Edgar Ruiz Jr.

People made fun of me for wearing them things.

I didn't care.

My dad gave me those sneakers.

And my dad never really gave me anything.

Those ugly things hugging my feet were the closest I was gonna get to a hug from my dad.

And I held on to them as long as I could.

After that trip, I went once or twice as a kid, but then I took a long hiatus from Puerto Rico.

I didn't go back till I was 19 years old.

By then I was a high school graduate, college sophomore actually.

I was working, so I had a little bit of money in my pocket.

So I went back to Puerto Rico wearing name brand everything.

It was the early 2000s, so I was rocking them shiny Sean John shirts.

Super baggy Pele Pele jeans.

But most importantly, I was rocking Jordans.

Not just any Jordans either, we talk about the shiny patent leather.

Air Jordan 11s.

If you don't know anything about sneakers, just know that the Air Jordan 11s are on top of the food chain.

I was showing off.

I was trying to show my dad the man that I was becoming without his help.

But I realized a few things on that trip.