Lockdown

Well, rumors have been circulating for a few weeks and it happened today. All Texas prisons are required to have a lockdown and shakedown of the unit every six months. If the warden of this unit went the full six months between lockdowns, the date would disrupt the college classes so he bumped it up to our "spring break" instead.

Lockdown actually began last night, but there wasn't any way to tell until this morning when everyone received johnny sacks for breakfast. We were roused at about 8:00 and told to pack our stuff and be ready to take it down to the gym to be searched. I was one of the first ones to have their property searched and one of the last to return to the dorm. The guard wanted to check out every postcard and picture I had. The only things I had confiscated from me were cards drawn for Power Grid and a spinner that was used for die rolls in games.

This lockdown has been different than any other I've been through. For one, the guards really seem to be hurrying through it - except the one who searched my property. Also, the TV's have been allowed to stay on the whole time and the dayrooms have been open. Every other lockdown has had TV's off at least until the dorm has been shaken down, usually until the whole unit is finished. At least I got to catch The Office reruns I hadn't seen yet.

Rumor has it that this lockdown is only for three days, which means we will be back to normal on Friday night. The printed schedule we received says we will get visitation this weekend regardless. What a great end to a strange spring break.