Rules or no rules?

Sometimes I wish the guards would work according to the rules given to them. Unfortunately, there are so many conflicting ways that things run here that I don't think anyone is sure what's going on.

Today I was supposed to go to music practice at 2:30 and had a lay-in for the appointed time. A lay-in is a printed pass for inmates to go places for a certain time, such as a medical appointment or school. It should not be questioned by either inmate or guards because, if the inmate is late by 30 minutes or doesn't show up, the inmate receives a disciplinary case.

At 2:15 I reminded the guard on my hall that I had to go to music practice soon and showed him my lay-in. He said that he would wait for a call to let me out. Once 2:30 passed, I asked him if I could leave. He replied that the call had not come.

"My lay-in says 2:30 on it so I should be there right now. Isn't the lay-in a pass to go somewhere"

"Yeah, but I have to wait for the call from corridor."

"Last week the chaplain said that if we got a lay-in we should just come. You can call him to check."

When the guard tried to call him, the chaplain wasn't there so he told me to just wait.

"You know, I can get a disciplinary case if I'm late, right?"

"No, you'll be okay."

At a little past 3:00 the chaplain called asking where I was and the guard let me out. I won't be getting a case but I was kept from one of my responsibilities. We only have two hours per week to practive and learn new stuff and I was forced to miss a quarter of that time.