Ridge Mountain Halo

I wrote Ridge Mountain Halo as a testament to my upbringing as a child. I grew up in a small town east of St. Louis called Collinsville, IL. It is here that I was introduced to the woods, girls, basketball, and youthful mischief. My experience in Collinsville still impacts me to this day. At school, my brother and I knew what it was like to be different. We were the only two African Americans in our elementary school. We were oddly popular. Our large house was right next to the school. I have fond memories of playing basketball on the outside courts. Learning to play the trumpet also kept me busy. I played little league football and consumed endless amounts of video games.