Before I came to prison I played board games once a week with a group in Arlington that was led by a really cool middle-aged couple. That was always a highlight for my week and they exposed me to a slew of different games, mostly the new wave of designer board games from Europe. The most successful is Settlers of Catan, if that helps give you an idea of the type of game.The board game group is one thing I have really missed since my arrest. Fortunately, the couple has kept in touch via letters and their annual prediction contest. A year or so ago they told me about a game that had been addictive for everyone they shared with. This game - Dominion - is so loved by one of their relatives that close to 100 games were played during a holiday gathering.
I told West about Dominion a few months ago when he asked about games without dice that we could play at rec. Now with cards approved, West has just received Dominion from his mom and I've got to say - it's pretty awesome. It plays fast and lets you approach a win with a variety of strategies, although, if too many people pursue one strategy, they choke each other out. It's not quite the typical board game night, but we still have a lot of fun.
"Hey, they want you in the sergeant's office. Just come back out when you're done."
This was the interruption to our weekly gaming session out at rec. I had no idea what the sergeant wanted me for, but I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. I just had to get up and leave my fellow players hanging.
When I got to his office, Sergeant French was sitting behind the desk. He's the one who has always had it out for me since I started working in the library. He was wearing a face that said, "Gotcha this time."
"Come on in. You've got a case for having gambling paraphernalia."
"What? Gambling paraphernalia? What you talking about?" I replied incredulously. I definitely didn't have that in my cell or even hear me.
"Yep. You got a case for these papers."
He held up two sheets of paper with boxes of X's and O's marked in 5 x 5 squares. It took a second for me to recognize what it was and then it hit me.
"That's not gambling paraphernalia. That's a logic puzzle I was working on. The 'exes' and 'ohs' are for eliminating answers."
"I see the nicknames on the rows and columns here. This is gambling," French said, still thinking he had won.
"No, those are labels for the categories. I can show you the puzzle. I have it in my cell."
"Fine. Go get it."
A few minutes later I was back with the puzzle in hand and showed it to the sergeant.
"Oh, so this is a game. You didn't buy this on commissary so it's contraband. That's a case." He was still trying to nail me with something. He just couldn't stand to see me go. I don't know why he dislikes me so much, but he does.
"Hold on," called out the lieutenant from behind her desk. "Come show me how this works."
After I went through the first few clues and showed her the corresponding marks on the paper, she said, "You're OK. Go on back to rec."
I had to go back to the security office when I found that the rec doors were shut. After I asked for the doors to be opened, the lieutenant asked if I knew anything about computers.
"Yeah, quite a bit," I replied.
She turned to the sergeant, smiled, and said, "See, told ya."
Well, it's just been one of those weeks. Noting outside the ordinary happened. Still gossip and drama in the library, small portions of good food in the chow hall, and tough communication in my cell. I guess I felt like I had to do something to spice thins up today.
We had a light rain yesterday that left the track spongy. After a lap of walking, I thought it would be a great time to run barefoot today. I removed my shoes and socks, then jogged up to meet Doc, my bleach-white feet acting like beacons. the ground felt wonderful, like cookie dough between my toes. It was just dry enough that I could leave footprints but not be slowed by mud stuck to my feet.
Doc took a break after eight laps, but I was enjoying the massage on-the-go too much to stop. I got a few weird looks and funny salutations. They just don't understand. It felt better than running with shoes.
I always finish my runs with a faster-paced lap and a full-speed finish, so after my eleventh lap, I lengthened my stride and got going. My footfalls were deeper and stickier than usual, but it was like I gained a sense of the power of my stride.
Because it was so comfortable, I didn't think I would have any blisters. Boy, was I wrong. When I came in from rec, I had two huge blisters on my bog toes and a couple on my other toes. I drained and put triple antibiotic on them all, but my feet feel like they have been through a bad acupuncture session and acid bath. I know I'll heal up quickly. I should have known I would pay for the pleasure of running barefoot.
For a couple months I've been taking off every morning from work to go to rec for an hour and a half. I figured out with Ereman that our mornings are really slow, so it's not hard for him to maintain things while I'm gone. The library is pretty easy anyway. Take names, number, and book info and pass it on to the boss to be entered into the computer.
Anyway, I've been working out and running with Doc again. He pushes me on the weights and I push him on the track. It's a great arrangement.
This morning, however, we had a third join us for the run. He's a guy out of my dorm who had heard about my runs (they really aren't that special but anyone who runs more than a mile is strange here) and wanted to join us.
With three in the pack, we didn't want to hog the track running side-by-side, so we settled into an Indian run. For those who don't know what an Indian run is, it is where the runners travel in a vertical line and the runner in the rear overtakes the pack on each lap or interval. Unfortunately, we did it backwards - the front man dropping to the back.
Believe it or not, it is easier to speed up over a short distance than slow down. This logic kept our front man from dropping back, which meant that the other two guys had to speed up to overtake him. Over a few laps we went from a decent jog to a medium-paced run and we only got faster. I'm not accustomed to so many speed changes and was worn out after only eight laps - about two miles. Doc and the new guy wondered what was wrong with me, but, for some reason, I couldn't keep pace with them.
Since I started working in the library, I haven't been able to go to rec, except on the weekends. To fill the gaps, I've been doing a 10-15 minute yoga routine in my cell each day. Though I do feel uber-limbo afterward, the yoga isn't doing much for my strength or running ability. Plus, my cellie gives me weird looks that say, "This guy needs some help. Now."To try to get back on track, I asked Ereman if he wouldn't mind my absence on the mornings that late rec (9:00-10:30) is available. When he said it would be alright, I asked my boss and she said go ahead. Great, I'm back. It's only two or three times a week, but it's better than where I was.
My old pair of sneakers have become nearly irreparable after two years of hard use, so I also put in for permission to buy new ones. For any major purchase (sneakers, radio, electric kettle, fan, etc.), we have to wait for approval from the property officer before our purchase. My request was approved two days ago, so I got the new pair early this morning from commissary. The shoes are Riddell basketball shoes that cost a relatively cheap $32. They're not great, but they're much better than slip-ons or boots. Now it's time to put them to use.
Because of the surplus library aides, I was able to take the afternoon off yesterday to go to rec. This was my first opportunity to go to rec in two weeks due to lockdown and illness, and I wanted to make it count.
The gym was not available for use because court lines were being painted on the floor, so it was outside only. What a great day for it, too! The temperature was in the seventies and the sun was shining. Our lake of a track had dried to run on. The only bad thing was the super-strong wind. Dirt was picked up and thrown in my face constantly and, even with my head bent over, it was a task to run into the gusts. I wasn't going to allow moving air to get in the way of a good run, though. I hammered out five miles - the most I've run at once in a good while.
Little did I know how much that run was going to hurt me. Today my legs are a bit sore, but nothing that keeps me from walking normally. However, my lungs and throat did not fare so well. The combination of dry air, dust and heavy breathing tore apart the lining in my throat, and the stale recirculated air indoors hasn't helped the matter.
I stayed up last night coughing and choking on a scratchy wind pipe, so I set up my hot pot as a humidifier on my bunk. That helped some, but not enough to feel better this morning.
Today, as I was thinking about my throat and the dry air of this place, I realized that this place is like a museum, except we are the ugly paintings no one wants to see. the state preserves us as efficiently as possible - usually to our detriment. the dry air keeps art from decaying and we are even pumped full of preservatives in the dining hall and commissary. Kind of strange.
* "Visiting a museum is a matter of going from void to void" ~
Robert Smithson
It's been about six month since I've run or worked out seriously with all the down time here. Not having a real job or classes to keep me busy, I figured it was a good time to start again. I went out a few times last week to do some stuff solo - pull ups, hanging crunches and leg presses - and get used to the new facility. Even taking it easy, I made myself sore and I wasn't able to do near as much as I had previously. I knew I had a long way to go to end up in the shape I needed for the triathlons I dream of doing.
As I was warming up to run yesterday, a new friend asked me how far I planned to run. I told Doc I hoped to reach two miles. Then we set off on the 1/4-mile trail around the rec yard. After four laps I said I needed a break, but Doc told me I had two more laps in me. His pushing got me through those and, after one lap break, he pushed me through the next two to finish the two miles.
Having completed my mission for the day, I was content to continue walking the track but Doc had other plans. We went into the gym and he put me to work. The entire two-hour rec period was spent doing some kind of lifting or moving. Doc was really good at finding good weights for me and also pushing me to complete the sets. Without even trying to, I had found a good workout partner. I look forward to killing myself on the weights, getting sore enough to waddle and stand stiffly, and eventually getting to my desired fitness level.
For much of the day I had a mystery cellmate. I was moved out of the new arrival dorm into a more permanent spot. When I dragged all my stuff into the cell, I saw all the signs of an inhabitant but nobody around. No one claimed to be my cellmate in the dayroom either. After I finished unpacking, I went to the library to ask about a job.
When I arrived on the unit the education coordinator told me she would look into the library job and let me know if it was available when she called me in later that week. I still haven't been called in, so I figured I would go straight to the source. The librarian told me she could use an extra person. Step one complete. I happened to see the education coordinator in the hall and asked her if she remembered my request. She said yes and wondered if the librarian needed anyone. I told her what the librarian had just told me. About twenty minutes later the librarian came to tell me "Looks like I'm going to be your new boss." Step two complete. Now I wait for the job slip.
Back at my cell with a new book to read and new hopes for a better job, I still didn't see my cellmate. Who could it be? What's he going to be like? From the artifacts I could see - a Bible and Christian books - I gathered some idea. There as the call for rec so I was off again. Maybe I'd find out who the mystery man was when I got back.
No such luck. Even after dinner I didn't know who I was going to be living with. It wasn't until after my Bible study this evening that I came home to another person in the cell. The mystery man was here. He is a young Christian guy, both physically and spiritually. He told me he has education in the morning and works the rest of the day in the kitchen. It looks like we'll click well.
This spot seems perfectly prepared for me. I have the cell to myself all day for reading, writing and study. My cellmate is a Christian who I can both nurture and learn from. We probably won't butt heads much, if at all. It's as if God looked at my personality and habits and found the perfect fit.
Well, I've been here a couple of days now and I guess it's time to describe my first impressions. It would probably take a long time for me to spit out everything, so I'm just going to do a bullet list. Here goes:- No more "Let's-have-pork-at every-meal'
- A/C: The Texas Necessity
- Fresh fruit, not from a can
- My clothes are my clothes (no unexplained stains)
- Satellite with movies galore
- More weight sets than we know what to do with (medicine balls, too!)
- Flip up your trays and buckle up; the descent to the free world begins here.
- Administration oversees men, not inmates (they want us to succeed, too.)
- Hallelujah! Two or three Christian studies each night
- The shabby chic peeling paint and rust is a thing of the past
- A shower without a timer? You mean I control the water? Cool!
- Only place to absorb vitamin D is at rec (if outdoors)
- Progress toward degree still halted
- Is this cell a broom closet?
- Hey, this window won't open
It was a beautiful day outside today and I had to take full advantage and share it with some other guys. I tried to convince a couple of other guys to come out and play hacky sack with me, but they both wanted to stay in and lay on their bunks. Only when Rabbit, fresh out of cell block, said he would join us from his new dorm did Shawn agree to go out.
It turned out that Rabbit didn't show up anyway. Shawn and I played hacky sack with a few other guys from other dorms. Since we have been playing in the dorm frequently, we were far better and dropped their jaws with a few tricks. About an hour passed and the other guys went back inside, so I got to running.
I only finished a mile before some guys asked me to play soccer with them. The last time I played soccer was late last fall, but I'm always up for kicking the ball around. We played until the sun went down thirty minutes later.
It was so nice to be outside for such a long time (little more than two hours), especially after nightfall. I'm really looking forward to going camping when I get out. Even just walking around or going running on my own time sounds great. It can't come soon enough.
This morning when I came in from a chilly rec at 8:30, Opie, Bob, Rabbit, and Two were playing hacky sack. Rabbit had cut a hole in a sock with a razor blade from an extra state razor.He put Ramen noodle soup inside in lieu of beans and sewed it up with another layer of sock on the outside. It was a little limp, but very nice work.
Within five minutes I had worked the chill out of my bones moving around, keeping the sack in the air. None of us are too good at hacky sack, but Rabbit, Bob and I have a bit more control - much needed to avoid the water hazards of the toilet and mop bucket. We didn't have much freedom because the dayroom is small with tables on either wall. I kicked the metal tables several times and I think everyone hit the ceiling with the sack at least twice. We also had to stay quiet because half the dorm was still asleep after working last night.
While unsanctioned in prison, hacky sack is a great diversion and time-waster. We played for at least an hour and a half - the only way I knew how much time had passed was by the number of cartoons that had passed on TV. Prison brings out creativity and strange ways of doing things.
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.
Today the Philosophy class was canceled. That gave me the first opportunity to go to recreation in a long while. I got outside and figured I would take it easy on my run. I did a short warm up and a few stretches, then took off with a jog. For the first mile I was surprised at how fresh and fit I was feeling. I could breathe and cycle my legs without much effort. Even through the second mile I was running well.
When I completed the second mile I noticed a pain in my knees just below the joint. I used to get the same pain playing soccer during high school, but this felt much sharper. I had to stop the run after two and a half miles, not one of my best days at all. Not even average.
Last night I studied for two hours in expec-tation of having a test in Philosophy today. Instead of the test, the professor had us trade in our textbooks for a new one just as we entered the classroom.
I guess he likes the new textbook better.
The test was called off and we told to read about forty pages for Wednesday's class. What a change of pace!
With the new(ish) schedule for work and classes, I'm not able to go to recreation during the week anymore. I'm in classes during the evening rec and asleep during the morning rec after staying up all night working. I really miss being able to go out and run on the field. It was my only alone time between staying in a dorm with nine other guys all day. Hopefully rec will be available on the weekends. This past weekend they were short-staffed while visitation was going on so rec didn't occur.
I told West about Dominion a few months ago when he asked about games without dice that we could play at rec. Now with cards approved, West has just received Dominion from his mom and I've got to say - it's pretty awesome. It plays fast and lets you approach a win with a variety of strategies, although, if too many people pursue one strategy, they choke each other out. It's not quite the typical board game night, but we still have a lot of fun.
