Chapman Street

Robert is born in a house on Chapman Street in East Orange, New Jersey. It is a shelter from bad elements of town, but not far enough away. The house is tall, and narrow. There are factories in Newark that employ people in towns like East Orange. So, working class neighborhoods have sprung up all over. These houses are stacked shoulder-to-shoulder. In the decades before Robert was born, everyone knew everyone else. This stops at some point though. Many of the eight uncles and aunts are still living there in the beginning, so it is pretty crowded growing up. It is close to Central Avenue, a thoroughfare one block over, which is a well-traveled place for everyone, including dealers. At night, it is full of dangerous people.

Community

The East Orange community is very important to Rob There is a scene when Rob is 6, and going...