KEVIN

My dream’s always been to have a nice big house and take care of my mom.
She’s always taken care of me, so I’d like to be able to take care of her.
(I smile when I think of her, but I can’t tell you that). She’s the only parent
I really ever had.

I’m 22. I was born in Montreal, but I’m in Vanier now. (My name’s Kevin,
but I tell people it’s Junior). When I was a kid, I wanted to be a weapons
technician in the army, then I wanted to be a mechanic because $45 an
hour is a lot of money. These days I work in a temp agency in a warehouse.

I used to have a pretty good life. I had everything I ever wanted—an apartment,
some furniture, a fiancée, and a daughter. Her name’s Brianne and she was born
May 15. Seven pounds, four ounces. The parents of my ex blocked me from seeing
her, injunctions and everything.

My older brother liked to party. My dad, he left cocaine around the house, too, so
I tried it when I was 13. I liked it. Crack? I went to a party and it was in a joint
and I didn’t know, but it’s a great buzz. Now I do crack so I don’t have to think
about my daughter and everything.

ESRICK

I had a little bike but I didn’t stray too far because my parents didn’t want me
to get shot. My neighbourhood was called Kingston 13. We played soccer with
tennis balls, and I played marbles, too.

Kingston 13 was like a big yard with a whole bunch of little houses down a long
road. We got candies and sweeties from the store on the corner. But it wasn’t
like here. You heard gunfire and there are dead bodies on the side of the fucking
road, bodies stripped.

When you heard gunshots you went down on the ground and you would stay there
until the shots finished. But that was only in the nighttime. You went down because
you never know if the bullets they would come in through your living room. I came
from Jamaica 12 years ago. I’m 21 now.

The first time I tried crack, I was 17. I was at a friend’s house and he said ‘Let’s do
some juicy.’ We rolled one up. I was curious because it smells so good. But he wouldn’t
give me a puff so I took it from him and I had some. Then I went to the pipe.

Some times I regret it, but the high is so good. Don’t show my picture to the cops.

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From: Le DROIT:

(I hate it when they crop my pictures.)

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Finally, Judy Slack sent along some photos she took at
the opening. Here’s one of my friend Riva and me…..

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