SOC 2 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-16: Peer Pressure, Age 13, Internal Medicine
The Pact Notes
Chapter 1: Dreaming Big
George
• Wanted to be a dentist
• Grew up with older half-brother Garland
• Mother was very proud, did not let on to how impoverished family actually was
• Stepfather left after six years married to George’s mom
• Mr. Jackson, friend’s dad, was like a father to him
• Didn’t resort to selling drugs or stealing; focused on school
• Was not popular, but had understanding between him and other kids
• Third grade teacher Miss Johnson was responsible for his love of school and learning in
general
Chapter 2: Home
Sam
• “Moms” called him by his middle name, Marshall
• Always wanted to learn, always asked questions as a child
• Mother was illiterate
o Reluctant to cut Sam’s hair as a child; kept hair in a Bible
o Known as the mother of the neighborhood
o Father (“Pop”) loved music; was Army man
• Parents’ relationship was borderline abusive
o Parents divorced when Sam was 11 years old
o Had to go on welfare
• Mother had “open door policy”: always allowed extended family to move in
o Occupants couldn’t always contribute, but that didn’t matter
• Used to worship Kenny, oldest brother, until he became an alcoholic after death of his
wife
• Roselene (oldest sister) had OCD and other mental health issues
• Closest to second oldest sister, Fellease (later changed name to Fenice)
o Drug addict
• Had a “box” in the back of his mind where he stored bad experiences
• Andre; most stable of older siblings
• Mother’s punishments would be considered child abuse today
o Sam broke his foot while playing with Andre
• Carlton, younger brother, clung to Sam after divorce
o Resisted drugs
• Crack hit the Dayton Streets Projects in 1980s
o House got broken into 4 times
• Mr. Brown, neighbor, took Sam and his childhood friends, Noody and Will, to first
professional baseball game
• Began to fall into peer pressure of stealing; got arrested at age of 13 for stealing vacuum
(was set up by a friend)
• Reggie, a martial arts teacher, taught Sam kung-fu; kept him out of the streets
• Exceled in school but was embarrassed; wanted to fit in with the “cool” kids
• Became student at University High (more geared for college students)
o Where he would meet George
Chapter 3: Ma
Rameck
• “Ma” was actually his grandmother
o Birth mother had Rameck at age 17 on purpose; became drug addict
o Father was heroin addict; spent a lot of time in jail
• Ma played cards on Friday nights with friends and children
o Cooked huge dinners on Sunday nights, brought family together
• Rameck was designated family entertainer
• As young child, he moved from place to place with his birth mother
• Entered his public school’s gifted program
• Mother expected him to excel
o Enrolled him in private Catholic school; he began acting out and was almost
placed in special education program
o Mother refused and sent him back to public school
• Mother took him to visit father in jail
o Father used to be very academic; wanted to major in Chemistry
o Met Rameck’s mother and impregnated her, along with another girl
o Got hooked on heroin during a Christmas break; dropped out of college soon after
o Enrolled in Army but was discharged after committing robbery
o Took 26 years to beat addiction; now works as a drug counselor at rehab
• Mother was molested as a child
o Wanted to be court stenographer
o He believed she loved drugs more than him
▪ Father would give him money even when planning to buy drugs
• At age 13, Rameck was on his own
o Ma did not baby him, but offered her support
• Gained interest in acting
o Gave up money for portfolio to pay electricity bills
• Began acting out when Mother tried to get strict
o Mother enrolled him in University High without his knowledge
o Met Sam and George on first day at University High
o Moved in with Ma
o Learned the hard way about negative influence from friends
Chapter 4: Common Ground
George
• Became close to Sam due to being able to balance school and social life
o Also friends with Faith Evans, now a pop singer
