They used to call this Brown-town. The streets were awash with smack. Lads I'd known since nursery; their brothers. My cousin. People standing at their own front door shouting "How lads, wanna buy some scag?" "Nah, ya alreet like." But I was tempted.

Ralph Avenue was bad. It was like every other house, it was Dealer... Smackhead... Dealer... Smackhead... I heard one of the McBurnie's got AIDS. Others got jailed. The rest wound up down Camrex House. Gradually, things settled down. Some of the survivors are still knocking 'round.

I used to cut through Ralph Avenue on the way to my mates'. One day I saw Pearsy in a garden over the road; he shouted over: "How Neil lad! You still reading books?" He laughed and I smiled, but he's dead now - has been best part 15 years.

And for myself? I chose not to choose heroin; I chose something else. And the reasons? Well I guess it's cos I read books.