Gangster

Maybe it's my incredibly white skin, or maybe it is my missing swagger, whatever it might be, the word "gangster" has never been used to identify any part of my character. Maybe this should bother me, who doesn't want to be "gangster"? Even Justin Timberlake is "gangster" now! However yesterday I received my first honorary decree of gangsterness.

Let me preface with the fact that the individual who bestowed this title upon me was not a discreditable source. Receiving the gift of "gangster" from an elderly citizen just doesn't carry any weight. My "gangster" title was given by a multi-generation native of the Bronx, NY.

It was in reference to the fact that we were running with the bulls. He said "you can tell yours (sic) kids 'bout (sic) this one, your a gangster now"!

After another couple mins the fun really began! Here is a brief cap of the most terrifying minute and ten seconds of my life...

It was a bright and sunny morning, deep in the heart of Spain...

I started out at the "deadmans curve" (given this name for the fact that the course makes a 90 degree turn which the bulls cannot see and plow into the turn plastering anything between them and the wall). From this point we proceeded up the street at a walk through the straight away, which is the most dangerous part for injuries due to the fact that there are no places to dive into shops or fences for nearly 300 yards. Once we got halfway through the straight away we began to jog when we heard the rocket explosion indicating that the bulls had entered the street. At that point I ran for my life! You could not straight out sprint with so many people in the way and you could not see or hear the bulls coming from behind you. After I had reached the first set of fences I jumped up on a fence to see if I could locate bulls, I couldn't see the bulls so I jumped back down and started running again. By the time I took several good steps they were right behind me. I saw a couple people fall right around me and headed back for the fence. The kid behind me ended up getting trampled and had to get an ambulance to get him off and one of the guys running next to me had his knee torn open from one of the bulls. I hoped through a fence and started and watched at others flew under over and threw the fences as fast as the could. As quickly as it started it ended.

As I was walking to our groups meeting spot so we could all reunite and share the details of our event I ran into my friend who was wiping his face with his du-rag, and shared his story, and again reconfirmed that we were both officially "gangsters".

So to honor my new title, as you would appropriately address a doctor, senator, or president I will from hence forth be Gangster Ryan Gould. I will also respond to "G" Money, Original Gangster Ryan, or Ryan Doggy Dogg.

Yours Truly,

Gngstr. Ryan Gould