Section 2: Chapter 1 and chapter 2 Summary and Analysis

In Section 2, Chapter 1, Gantos found himself back in St. Croix, but it had changed drastically. Drugs were available constantly, and race relations in the area had deteriorated to riot conditions. Gantos admits he continued to smoke marijuana, but never realized it would land him in prison. Gantos' father's construction business was failing as a result of the race tensions, as the wealthy whites no longer wanted retirement homes in a war zone. Instead of construction, Gantos and his father built crates for the wealthy to offload their possessions. Gantos was paid only in room and board, and realized quickly he would not be able to save money for college. One day, a man named Rik came to the warehouse, asking for a false bottomed crate to be made. Gantos agreed, and although his father believed...