◆ SpookStack

{ i ©" Col HE i A devil race arrives—a race of be bleached-out white people, .... pA ny GORCuG t ioen. i Grought out and ed mio the car's trunk what littk stuff | cared to hang emo. Then we hit the highway and drove back to Boston. He afierward told me that through Bust about the whole ride Mek Pelee ed all out of my head. My sister Ella coukin' belies how atheist, how uncouth | had become’ Even pour nahi gitieren t J sow ith i Shorty’s ere Dees kicks about my home- consing. Ht just happened that Shorty was led her tveyear-old paver T never saw anything like the wey that she and Bhorty ncarty Aomped for each other. For him, she wasn't only a white girl, bur a Jeng white girl. For her, he wasn't only a Negro, but a Negro sursician. Now J knew that I'd have 10 have 2 hustle, Jusi satisfying my cocaine habit alone cost me about 520 a day. I guess another $5 a day could have been added for reefers and just plain tobacco. When | opened the subject of house tergiary with Shorty, be really shocked by how quickly he agreed Shorty ‘wanted to bring in with us this [nend of his, whom } had met, and liked, called “Bonny.” He worked regularly for an employment egency that sent him (o wait om tables af exclusive parte at exclutive poopic's homes. I feh that Short; was ab- solutely right in wanting Sonny to join us in burglanang homes. A good burglary fam included a “finder”—one who be cates bucrauve places to rob. Then an- other principal need is soineone able to “cx” ‘these places’ physical Layouts—to ermine means of entry, the best art. away rovies, and ao forth Sonny quali- fied af & two-it-one find. By being sens to work in the finest homes, he wouldn't! be suspected when he sized up their loot and Ing busy with a white coat on. Our “fence” didn't work with us di- wectly. He had a represettative, an o- eon, who deak with me and no one elec wm my gang. You would be surpraed how efficient wt became. in no time we'd be nanning with the nolen foot to the parked car that took off for the “drop” pre- viow)y asranged between me and the representative for the fence. We sere go- along fine. We'd make @ good pile and then be low s while, kiving it up. We'd time the burgiares 90 that Shory still table-waiting at his exclusive partes. But its a law of nature that every if + a years. Igor It years. They took Shorty tnd me, handcuffed vogether, ip the stale prison in Charlestown. This was in Feb- Tuary, 1946. ] wasn’: quite to the formal manhood age of 21. in that Chariesiown jail I found oui fast you could buy drugs. But ] made so much trouble and spent 20 ouch time in solitary that [ sweated out all my habits “cold turkey.” Many times } thought 1 was going to die—but even this was only part of the lota! transformation that was t® Come Over me. My brothers and sisters began sending met letters sbout « mew, natural refigion for the black man. One day Reginald wrote, “Don't eat any more pork.” I tried it and did #1, and for the first time mn a bong while I began to get a lintic feeling even how to identify the feeling Regi- mald wrote more, shout the worthip of Allah and the American teacher of Islam, the Honorable Mr. Elijah Muhammad. Bieerned thai when Mr. Muhammad went to Detroit he actually stayed at my brother Wilfred’s place. It was my sister Hilda who told me that Mr. Muhammad himself had been in pron, for drafi dodging, and she suggested that } write to him. And on one visi. the explained to me the key fetson of Elijah Muham- mad'’s teachings, which J later learned wes the “demonology™ tha! every relig- jon has. Called “Yacub’s History,” once it is accepted by any black man, be will Rever again see the white man with the same eyes. First, the moon separated from the earth. Then, the first hurnens, Original Man, were a black people. They founded the Hoty City Mecca. Among this black race were 24 wise acientists. One of the scientists, ot Odds . When wns four years old, he began school, the way to becoming highly educated. This big-head scientist, Mr. Yacub, began preaching in the streets of Mecca, making such hosts of converts thal the suthornies, increatingly concerned, f- nally exiled him with his 59,999 followen to the island of Patmos—described in the Bible as the island where John supposedly Tectived the message comtained in Reve- lations in the New Testament. decided, as revenge, to create upon the earth a “devil” race—a bdicached-out, white ract of people! He knew that it would take him several wee oe mitted to marry. As then chdidrie were born, Mr, Yacub’s law dictated thar, if a black child, the attending nurse or mid- 10 take very good care of it, Others, assistants, were trained by Mr. Yacub to continue his objective. Mr. Yacub, when he died on the island at ‘the age of 152, had jeft Lows and rules for them fo go by. Mr. Yacub, except in has mind, never saw the “bicached-out devil black neonie—until only brown neonte remained, The next 200 years were needled to ertate from the brown race the red race— with no more browns iefi on the isiend. In another 200 years from the red race was created Ube yellow race. Two hundred years Leter—sbout 6,000 years ago—at Last, the white rece hed been crealed. On the lend of Patmos was nothing but these blond, prle-skinned, cold-biue- eyed devilk~—tavages, nude and shane- kets; hairy, hike animals, they walked on al fours end they lived im trees. Spx hundred more yearns passed before this race of people returned to the main- land among the natural black people. Within six months of tame through vel- ing lies tha: eet the black men io fighting among cach other, this devil race had turned what had been a peaceful Heaven on earth into a bell torn by quarreling and fighting. Then the whites ruled. owas written that afer Yacub’s coming to realization, at the forwhite people all over the workd began to rie. Master W. D. Fard, in 1931, posing as gave Allah's mestage to Elijah and Altah’ 5 divine guidance, 10 save “the Lost-Found Nation of Islam,” the so-called Negroes, here in “this wilderness of America.” When my sister, Hikia, had finished telling me this “Yaecub's History,” she left, I don’t know if IT was able, even, to open my mouth and tell her “good-bye.” I did write to The Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He sent me a typed reply. ht had ar: all but clectrical effect on me to actually see the signature of the Messen- ger of Allah. He told me to have courage. aa. = a day sends money all over the country w prison inmates who write to him. I began pretty soon to write to peonte im the hustling world that I had known, such as my close friend Sammy, the pimp,