At the age of 6 I can remember very vividly, my first fight. My oldest and favorite foster brother whose name was Eddie, took me and Lajon, my foster brother, downstairs to the basement of our house for a very important “life lesson”. The teaching on that day was, “How to defend yourself”. I don’t remember any physical altercations before this day. I also will never forget this day. Lajon and I were the closest in age. He was seven and I was six. We were also close in size in a house of ten foster kids. We naturally became each other’s rivals around the elder brothers and best friends in private. My uncle, Leroy and Eddie made a small wage on which of us could win in a fight without either of us knowing. Lj was known as “soft” and non-confrontational.
