Wednesday, May 19, 2010

A Day In The Life

Love Conquers All

There is no denying that inmates have women issues. How they even find women to continue to be with a jailbird is beyond. I frequently work in the visiting room and every day that we have visiting, the room is packed. It’s not as if these men are somehow treating these women well from behind bars. I also read their mail and e-mails, as well as listen to their phone calls. I see what they do.

There is one inmate I know of whose wife and adorable daughter came to visit every Sunday. The wife was beautiful and gracious. He had taught his daughter to say my name. She was only 4 and she would come ask me for books or games. The inmate would read to her and play games with his little girl. He smiles and chats with his wife. They share a vending machine lunch. The wife and little girl always leave in tears, calling good-bye. Then on Monday, his girlfriend comes to visit. She wasn’t even as pretty. We were pretty sure she was bringing in drugs.

One day I was escorting a visitor in. She was giddy and nervous. She said she was so excited to see her fiancĂ©. He loved her so much. I looked down at the paper and recognized the inmate’s name. I tell her yes, he sure will be happy to see her. The visitor asks if I know her fiancĂ©. I say I believe I do and give her a short but accurate description. The inmate has some pretty distinctive features. She looks at me puzzled. She says no, that is not her man. I apologized to her. I must have made a mistake. She sits in the visiting room waiting nervously. In walks the inmate, the one I thought it was going to be. We actually have to point her out to him because he didn’t seem to know her. They sure kissed hello like they knew each other though. Eww.

Then they send letters and e-mails that just boggle the mind.

Hey Baby,
I axed you to send money. But you didn’t yet. R u my bitch or ain’t ya? I need that money. I need some shoes. I better be seen that money today or your ass is dumped. Ya feel me?


That is promptly followed by dirty talk.

When I get out of this joint, I am going to have you on every surface of the house.

Sure dude, you got a life sentence. I always want to write my own letter and add it.

Dear Stupid Girl,
Do not send money. He is in prison. He is not getting out. Let him dump you. Or better yet, you dump him. Move to a new town and change your number. Besides, even if he somehow does get out, you are as good as dumped anyway because he wrote the same letter to four other women. Also, FYI, I just looked in his cell. That man has so many shoes, Imelda Marcos should be so lucky.


Once I worked a unit where everyday an inmate would write a sweet love note to his wife.

Dear Wife,
I love you so much. I am counting down the days until we can be together again. You are the love of my life. You complete me. You make me a better man. I will never leave you. Write soon. I need your letters to live.
Love Always, Some Inmate


Then he would write his girlfriend a letter.

Dear Girlfriend,
I love you so much. I am counting down the days until we can be together again. You are the love of my life. You complete me. You make me a better man. I will never leave you. Write soon. I need your letters to live.
Love Always, Some Inmate


Just FYI- The wife was incarcerated on the same charge as him, while the girlfriend lives nearby and visits on weekends. I am pretty sure they don’t know about one another. I wonder what will happen when he gets out.

Another inmate, I had hopes for his one, hope that perhaps there was a tiny shred of decency out there. Each day he too would write a letter to his wife. She was also incarcerated along with him. He would write how sorry he was that he had gotten them into this mess, how he misses her, how he was counting the days until they were together. He would ask her about her days, her prison, people she meets. Then one day, a new letter to a new girl. Then new letter was filled of dirty talk. He begged the new girl to visit and send money. Figures.

I have a few theories on this.

1. He loves the wife and is just using the new girl. Perhaps he doesn’t think it is cheating since they can’t do it.

2. He no longer cares about the wife, but is not willing to let her go because he feels bad about getting her imprisoned.

3. He no longer cares about the wife but is too much of a jerk to let her go and let some other guy hook such a catch.

4. He is using them both because he is just a giant jerk.

However, none of that is as bad as yet another fabulous inmate. He isn’t much of a letter writer, maybe an occasional letter to his mom. He is a polite, unassuming guy. He is active in the prison; he plays sports, takes classes, and goes to the chapel. I see him often sitting with his buddies, watching TV, laughing, and having a good time. Basically, despite that fact that he is in prison, he is living the good life. That is unfortunate. Perhaps he shouldn’t have made the bomb, put it is his pregnant girlfriend’s car and killed he and her two year old son. Seriously, how can he sit there watching America’s Funniest Home Videos and laughing like that knowing what he did?

I guess love is still out there though. Just recently, two different inmates sent requests to be married in prison. Aww.

****************************


In The Line Of Duty

11. Vern M. Jarvis, Senior Officer
Killed at USP Marion, January 26, 1969

12. Wayne L. Selle, Senior Officer
Killed at USP Leavenworth, July 31, 1973

13. John W. Johnson, Correctional Officer
Killed at USP Leavenworth, September 29, 1974

14. Donald F. Reis, Senior Officer Specialist
Killed at FCI El Reno, February 28, 1975

No comments:

Post a Comment

Leave Me A Comment. You Know You Wanna.