We Beat the Street: How A Friendship Pact Led to Success

By tenth grade, Sampson, George and Rameck are close friends who are able to voice their biggest hopes and fears to one another. Sampson, however, still has the rest of his world to contend with. One day, out walking with his friend, Frank, Sampson is harassed for some spare change by a man with a gun. When the stranger pulls the gun on Frank and Sampson, the two instantly freeze, unsure if they will live or die in this moment. To their relief, the man decides to simply walk away.

A few weeks later, while out celebrating his birthday with friends, Sampson has another close encounter with danger. A friend named Hock attempts to get Sampson to do cocaine and is angry when Sampson refuses. Hock accuses Sampson of thinking that he’s better than the rest of them. Sampson manages to exit the scene before hostilities escalate.

A few months later, Sampson finds himself in another predicament, this time in the company of a friend named Spud. Spud has a plan to buy crack to sell and earn big money. Sampson, desperate for some money, agrees to help and split the work and profits. Together, the pair travels to Harlem and enters a tiny apartment room loaded with