Players Connection Inc.
John Arnold
Spiritual Advisor
7^th Day Adventist
Testimony 13

                I was raised in a single parent household. My mother and father got married in Mississippi. I was born in Jackson along with two of my bothers (Clifton and Bernard). My mother and father migrated to Chicago in 1953. My other two brothers were born in Chicago that being Jerome and Gerald. They were fraternal twins.

                I don’t have any memory of my father and mother living together. My earliest memory include living on the west side of Chicago. That being my mother and four brothers of which I’m the oldest.

                My mother was a God fearing, God worshipping, God loving Christian. She didn’t do drugs, curse, drink alcohol, or do anything that was against God’s word the Bible period! My mother was black and Indian. Since her separation from my Father who was all black. She only had on boyfriend for a very short time. After Willie there were no more men in my mother’s life period. She lived for Jesus Christ, her sons and herself in that order that’s it that’s all.

                My mother separated from my father and didn’t divorce him. She paid for his funeral when he died at the young age of fifty three. My father drink was rum & coke and he smoked cigarettes. My father only had two women in his life after my mom; that I know of. There was Kerry who he lived with on 41^st and Lake on the south east side near the lake. Kerry had at least 7 children. The other lady was named Ruby and I only met her once.

                My father would visit us in the projects and sometimes he would take us to the Southside to bond with Kerry and her children. I would often take the bus over there and when I got a car I would drive over there; we became very close.

                My mother was the closest thing to an angel on earth that I have ever had the privilege to know. Everyone who knew my mother had the highest respect for her.

                I was the closest son to my mother throughout my life I would look after my mom,. I had a car for most of my life. I would take my mother everywhere she needed to go. When I didn’t have a car I would get on the bus to go see here and see if there was anything I could do to make her life better.

                While in our apartment on the Westside the apartment caught fire and we were burned out but God was with us. We lost everything but escaped with our lives. That when we moved into the Rockwell Garden Project in 1961. 2515 West Jackson apt 802. It was a new building and we were the first to stay in the 3 bedroom apartment.

                My mother took us to church. I was raised in the Baptist faith. Our pastor was Rev. Lewis and he was great. The church we attended was Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. I was baptized at the age of 11 or 12. I sang in the church choir and spoke in church on the pastor’s anniversary about what he meant to me.

                Mom raised 5 boys by herself. She clothed us well and fed us real good. She bought all of our clothes new and never went to any Goodwill stores. We never felt poor and didn’t do without anything growing up in the projects.

                My mother worked as a sales person at Learners; A department clothing store. She went to college got her associate degree and went to work for the Federal Government for thirty-two years and retired. She bought a two bedroom, two bath condo in Oak Park and paid it off before she passed away. She also left an estate to be divided between her heirs.

                I had sex at around 12 years of age and my first girlfriend at 13. Her name was Ernestine. She stayed on the 12^th floor. Her grandfather, who she lived with was a pastor of a church. She was short with long black hair. She was black and Cuban and very pretty. We were together about a year.

                I met my first love at Pleasant Ridge. We were both in the choir. She was 14 and I was 17. She had my heart in her hand. Carol was her name. She lived in Robert Taylor Project which was located on the Southside on 43^rd  street and federal on the second floor.

                We had sex after we had been together for about a year. She was a virgin. I took the bus to her apartment. I escorted Carol to my prom and then took her to hers.

                I graduated from Crane high school in 1967. Carol was beautiful tall golden brown and highly intelligent. She wore a “10” very well.

                I never used protection and she wasn’t on birth control and we got pregnant. I loved this girl and I love children but I wasn’t ready for marriage; though I wanted to marry her eventually. We decided since we were so young and in school to get an abortion which I paid for. After that we split,. I didn’t want to have children outside of marriage. I was 21 and she was close to 19 and attending Chicago state teachers College. She got her degree in fact she got a couple of degrees. She became a teacher and later became the principal of a school.

                I got my first car when I was 19. I got in touch with my father and he took me to Chicago Heights to buy. It was a Chrysler Newport and I paid $1,200 for it and it was in excellent shape.

                My first job was as a newspaper boy at the age of 12. I would get up at 5:00AM; I would go pick up the newspapers and deliver them to the people in the building that I lived in.

                My second job was with the B&O Railroad as a switchman 18. I enjoyed my job as switchman. I smoked and sold marijuana while working a full time job. During this time I was attending Malcolm X Junior College for 2 years. I only dated one girl there and caught a sexually transmitted disease. I got rid of that and her.

                My major at Malcolm X was psychology. I am a people person and helping them if I can is my passion all my life.

                One night while working as a switchman I slipped and fell off a box car. The Yard Master sent me home without sending me to the hospital. On the way home I acted like I passed out and let my car run into a light pole setting in the middle of Western and Roosevelt road. I let them take me to the hospital. My job made me an offer of $2,000.00 and I took it. I put $2,000.00 down on a brand new 1970 Buick Electric 225 and gave my old car to my brother Bernard.

                The war in Vietnam was still going on and I wasn’t going there. I transferred to Roosevelt University for 2 years. My major was abnormal psychology. I stayed there for 2 years and ended up dropping out with 18 hrs. of incompletes.

                I was there about a year sitting in the amphitheater and this beautiful young lady came in and sit right next to me. Her name was Gloria. She worked part time at a bank on the Southside. This reminded me that Carol worked at Harris Bank downtown Chicago part time too.

                We went together about a year we got pregnant. We decided to have an abortion and after that we split. I lost another woman that I should have married; had I had good sense.

                I was still working for the B&O Railroad. A friend and fellow employee Harold opened a bank account together to save some money to buy marijuana for me and some heroin for him. For some reason I felt that he took money out of the account ripping me. This was my worst break with reality. I had my smaller breaks with reality which started when I was around 20 years old. When this happen with Harold I was about 25 years old.

                I got an associate of mine and myself to go after Harold. He has a hand gun and I had a sawed off shotgun. I knocked on his door and when he answered it we come in on him and his woman and I told him to give me his heroin. He did and we left. This was the second time that I went after someone for what I thought was disrespect and threaten them; but I didn’t take anything from them.

                Harold didn’t come after me like I thought he would. Instead he called the police and had me locked up for armed robbery for $300.00. Now listen to this. A job with the railroad is one of the hardest jobs to get fired from. You only have to work 1 day out of 30 to keep your job. I was locked up for close to 40 days before I went to court and I got fired. Harold didn’t show up for court and the charges were dismissed. So, I didn’t have a record. God was with me, my mother sent me to Mississippi to live with cousin. She hoped a change in areas would help me.

                From my cousin house in Jackson I moved to the Gulf Coast to Goshpe Mississippi; and got a job at Ingells shipyard as a pipefitter working on battleships.

                I met a girl who was also a pipefitter, named Dianna who became my lady. After being there for about a year. I had another episode and lost the job and the girl. I moved back to Chicago.

1.       Life lesson – the Lady does the chasing and the quitting and the man does the hiring and the firing.

Since from my time with Carol I try to date and have sex with girls that I would marry. Sex for the sake of sex is a waste of my time and my body. Since I limited my partners is the reason my body is still fully functional at the age of 72.

Now because of my relationship with my Creator King of Kings, Lord of Lords – Jesus Christ as a Seventh day Adventist I do trust God and not have sex until after marriage.

2.       Life lesson 2
Player – A serious contender in the master game of life. There is nothing more serious than eternal death in the lake of fire or eternal life with Jesus Christ.

In Chicago I got a 2 bedroom at 2121 North Sheffield. I had a roommate named Ramon who was a bus driver. After we had been there for a little over a year Ramon was high in a McDonalds on the Southside of the city. The guard said something to Ramon that he didn’t like. He spit in the guard’s face. The guard pulled his gun and shot Ramon to death.

We were both working jobs and smoking and selling marijuana. After he was killed I moved to another apartment on the north side; a one bedroom.

Marijuana has always been my drug of choice. I never felt that it should have been illegal and I have treated it as such. I tried coke; I liked it but it didn’t become a habit. I even tried heroin but didn’t like it at all. Thank God.

My next car was a Cadillac. It was at least 10 years old when I bought it. I decided that buying a new car was a rip off unless you could pay cash for it, because of all the high interest you have to pay. The new car decreases in value so very quickly. The rest of my car buying days would always be for cash.

I stopped going to church when I was in my 20s. I never stopped believing in Jesus Christ and I still prayed sometimes. I couldn’t find a church with a pastor I could believe in.

The next job for me was a security guard at a grammar school on the Southside. It was a government sponsored job that lasted 2 year.

I had 2 relationships there with teachers. One was named Linda. She was attractive and had a house; a car, and a young son. We were together about ½ year; the other was Effie who had 2 young sons. Effie wanted to get married but I wasn’t ready so we split up.

I was in my early 30s and working in temp. agencies and selling marijuana. Through the temp agency I was hired by this factory as a screw painter with a crew of 3 people. It lasted about a year and a half then I had an episode and lost the job.

I was around 32 when I heard that the(CBOE) was hiring clerks. I went downtown and applied for the position. I was given an interview and a math exam which I passed. The position was in the cloakroom taking the other employee coats and brief cases in the morning and passing them out in the evening and serving them through the day. It was easy going and most simple job I have ever had.

I got to know people that worked on the trading floor. I was smoking from 4 to 8 joints a day. I was selling half ounces and up. After I had been there for a couple of years I started selling to a few people on the options floor as well as my regular phone business.

There hadn’t been a lady in my life for a few years. I was watching TV one evening and saw an ad for the College of Automation. They would for $3,500.00 teach you to become a computer programmer in one year.

I went and signed up for the course. After about 3 weeks in the class, this young lady caught my attention. She worked for an insurance company as a manager. She had two boys. We were quite compatible. Her name was Vernett. Her boys were 5 and 7.

She was interested in helping with my marijuana business. She helped with everything so I cut her in for 25% of the profit. We worked very well as a team.

We finished the course in the years time. Vernette got a A- and I got a B. Neither one of us found a job in the computer field.

We started visiting churches as a family unit. I enjoyed helping to raise her sons. So it seemed to me that God was giving me a chance to make up for the two abortions I had in my younger years.

We were together for almost 6 years. In the first 3 years I bought and paid cash $10,000.00 for a 8 year old Lincoln Mark 6. Later we bought a townhouse on 79^th st and Lake Shore Drive. Vernette and I along with her two sons moved into it together. Vernette and I had a long conversation about marriage; I wanted her to have a child by me. That’s when she told me that she had her tubes tied because she didn’t want any more children. What I should have done was to marry her and raise her sons as my own and forget about having a blood child. But, I was greedy and wanted it all.

We then bought a condo (one bedroom) in Calumet City and I moved there by myself. It was a luxury condo with a large swimming pool, a tennis court, a golf course right next door.

Our real estate salesman gave us a 2 flat on the Southside of Chicago. It needed a lot of work; that’s why he gave it to us. So now we had 3 properties.

During this time while I was working for CBOE; I was involved with 3 ladies at one time. I was involved with only Vernette the first 3 ½ years; with Mary 2 of the years after. Both of them near my age and black. Nancy was 18 and white. Since she couldn’t stay with me, we were together about a year. Nancy got pregnant. She wasn’t sure if the baby girl was mine or the guy she was staying with. We were together until the baby was born. She stayed with the guy she was living with. Mary decided against sharing and found her a man to herself.

Vernette and I were still together.

As far as the job was concerned I became dissatisfied with my position in the cloak room and asked to be tested to go to the floor. I passed the test and was transferred to the floor. It was almost six years since I had an episode and I guess it was about time for one. I had one and lost my job with the Board of Options Exchange. I believe that if I had stayed in the cloak room I would have kept my job. The floor was a lot more stressful than the cloakroom stress may have triggered the episode.

I had never been arrested or charged for selling marijuana but during this episode I became paranoid and decided to stop selling for a while.

I was at Vernette’s townhouse and I had a big argument with her. She called the police and had me taken off the premise. This was my fault because I hadn’t informed Vernette I had these episodes. If I had she could have called an ambulance and had me taken to a hospital. If I had confided in her we possibly could have weathered this incident; but instead I cut her loose.

I filed bankruptcy instead of disposing of the properties. I left that to Vernette. I never heard from or saw her again. I went to social security and was diagnosed with Schizophrenia and went on disability at the age of 38.

For the next 10 years of so I stayed to myself in Maywood. There were no ladies; no marijuana no sex only a little wine every once in a while. I still smoked cigarettes. I visited a few churches that’s all.

I had been homeless at least 2 times during this period of my life. I stayed in shelters both times for at least a month or more each time. This was due to at least 2 episodes.

I moved to Cicero, IL. I got a room in an old hotel and stayed there for at least a year. A studio became available in the building down the street and I took it. I was there 4 or 5 years until the building was condemned. I found another studio in Cicero and got it.

I started visiting churches. I was really looking for a church that held services on Saturday. I got side tracked by this mega church called Living Word Christian Center. Its pastor was Bill Winston. They held church service on Sunday.

I joined them and was a member there for around 2.5 years and still never knew anyone there. Mega churches are not for me.

I had saved up enough money to buy a Honda Accord for $10,000.00 almost 10 years old and in great shape. That was money saved from my disability check.

My neighbor across the hall from me was a female named Joyce. She had a son who was around 35 years old staying with her. Dewight was her son’s name and he smoked crack along with other drugs.

I had avoided crack all my life and at this late stage of my life I tried it got hooked. I had my car for 2 years and in a matter of a few months I sold it for $3,500.00 and smoked it up. I then stopped paying rent and went to court and was evicted.

My youngest brother named Jerome say that I could move in with him and my other brother named Bernard. It was Jerome’s 2 bedroom section 8 apartment. He was an alcoholic and Bernard who worked for the B&O Railroad for over 20 years and retired on disability was doing over $2,000.00 a month on crack. What a combination for disaster. Jerome only charged us a$100.00 a month a piece. That left me with $1,100.00 for food and crack.

I was only there for about 8 months. Jerome made me mad by coming into my room while I was entertaining a female company. I threw an ashtray at him and hit him in the head. He was bleeding. He called the police and had me arrested.

I was in jail when my disability check arrived at the bank. I had left my wallet with my ID in it. Bernard knew my pin # and used my bank card to withdraw my money from the bank’s ATM to get high.

Before I got out of jail he got into it with some crack dealers. My understanding is that they were getting high together and Bernard stole some crack from them. They came to his apartment and knocked on the door. When he answered it they shot and killed him. I lost my brother to crack. Jerome was through with me living with him. I moved into one of those halfway houses where you can live 2 in a bedroom. Three bedroom apartment buildings where they help you start all over. They helped me get all my ID straightened out. They charged %500.00 a month meals were included. The halfway house was on the Southside of Chicago. I stayed there about 8 months until I saved enough money to get an apartment.

I found a studio in Cicero and I moved back there. I was there about a year and a half when 2 young college students knocked on my door. They wanted to know if I was interested in a Bible study. I said yes!

I was introduced to if I’m not mistaken Bill and Albert who did most of the study with me. After finishing the bible study I started visiting the 7^th Day Adventist Church. They hold their services on Saturday which is the Sabbath of the Bible. Actually the Sabbath begins Friday at dust and ends Saturday at dusk. After the service most of us would go to the basement where we would continue to fellowship and have lunch. The food would be prepared without meat and it was excellent.

The membership had a total of about 100. Everyone gets to know one another. I joined the church and was baptized.

One of the members whose named is Javier gave me a car which I was able to keep running for two years. That was a great blessing.

There is great interaction between members. Some of them became family to me. The Joyce family for one; I spend 2 beautiful thanksgiving with them; and Albert Megawe and his family.

I became a deacon in the church. The members of this church really serve Jesus Christ and each other.

I had a misunderstanding with one of my neighbor who lived down the street from me and decided to move out of my apartment.

I saw an ad in the newspaper for an apartment in Lyons, IL. The apartment went for seven hundred but the manager let me have it for the same thing I was paying in Cicero five hundred fifty for a studio. This was a one bedroom carpeted and had air condition. You had to be at least 62 and have no police record.

God’s hand was all over me getting a fresh start of my life in Lyons.

I had been a member of the church for 2 years and living in Lyons for a year. I felt the beginning of an episode. I had the urge to change my name to Prince. I started to smoking marijuana and this led to doing crack again.

This led to me acting strange ad doing things I shouldn’t do; I was calling at least one church member late at night and not making sense. My Pastor called and came to visit me to see what was wrong with me. I wasn’t able to think straight. I admitted to the marijuana use. He prayed for me and talked to me about what was going on with me. I really appreciated his concern.

In Feb. and March I had been hospitalized twice for my erratic actions and stayed in the hospital at least 10 days each time and I still wasn’t stable.

In April my neighbor took me to see about my car. I ride home with him and left my wallet in his truck. I asked him to return it and he refused to give it to me. My wallet contained my driver license, bank debit card, social security card, and state ID.

I tried for over a week to get him to give my property back and then called the police. He told them that he didn’t have my property.

While this situation was developing I bought a car for $1,300.00 from another neighbor. When I want to pick it up Cheri a lady friend of mine asked if she could come with me and bring a friend a friend. Her friend was called Leggs. She and Leggs convinced me that he wanted to buy the car for a profit to me if I just let him check it out overnight. I couldn’t think clearly and agreed to this. He refused to bring my car back to me. Legs went to his cousin show worked in a currency exchange and got an illegal title. Cheri had a change of heart and tried to help me get my car back but we failed. I called the police and they said that I would have to go to court and fight to get my car back.

The third thing that was going on was that my lady friend Cheri came over Saturday evening. She came over and wanted the cat she had given me back. I refused to give the car back and so ended up wrestling in my apartment. My apartment was on the First floor; she finally climbed out of the window and called the police on me. The officer told her he would have to arrest both of us because she was trespassing since I didn’t let her in the building. So neither one of us was arrested..

The next day was Sunday morning and I went to my neighbor’s door. When he opened it I asked him about my wallet. We started fighting.  Him and his cleaning lady against me. When it was over and I came to myself a little bit. I wanted to my apartment and just waited. Police came that afternoon and arrested me for 2 counts of 1^st degree murder with a knife.

Platform for Dialogue

1.       The killing of blacks on black and in the neighborhoods

2.       The situation of Cook County jail and what can be done about it.

3.       Getting conjugal visits. For inmates in Illinois jail and penitentiaries.

4.       Spiritual Advisor

Contact information:
John “Prince Macksatrillion” Arnold
John “PM” Arnold
20164727190
2700 S. California Ave
Div 8 4G
Chicago, IL 606068

All services are free
Gifts are appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After thoughts

Spiritual Advisor

                All of my life people have talked to me about their situations, problems, and I have been gifted by my Father to be an attentive ear and honesty caring individual
Plus I have 4 years of psychology under my belt.

7^th Day Adventist

                I asked my Father for a church that conducted services on Saturday as the bible dictates. And 7^th Day Adventist found me and I have found the church that I will be a part of from now to eternity. They follow the bible closely and they live as such.

Testimony 13

In honor of Jesus Christ and the 12 disciples = Lucky 13

My proudest move in my life

                I was supposed to take my mom shopping on a Friday and she didn’t answer the phone. I called her Saturday and Sunday. When I couldn’t reach her I went to her condo. She didn’t answer her door and I called the fire department. They came and broke the door down. They found her in her bedroom on the floor. She had fallen and couldn’t get up. She was still alive. They took her to the hospital and thank God she recovered.

                God used me to save my mother’s life and I am grateful to Jesus Christ to have been there for her. After that she hired a lady to stay with her 24 hrs. a day until she had to go to a nursing home where she lived for a couple more years where she died of dementia at 90 years old.

Lost

                Between 2012 March and April 2019 I lost all four of my younger brothers and my mom. I am the last one left of my immediate family. I believe Jesus Christ has something for me to do. I’m going to do it or die trying.

Prophet

                One who utters revelations or predicts events – Jesus Christ #1 hit man = John “Prince Mackstrillion” Arnold?

 

Mate and Business Partner

                I had started going to visit other 7^th Day Adventist Churches looking for mate possibility. My wife has to be serious a Christian.