead. Miguel gave up the gang then and there, but gave up me too. He ran off, didn't see him for weeks. Probably would've been better for me and him if he never got seen again. While José was recovering, everyone forgot about me. Guess I just wasn't worth their time. And I wasn't even worth the time they gave Miguel when he got back. Murderers got more priority than kids who lose their moms, I guess. Miguel went "good" and started trying to help the gang members out there. Helping me wasn't important, though. But that's okay, I made my own way. I got me in a gang and made my way up the ranks. Finally got to be el jefe, too.
Las Aranas... that's my gang. Best and toughest ones of all. And we do what we can to kick the shit out of Miguel's pansies that he "saved" from the life. And we ain't doing bad at all. Helps to have a few Greater Vampires in the ranks. I got turned into one myself after Eternity decided to get his people interested in what was going on. Chrisondra turned me before she turned coat and ran to the good side, thanks to that good for nothing cousin of mine and his bitch. Still got Bristara pissed at 'em, I'm sure. But she's been paying them both back in her own way. And she ain't all that bad at it. Anyway, I got along real good there for awhile, but I guess just about everything comes to an end. Amanda ended up bringing Carmellina back with her magic and that's when Bonnie and me got to be friends. She helped me through it, she's good at that. But then her old man got brought to our side and that started us down the road to leaving. I gotta admit I love to watch old Rich beat the shit out of Miguel. His favorite pasttime and mine too. Well, almost. But I couldn't take no more of his beating Bonnie. The last time I watched him do it when we were on that side, Bonnie and me got together. Guess us two misfits kinda found somewhere to fit. We left and joined Eternity's sister, Martinique. Got caught by Richie boy once and that hurt like shit, but we're back now and better than ever. Though now we ain't with Martinique no more, neither. Ain't gonna go into no details about that, just gonna say that we didn't sign on to serve her mother and Megiana just took over. And cause of somethin' that happened with Lupé, things just turned out so that we left. Got protection from Lathair from his kids and Megiana, though not the good guys. But right now we're workin' how we can with Las Panteras to get rid of The Strikers. Much as I hate workin' with Miguel and his people, it's more important to get them racists outta things. Guess me and Miguel share some opinions. But after that's done, it's business as usual.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
-Eleanor Roosevelt
-Paul Boese
