Living in the hood is seeing a teen boy shot down in front of your apartment. A teen boy who only wanted to protect his sister from her drunk boyfriend. Living in the hood is watching 8 emts trying to save the boy knowing he is already dead. Watching 50 cops look around and seeing tons of people standing there watching but not a single person saw what happened. It is watching the sister wail her eyes out as her and her dad got the news that a 15 year old boy is no longer living. Living in the hood is watching that 15 year old boys memorial service turn into an all out fist fight between 30 teenagers. Living in the hood is the next day everything returns to normal and there is a ribbon around the tree next to where this poor kid died. Living in the hood is having your best friends 5 year old son shot in the head while eating cereal at the kitchen table. That 5 year old only stayed home because he wasn't feeling good and his father was the target. He owed money and they shot up the house. Only one to get hit is the 5 year old. Living in the hood is your cousin riding a bike at 6 am and being hit by a drunk driver. Living in the hood is a drunk drug dealer slamming into the back of a school bus and nearly killing your little brother. Living in the hood is your dad outside in the middle of the road fist fighting since his wife's best friend was smacked in the face because she found a man doing crack in the hallway and asked him to leave before the kids came out and saw. Living in the hood is scraping by never knowing if you will eat that day but ensuring your children have 3 square meals a day. Living pay check to pay check. Living in the hood is clutching your phone to your chest as you walk to work so it doesn't get stolen. They can take the wallet there is no money in it anyway. Living in the hood is handling all that and still trying your hardest to raise sane, healthy, and productive children to join the next generation. Living in the hood is reciving a $1000 check and having all your friends question how every single penny is spent because they asked to borrow money and you said no. Accept all this and you have the tip of the ice burg of my expirence of living in the hood.