Baba part 2 chapter 3

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“Council of Elders?, this was the first time I had heard of this council, “What, you have a group of old folks sitting around waiting to train young niggas or what?”
“Actually yes, but we do more than sit around and wait for “young niggas” to train. We have been investing and building our resources so that we can make power moves.”
“What type of power moves?”
“Real estate, business investments, and politics. All the things that we have been talking about. I hope that you don’t think that I am one of those old men that sit and talk about how things use to be or how they should be. Son I have been buying properties since I was young, and so has many of the elders sitting on our council.”

“Yall doing the damn thing.” This made me feel good that I was talking to an elder that was self sufficient.  

My respect for Simba began to grow even more. On the streets I use to run into people that had good “game”. All of their ideas about black folks situation were excellent, but when it came to the question of what they were doing the answer was talk, talk, talk, and more talk. Most people that were talking about black folks situation were poor themselves so they could not help no one. They would steadily try to convince me that I was wrong in what I was doing (selling drugs), but they offered me no alternatives. Just talk so I usually would walk away but for the first time I was sitting in front of an older black man having a discussion not about giving him a dollar but, I was sitting in front of a powerful successful black man, a real elder who wanted to train me and help me understand the world.
“Simba I am flattered.” I will allow you to train me.”
“Now hold on Jay I need to be honest with you. The process is intense and it requires a lot from you as well as the council. The first question I must ask you is do you honestly feel you can make it?”
“Of course!!!”
“Jay, I am very serious. You have to be willing to go to hell and back. You must have total trust in the process. You must be willing to give up everything, and even die if need be.”
“Damn, that sounds extreme. What will I get from all this?”
“You will find out who you really are! You will find out that all your limits are illusions created by yourself and this world to keep you in a neat little box called mediocrity. You also will become part of a very large family that will help and protect you in life.”
“Shit….sign me up.”
“Alright, I will be your sponsor, and that means that I will be responsible for you the rest of your life. I will need for you to fill out some forms so that we can do a check on you, and I will call you in a few days once I clear you with the council. Expect a call from me soon.”
“Cool, will I need anything else?”
“Yes, I need you to get hold of some money. If you are accepted we will need you to make a sacrifice to show us how serious you are.”
“How much?”
“How much is what I am about to give you worth?”
“I……”
Just as I was about to ask a question Simba lifted his hand to silence me.

“Little brother, that was a rhetorical question. I don’t expect an answer. Go home, wait for my call, and

prepare yourself.”