The themes expressed in this chapter are those of crime and the struggle of single mothers. Author Wes gets into big trouble when he gets caught by the police tagging a wall. He was getting involved with the wrong crowd and being heavily influenced by them. His mother is very worried about him and even threatens to send him to military school, a threat which will prove to be true. Meanwhile, Other Wes digs himself deeper and deeper into the drug game. He runs into some roadblocks, but he is able to continue down this path by lying to his mother who is oblivious to what he is doing.
While Other Wes was getting further into the drug dealing business, he had to find ways to explain his new source of income to his mom, who was single and very distracted by trying to support the family financially. She was easily convinced of his explanations, but his brother, who himself understood the drug game, was not: "Wes stuttered out a story: he'd become a popular DJ in the neighborhood and was making incredible loot Dj-ing parties. It was the story he'd used with Mary, and she'd bought it whole. Maybe because she really believed him. Maybe because she really wanted to believe him." (Page 69) Mary had so much going on and was already so worried about her son Tony that the thought of Other Wes slipping into this lifestyle scared her, and she dealt with this fear by pretending these problems didn't exist. When Tony tried to explain the situation to his mother, she responded in denial and defended Other Wes, which prompted Tony to question her involvement in her son's life: "Hearing this, Tony pulled back his anger at Wes and turned it on his mother. 'Are you serious? You really believe that? Are you blind?" (Page 71) Finally, Mary discovers the drugs in Other Wes's shoeboxes and becomes distraught: "She wasn't only upset about the drugs, she was upset about the lying...Both of her sons were drug dealers." (Page 73) She confronts Other Wes, and he apologizes, but her attention to his life does not increase because of all her other worries, and thus he simply continues his business with a new headquarters at the house of his girlfriend. Mary's life choices led her to be forced to be a single mother, and her inability to watch closely enough over her sons led them to become involved in crime and go down rough paths.
Author Wes also begins to get involved with crime during this chapter. His friend Shea, a "runner" in the drug dealing business, invites Author Wes to come tagging (graffiti) with him. Not realizing what the consequences of his actions would be, Author Wes agrees. They are caught by the police and hauled into the back of a police car in handcuffs. Earlier in the day, Author Wes and his mother had been arguing about Author Wes's involvement in school and the fact that he had been skipping classes, and he was now about to have to tell her all of the trouble he was going to be in: "A thought raced around my head- my mother was going to have to pick me up from jail. She had just finished talking to me about my grades, and now this. My relationship with my mother was in a strange place. My desperation for her support was in constant tension with my desperation for independence and freedom." (Page 82) Author Wes wanted his mother's approval and for her to be proud of him, but he was also trying to figure out where he belonged and what his role in life was, and it was hard to accomplish both of these goals at the same time with the tumult in the neighborhood and being surrounded by crime. This chapter only foreshadows what would be many more bad decisions leading to a life of crime and problems: "The cop shook his head and pointed his right index finger in our direction. 'You kids are way too young to be in this situation. But you know what, I see kids like you here every day. If you don't get smart, I'm certain I will see you again. That's the sad part.'" (Page 83) The cop must have felt sympathy for the two boys, because he let them go and whispered to Author Wes that he hoped Wes had listened to his warning. Unless Author Wes could turn things around and get out of this crime-filled life, he would be right back in that police car. He promised himself he was done, but one week later he was back tagging, despite his earlier thoughts about making his single mom's life easier.
Overall, Author Wes and Other Wes both struggle with staying out of the crime scene, and don't have as much support from their single mothers as some children with both parents receive; making it that much harder to dig themselves out of the holes they've created.
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