Mark Ecko

I have a twin sister. My mother didn’t know

she was carrying twins. Doctor said, "Second heartbeat's

the echo." That's what they called me.

Echo.

Better at arts than sports, but they

were interested in my sounding off. They let

kids wander and discover; even the videogames

have industry. I opened my hood and found

skills to take. With an airbrush, I started a business

in my garage at 13. T-shirts and denim jackets; it

was a discovery but not secure. I went to school

for pharmacology. I can make 60 grand dispensing pills.

But after class, I made bank designing jackets. Forget it,

I'd rather give those away. It started with six, and was rough

financially. I didn't know anything about life outside of airbrushing.

How to box, market, sell--it was too big, too productive,

too much. I spent money that hadn't come yet; I didn't think

about the non-creative stuff. I was baptized in paint

and fire and bills. I don't have a pain threshold. I had

to be passionate--life. At least once a month, I look

my ugly face in the mirror and ask if I like what I'm doing.

If I didn't, I'd stop. With this concentration issue, without

ability to focus, I don't want to curb it. No drugs. I will not

dispense drugs. I build my world around fluctuation.

So there's color and not being alone. They lift heavy things

and I rise from debt to buy that home run ball, the Barry Bonds

one that broke the record.

I'm going to draw an asterisk on it; I don't care what I paid.