Myself and 4 others are called down, and with sheets, and coffee mugs
in hand we wait to be moved. Someone asks where they are being
moved to, with the response medium, I was not liking the notion of 19
hours in a cell. We are brought down a series of hallways, and are
brought to another wing with 3 pods.
Phoenix: (yes seriously) which I do not know a lot about believe its
a drug rehab area much like transition.
Transition: Where I am placed
Medium: 19 hours of lock down a day, jail.
As we near the pods the woman transporting us asks if I want to go to
transition or medium. I ask what transition is, and the basic premiss
is drug/alcohol classes about rehab etc. This seems like a better
option than spending all day in a cell, so I opt for transition.
I am told to go to a cell, I enter turning on the light and am greeted
by my Cellie who yells "What the FUCK! I don't get up before noon". I
begin to think this is going to be wonderful. I drop myself on my
bunk, and head out to the open area where people are milling about
reading, playing cards, watching tv. i am given some headphones from
the guard, and I can now listen to the tv or radio, things are looking
slightly better, after all we are not in lock down.
After 20 minutes or so I am called, and go into a room across the hall
with another inmate in here we are given a questionnaire asking about
usage, etc. This is used to see what classes would benefit you the
most while on the inside. We talk to the woman who asks us our
stories, priors, and other pertinent information. I am assigned to a
couple of classes, AA some other alcohol related classes, I even get
into a creative writing class (I only went once so not much benefit to
my writing). We are given some pencils, notebook, and folder to be
able to do homework and so forth. Afterwards we are led back into the
pod, and I resume staring at the idiot box, which in here has even
more meaning.
The Cellies
I go back into my cell to drop of the notebook, and my cellie (Doug)
is now awake, introduces himself and apologizes for the previous
encounter. He is 24 third time in jail for domestic violence, this
time it was for saying and I quote:
"I should have sliced your throat when I had the chance."
This was in front of two cops who had responded to a call at his
house. Cops came talked to them everything was cool, and Doug busts
out this gem as the cops are leaving. They overhear this at which
point he is tackled and arrested. Like I mentioned before he has been
in before for the same basic charge at age 24 he has spent 3 years in
jail, all for the same charge. The great Albert Einstein defined
insanity as doing the same thing over and over, while expecting
different results.
Doug is serving a year this time, and his father and best friend are
also in the jail, but in different wings. I found his story very
interesting though I only believe a third of it since anytime I
mentioned anything he had done it +1. Example being somehow cycling
came up (there was a spin bike in the common area for us to use) I
mentioned used to race. Doug raced as well, winning a bunch of races
etc. I mentioned riding from Morrison to the top of Mount Evans and
back, yes Doug has done that twice. i found this amazing since I have
talked to a lot of people and I am they ONLY person anyone has heard
of doing this ride. Which is not to say I am the only person, but
most people consider riding the highest paid road in the U.S. a
standalone feat, they usually don't have it as the middle of a century
ride for a nice Sunday on the bike.
Doug was writing poetry as well, which he insists on reading to me,
regardless of my protests. This includes while I am trying to
urinate, now imagine you are locked in a cell, with another guy who is
reading bad poetry to you, and you are trying to pee. Way too much
stimulation to handle while you are trying to do such a thing.
Finally I snap and tell him to shut up for a minute, he reluctantly
stops reading "Love, and Lust". Doug after a few days changes cells
(I think he requested it) but that was a glorious day.
Doug also likes to watch tv at night with the headphone turned all the
way up, and hanging on his neck, while I try to read. He then has to
tell me every minute detail of the Simpsons, regardless of my
protests, this man LOVES to talk! All I want is quiet so I can
read, this leads to a few exchanges in the coming days. Doug also
pouts when people don't want to listen to him, his T.V. show or just
want to be left alone to read.
Doug is replaced by a portly spanish gentleman, who I forget his
name. He was great, quiet, we talked a bit. He got busted 10 years
ago for DUI ran while on probation has been living in Arizona has a
family, been on the straight and narrow. He turned himself in because
he lost his job and figured it was a good time to get the outstanding
warrant off his back. He is sentenced to 90 days. He ends up serving
a week since the judge looked at the fact he didn't even have a
speeding ticket in 10 years.
These were my two cellmates, there were a number of characters I end
up meeting guys in for 3 years for meth charges etc. i met one guy
who got hit with a 4th DUI and while out on bond he is pulled over
for.... drinking and driving. He was facing both charges, his son was
out on bond for his first DUI at 22. I find all of this amazingly
interesting, everyones stories how we all got to where we are is
extremely fascinating to me, I should have been a shrink. `
Lunch is weird its sort of like high school where everyone has a seat,
not assigned but everyone has a seat, which you do not take. I end up
sitting with Doug, and eat while getting the lowdown on what this pod
is all about.
The interesting thing is how many of the jail jokes are true. There
is a commissary where you can order pencils, coffee, soup everything,
and these commodities are worth their weight. Food in general was
traded all the time, I would give my breakfast to a guy for cheetos at
lunch, oh hot sauce was always sought after as well. I was only in
the pod for a week so I never really got into it, I gave my breakfast
away simply because I might as well take the food.
I am sure more stories will arise, I have been working on this blog
for a month, and just want to get it out of my face.
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