Off The GridIron

Chapter 42: In Plain Sight

Sunday March 29th, 1992

8:15pm

Kelvin

"Hey Kelvin again i appreciate you letting me stay here, look i'll be out of your hair soon man." Madlock said.

"Where do you plan on going though?"

"I don't know, i'll figure things out after today i plan on leaving though, because i don't want to stay here longer than i have to. I don't want you getting into any trouble keeping me here and all." He said. "You can go back to the detention center for this, hell i think you could go to prison for this and that's the last thing that i want for you, but i'll never forget you doing this for me man, i mean that. Mustang Strong man, for real." He said. "To be honest i might go down to Tijuana or a town nearby down in Mexico." He said.

"Are you crazy?" I said as he gave me a look.

"Why would you ask me a question like that? You know i am." He said laughing. "I'ma walk, as long as i stay off the road and move around in wooded areas i should make it in about 2, maybe 3 or 4 days max." He said.

"Naw don't do that.....how about this. I'll drive you down, not to the border but as close to the border as we can get without being seen." I said.

"Yo you'd really do that for me? Do you know what you're risking if you get caught though?" He asked me.

"Yeah i know, but i mean look at what you did for Leon, and not only Leon but Chris, you took care of someone who was hassling them and harassing them." I told him. "You stuck by the code of Mustangs for life, so i got to stick by mines and help you out." I said.

"Thanks man. How far south do you think we can get though?"

"Well i mean i don't know, i mean the closest city to Mexico on this side of the Border is San Diego." I told him.

"No i think it's one further south than that called Chula Vista." He said.

"Alright well we'll try to get there." I told him. "I'll go get us some food from nearby and i'll be back. Start packing." I told him. I went to the nearby Jack N The Box and got some food to last us a few hours, and i went to a nearby cornerstore and brought some snacks that should last him a few days. And then around 8:40pm i headed back to the apartment, i left the bookbag in the car and all with the snacks and all in it.

"Thanks for all of this Kelvin, i appreciate it."

"No doubt. Look we'll leave around 10:30pm or so. We just need to wait until then, that way it won't be many people out, less people, less chance of getting caught." I told him.

Over the next few hours we stayed in and listened to some music from NWA, EPMD, Ice T, Big Daddy Kane & more, just talking about life and talking about our time in Camp Kilpatrick and what brought us there, what we wanted out of life and all. Instead of leaving at 10:30pm we left at 10:45pm, before i left i made sure i had a small map with me as well as my compass.

"So you're gonna have to duck down in the back." I told Madlock before we left.

"Now before we do this are you ABSOLUTELY SURE?" He asked. "If you get caught this could hem you up dude and that's the last thing that i'd want to do."

"I told you i got you man, get in and don't worry. We got this." I told him. He got in the car and he ducked down in the backseat.

I started the car and the journey began. Went down E. Fairway Drive and then went up south auto center road until i got to the highway, then from there it was on, i didn't go to fast, kept within the speed limit, my heart was pounding the whole time, it was some traffic out, not too much. About 40 minutes later or so i ended up in Murrieta, CA which looks like a small city.

"Hey fam you good back there?" I asked Madlock.

"Yeah, just looking up at the stars and out the window. It's beautiful out there. What time is it?"

"It's about 11:30pm right now. At about midnight we should end up in this city called Escondido." I told him.

I kept driving, and around 12:10am we ended up in Escondido. We still had a ways to go before we got to Chula Vista. We would end up there around 12:50am or so. I could hear Madlock snoring back there, I turned the radio down lower and found a radio station that was playing R&B music and listened to that for awhile. Traffic was a bit backed up, it was an accident out on the road and officers were checking some cars, luckily they went past ours, we had a close call though. Anyway around 1:05am we passed over the bridge and right under us was the Sweetwater River. Coming into Chula Vista taking interstate 5 down it looked like a mix of a residential town as well as industrial. We were less than a few miles away from the border and i wasn't trying to go there. I seen this sign that said Coronado Avenue was on Exit 4, so i merged over to that lane and got off on the Hollister Street exit, it would take me to Coronado Avenue. Something told me to keep going straight though, the compass i had was pointing south.

I kept driving down Hollister Street until i seen a nearby mountain, i turned my beams off completely, it was a dirt road though, i could still see somewhat. This was the Tijuana River Valley Campground, damn i hope no one saw us. I turned down Monument Road to the right, i saw where there was a gate opened.

"Hey Madlock wake up man, wake up. I think i found something." I told him. "Wake up dude." I told him.

"What, what's going on? We here?"

"Not sure, but this was as far south as i could go while avoiding the highway. I think behind this mountain might be Mexico." I told him. "But this is also a Campground, i didn't see no one around though so i don't think it's no one here." I told him. "You might have a chance." I said. "Get your bookbag. I also put some bottles of water and a small flashlight in there too. It should help you see enough to navigate your way."

"Thanks man, i appreciate all that you did." He said, getting ready to get out the car.

"No doubt. Hey just go over the hill and you'll be good." I told him.

"Thanks man i won't forget this and hey when the heat wear off i'll be sure to write you man." He said getting out the car.

I seen him get out of the car and head towards the hill/small mountain. He turned the flashlight on and looked around to make sure it was no one around, i sat and watched for a good 5 to 7 minutes until i seen the light disappear over the hill.

"Good luck Madlock." I said aloud to myself as i turned the car back on and made my way home, i had a two hour drive to go until i got home but if i made the trip down i could make it back up.

End Of Chapter 42