Armored trucks spew clouds of cash into the sky and the people who happen upon it are faced with an unexpected moral dilemma. And a kid from Harlem becomes the biggest heroin dealer in upstate New York. He soon learns what it will take for him to turn his back on a mountain of cash.

STORIES

Money Truck

Six people, six different times and places, but they all find themselves in the same predicament, asking the same question, should they stop or should they go?

This episode contains strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised.

BIG thanks to Tyler Estep, who first reported Philip Dean’s story for the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Thanks also to Cole Richards and Randy Scott Carroll for recording assistance.

Thank you to everyone interviewed for this story: Troy Stokes, Philip Dean, Betsy Richards, Delrish Moss, Carol Steele, and the Lucky Guy.

Big love and thanks to Shannon Cason, who narrated this piece. Check out Shannon’s podcast ‘Homemade Stories’ to hear more from him.

Produced by Anna Sussman, John Fecile & Nancy López, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot

Whiteboy John and The Seven Saints

A kid from Harlem becomes the biggest heroin dealer in upstate New York. He soon learns what it will take for him to turn his back on a mountain of cash.

Abdul-Kenyatta has performed as a workshop facilitator and motivational speaker. He is a poet, storyteller, jazz and blues vocalist, and a novelist.

He was an actor with the San Francisco Neighborhood Arts Children’s Theater for five years, and a San Francisco State University, Black Studies Department Associate Professor, lecturing on African and African-American History and Literature.

His novel Five Thousand Urgently Pointless Distractions was published in 2000. He is the 2005 Berkeley Poetry Festival Slam Poetry Champion. He was a member of the Oakland 2004 National Slam Team and the 2006 San Francisco Slam Master, the 2007 Marin County Fair Slam Poetry Champion, and a member of the 2007 San Francisco National Slam Team. He appeared in the Jamie De Wolfe film “SMOKED”.

Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Snap Classic – Season 15 – Episode 9