Author Elias Christopher grew up in the Inwood section of Manhattan during the 1970's. Inwood is the same neighborhood Jim Carroll wrote about in his hard-hitting book Basketball Diaries. Much like Jim Carroll, Elias found himself addicted to drugs and a subculture. Excerpt: I was arrested for robbing an apartment and the State of New York changed the law where juveniles could be charged and sentenced as adults. The prosecutors were out in full force making cases. I was looking at jail time. At this point in my life, I was far-gone, I did not give a shit about anything, nor did I fear jail. It seemed that part of me accepted all of my troubles, as if it was my destiny. My appetite for Valiums and Tuinals grew mean. Each day was about copping drugs, drugs that were fueling my destruction I'm sitting on a windowsill five stories up. The drop is long, this is nuts. My plan is to stretch over, grab the windowsill and pull myself into the apartment. I have been eying the apartment for days. I stretch, grab and pull myself into the apartment. My friend John is standing in the hallway watching me. The apartment was near empty, a bed, a dirt bike and some clothes. I knew the schmuck who lived here was up to no good. He was always trying to cop drugs and none trusted him. I am scrounging around the apartment, lifting the mattress, searching the pockets of his clothing, nothing. Shit! I open his closet door and boom, three rifles fall to the floor and a small box of jewelry is sitting in the corner. I pocket the jewelry and find a trash bag for the guns. I look through the peek-hole to make sure no one was in the hall. I exit the apartment and blow out the building.
About the Author: Stray Dog: Notes from the Underground, is the true story of Elias Christopher growing up in the Inwood section of Manhattan during the 1970's. Elias was a rebellious teen who fell deep into a dangerous world of sex, drugs and theft. He soon found himself far down a road to perdition. At the age of sixteen, Elias had long spiraled out of control and was sent to his first rehab which lasted only two days. A few months later, Elias was arrested, and faced with the possibility of incarceration, he entered Daytop Village. Inwood is the same neighborhood Jim Carroll wrote about in his hard-hitting book Basketball Diaries. Much like Jim Carroll, Elias found himself addicted to drugs and a subculture.