Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16

by Moshe Kasher

Corey and DJ entered that school with instant street stripes just by virtue of being from Oakland. They went from White Boys at Claremont to Those Guys from Oakland at Piedmont. Instant status. They quickly found themselves courted by the guys for protection and the girls for attention. DJ and Corey would, intermittently, bring new friends into our social circle with the express plan of softening them up to the point of being able to rob them. It was like a group of foxes bringing a new, fat chicken into the den and trying to convince them they were safe. “Hey, thanks so much for coming, the other foxes and I are really glad you are here.” Chicken looks up, wanting so bad to be accepted, eyes darting back and forth. “Why are you licking your lips?” Fox thinks quick. “Oh, that? That’s nothing, I have problems with dry mouth.” Chicken wants to believe, does. “Oh, yeah, I know how that can be, I was just afraid you might be about to pounce on me and eat me.” Fox tries to look shocked. “What?!? Me? What would make you think a thing like that?” “Well… you’re a fox. And there are feathers everywhere. And you have buckets of KFC littered around the den. And there’s your raging fox boner.” Fox looks down, his red face turning redder. “How embarrassing,” says Fox just before he pounces. Rich kids would be brought to us one by one, smiling that they’d been let in on a slummy secret. They would hang out for a few days, just long enough to feel comfortable, and then someone would set ...