Chapter 2 begins in 1984 and focuses on the other Wes Moore’s living situation in Murphy Homes. These projects “were among the most dangerous projects in all of Baltimore” (26). It was here where Wes’s older brother Tony spent most of his time, and it was here where Tony began selling drugs before he was 10 years old. According to Moore, at age 14 Tony had “passed the point of no return” (27). He was trying to expand his territory into East Baltimore, but this stirred up trouble. Mary tried moving her family around several times to secure housing in a neighborhood that was more promising.

Wes loved football and was a natural on the field. Although he was passing his classes, football soon became his only focus. At the time that they lived in Northwood, Wes had two close friends: Woody and “White Boy” (Paul). Moore describes how Wes first got into trouble with the law at a neighborhood football game gone wrong. A fellow football player was being especially pushy with him, and Wes wasn’t backing down. It turned into a scuffle that split Wes’s front lip. Wes ran home and grabbed a knife, his brother’s words running in his head: “if someone disrespects you, you send a message so fierce that they won’t have the chance to do it again” (33).