Mr.Erdman,

I saw this painting at the Rainbow Club in Chicago approx. 3 Days ago. I was 
out with several friends, most of whom the hoi polloi of the art Scene 
there. I went back to the bar the very next day to inquire about the artist 
and how much the painting cost, and low and behold they had already hung the 
newest latest and your work was nowhere to be found.

I lived in Humboldt Park for years, owned an apartment building, and on many 
occasions dealt with ALKQN, MLDs and GDs haunting my neighborhood. I played 
dice with them, smoked weed with them, on occasion got in scuffs with some 
of their rowdier minions. I am currently a school teacher in Aurora, CO, 
where crabs and slobs (crips and bloods) fight over turf like it was 
California or something. I tell my kids stories all the time of the wars I 
have witnessed and the emptiness of the lives of gang members. I have 
friends in the rolling 30s set, the original crips transplants to Denver 
from LA. GDs and Crabs have an alliance. They are on permanent house arrest 
and go from school to school preaching against gang life. They still throw 
the pitchforks up, and when I am feeling bold, I throw one back.

I currently hold a job at the #1 trauma hospital  in Denver, where we see 
alot of violent injury, the more common of which has recently become gun 
wounds from the said wars. I have decided to move from teaching into 
medicine, starting next year. Maybe I can still save the stragglers.

I believe in the strength of the individual, and the power within that 
individual to change - the Japanese call it Kaizen, the art of continual 
self improvement. Your painting, to me, represents the candy colored 
ridiculousness of gang life, and regardless of your original intentions, 
will be a piece proudly on display in my art friendly home for eternity. 
Thank you and God Bless, homie.

Nate the Great