3 The way Kensingtonians always have,
4 And learn what abaseball bats are really for, bnot to mention motorcycle chains and knives and sawed-off shotguns,
5 Because if they should ever find a sneaky way to hurt you,
6 You'll need to know how to deal with them,
7 Which is why it's better not to think about anything at all when you're in a gang,
8 cBut do whatever your leader tells you to do, just like your dad did,
9 dWhich is why a gang leader in Kensington always has to be the hardest, meanest, dirtiest animal available,
10 And why gang rules are the same from one generation to the next,
11 Like if somebody messes with any one of you, then the whole gang takes care of it,
12 Immediately,
13 Savagely,
14 And for keeps,
15 eBecause there's no point in wasting time when vengeance is necessary,
16 And it will be necessary,
17 Because nobody in this whole stinking fcity likes you,
18 And you don't like any of them,
19 So the gang is your protection,
20 And it's your camouflage too,
21 Because when the gang goes to work,
22 What people remember is the gang,
23 And what wild animals they were,
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24 And nothing else,
25 gBecause animals are not individuals,
26 And they have no faces.
CHAPTER 131 I know you well enough to guess that a lot of you are already asking, "Who's they?
2 "Because we'll go take care of them now,
3 h"For keeps."
4 But that won't be possible,
5 Because there are too many of them,
6 And they have already taken a page out of your book,
7 iAnd they already know what you know about blame,
8 Not to mention not thinking about anything at all,
9 Because jsomebody spilled the beans,
10 kAnd told all the other neighborhoods about how you've survived this long without ever taking any responsibility for anything,
11 lAnd they liked what they heard,
12 And they're doing it,
13 Everywhere.
CHAPTER 141 And maybe you suppose that's not such bad news,
2 If the rest of them are getting more and more like you every day,
3 And maybe they'll back off with all the personal remarks and the dirty looks,
4 And maybe you'll see less of the back of their hand,
5 mBut that's only because you're so stupid,
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