Damn, I've been outta high school a few years now and I work at the mall part-time. I see some folks I know I haven't seen in some years and today I saw a real cool dude I knew back in highschool. Dude is a few years younger than me and he always came to our basketball to cheer us on, he forgot my name but he remembered by face and he knew what position I played. I remember him cuz he was one of a few big black dudes at the high school and he just moved here from Houston. Anyway, when I saw him, his lips were hella chapped, his eyes looked gone, I presumed he just got done smokin' crack I mean his eyes was hella low and helllllllla red. He asked how I was doing and what not I said cool and all of a sudden he asks "Can I get a dollar to catch the bus?" I'm like yeah yeah. I give it to him and he thanks me and leaves but before he left he told me he was workin' for his grandfolks doin' "dry wall" or some shit. I noticed how chapped his lips were and I was like fuck, is dude homeless? Is dude a crackhead? Shit almost broke my heart real talk. Also at an earlier job I worked at this black dude was my assistant manager, real cool dude. Anyway he got fired and I haven't seen him in years and I saw him at the mall. He saw me said wassup and all and asked how I was doin' I said real good. I returned the question and he said "I'm walkin' with Jesus now!" I'm like what the fuck you talkin bout? You listenin to way too much Kanye. Then i realized I seen him walk thru the mall before and never saw me but I noticed he wore the same clothes and I remember there's a homeless shelter called Jesus walks right near the mall. But when I was workin with dude at my earlier job, he kept goin' to the bathroom. My other assistant manager told me he's snortin' caine, I was like no way. But when he came out he was tryin to clear his nose sayin his stomach hella hurted and now I see him and he tells me he walks with Jesus. Damn, shit kills me. Good people I knew are now poor with no job, wearin same clothes, and homeless. Fuck. I know y'all know some peers that turned crackhead and homeless. How y'all feel about that? I feel fortunate as fuck having my family especially my moms and pops. I mean these dudes are young dudes and to be homeless, most likely they gonna end up in jail and have no way of getting a real job for the rest of their lives. I feel so fortunate.