London's Girl

L.J. A.K.A London James

London James is the name but everyone calls me L.J. and I'm twenty-nine years old. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. I was raised by my grandparents, Louise and Lawrence James Sr. They had a daughter named Loretta James and a son named Lawrence James Jr. My Uncle Lawrence, I call him Uncle Larry is in the Navy. He comes and visits me and my grandma during the holidays whenever he can and I get to see all of my cousins ( his three kids) when they come and visit. My mother, Loretta, died from a drug overdose when I was sixteen years old. I barely knew my mother when I was growing up. I only seen her when she needed money from my grandmother just to get high. I never met my father. I was told he was in jail for drugs and armed burglary. I'm an only child and my grandparents did their best to keep me away from drugs and the mean streets. Music is what kept me out of trouble. I love music with a passion. I guess it started after my mother left me at six years old. I was angry and acting out mainly because I was hurt that she wasn't always there for me and I felt abandoned by her. My mother promised me that she would stop doing drugs and get better. I actually believed her and it never happened. It was three days after my sixteenth birthday and I remember one day my mom said that she was going to come and visit me at my grandparents house. I didn't even want to see her because I was mad as hell. I felt like she chose drugs over me like she didn't even care about her own daughter. My grandma made me wait on the stoop. I must of waited for like four hours and I got tired of waiting. I went to the the ice cream shop to drown my sorrows...alone. Then I went back home and it was around six at that time. I went inside for dinner and I asked my grandmother if my mom came. She said that she didn't come and I didn't even care. I was just tired of worrying about her or where she was. I just didn't give a damn about her. So I took a shower and watched t.v. on the couch while my grandparents went to bed. It was ten at night I decided to go to bed. I laid on my bed listening to my music on my old walkman. It was falling apart but it still played my music. Soon I drifted off to sleep then two hours later there was a knock at the door. I woke up to get my grandpa, Poppy. Poppy answered the door and two policemen were standing there. I was standing next to my grandparents when they said they found her body in an alley and she had o'd. She was pronounced dead at the scene. My grandma cried her eyes out when she found out what had happened to my mother. My grandfather was shocked and he broke down in tears. I went in my bedroom and cried myself to sleep. I loved my mother but I hated that she died. Two weeks later, we had a funeral for her. My friends came and stayed by my side. They were there to help me get through it.  Shane, Dre, D.J., Mookie, Lee, Scooter, T.C., A.J., Jay, and Key were all there. Shane and I have been friends since we were in diapers. She has been like a sister to me all these years. Her real name is Shayna Harris. Dre has been my homie since kindergarten. Her real name is Andrea Johnson. I met D.J. in the third grade and he became a part of our crew. His name D.J. stands for Darnell Jenkins Jr. Mookie and I known each other since kindergarten. Mookie's real name is Leon Simms. I met Lee in high school. Lee is short for Leona Dawson. I've known Scooter since Jr. High. His real name is Sam Henderson. I met T.C. in high school. His real name is Travis Coler. I have known A.J and his sister Key since we were eight years old. As a matter fact, A.J and Key are twins. They're real names are Ahmad and Keisha Thomas. Keyshia was my first girlfriend. I met Jay at a talent show in high school. I heard her sing and asked her to join my crew. Her real name is Jaleesa Holmes. We became friends ever since. It was hard seeing my mother laying there and I shed some tears on my mother's grave. I even sang to her just like when I was little, back when everything used to perfect and happy. I sang a special song called "Farewell My Friend" and it goes like this...

Farewell...My Friend....

I never thought you would leave

I thought we'd be together

Just you and me forever

Now I'm cryin' Oh why?

Why is it so hard to say....