This Thanksgiving has been great. Even with the big decision looming, this year was far better than the past two. Sure, I missed the family and home-cooked food, but not as much as I have in the past. I think it's been the guys over here who I've been able to share time with that have made it easier.
Our meal today was quality food. The meat was a large slice of smoked turkey. The sides were stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls and yams with brown sugar. For dessert we received a Styrofoam "doggie tray" filled with a slice of pumpkin and pecan pie and a cottage cheese and fruit salad. Since we would not return to the dining hall for dinner we were also given a johnny sack with a banana, slices of bread, cheese, peanut butter, carrots and celery. All the food tasted wonderful, except the cottage cheese stuff and the celery. I've never liked celery, though.
I was very grateful for the food I got. I am also thankful for the support and prayer of family and friends outside these walls. I hope your holidays are filled with blessings great and small.
Breakfast was crazy today. To understand what happened you have to hear about yesterday's rec. For some reason, an Hispanic guy fought a black guy and all their respective gang members started fighting to back their friends up. I wasn't at rec, but I heard everybody hit the ground and about thirty guys were handcuffed and taken to segregation.
Back to breakfast. I was eating my eggs and biscuits when I heard some scuffling behind me and all the black guys around me stood up. When I looked back I saw a really tall black guy holding an Hispanic guy at arm's reach while the Hispanic guy tried to swing, missing every time. One of the other black guys was telling everyone else to cool off. The guards were yelling STOP! STOP!
The tall black guy just turned to the guards, turned back, punched the Hispanic guy in the face three times to drop him, then laid down on the ground with his hands behind his back. The sergeant handcuffed both of them and led them out of the dining hall, the Hispanic guy with blood streaming down his face.
All of us were afraid that, with the fight yesterday and this morning, the guards would cancel our holiday meal. Really, after eating our Thanksgiving lunch, I don't know why we wanted our holiday meal so badly. We had one slice of turkey, one scoop of stuffing, some fruity Jell-o, a small piece of carrot cake, and a spoon of peach cobbler. My last incarcerated Thanksgiving meal had three meats and overflowing stuffing and cranberry sauce, and a tray full of desserts. Today's meal was only slightly more than a normal meal and, though it tasted better, it just wasn't enough to justify cancelling dinner and giving johnnies.
This is definitely my least favorite time of the year in prison because it's so tough being away from family and not doing the traditional stuff. In keeping with Thanksgiving tradition, here's what I'm thankful for: health, support from family and friends, school, books, and the love of Christ. Without those things, my time would be so much tougher.
