My late teenage years in NYC played out more like an ultra extended scenes from Scarface and an old Western. The neighborhood I grew up in was typical NYC middle class transitioning to ghetto area that eventually devolved into the crack cocaine capital of the city. In hindsight it was an interesting experience because you develop a pretty keen sense of awareness when it comes to being aware of potential threats and bad situations. My fondest memories were of summers playing in the open hydrants with my friends who all lived on the same block, before the yahoos showed up and destroyed it all.