For no clear reason, just a little while ago I found myself remembering a friend from my high school years. I didn’t have many friends back then – prodigies seldom do – so I held on tight to those I managed to acquire. But this particular friend proved to be a mistake. He proved it by going to Chicago, getting involved with a gang, and getting killed in a gunfight.
Yes, he was black.
No one’s judgment is unerring. When you’re young, lonely, and desperate for some companionship, you’re altogether too likely to lower your standards. This is always unwise. And as I’ve learned many times over the years, intelligence is not the same as wisdom.
Anyway, have some Tom Petty.
And be true to yourself. That’s a job no one else can do.
