New Life Pt. 7 Tells
After the yard comes the bulk of the day for cell block J. From 9 in the morning to 9:15 at night the inmates basically have their own lives. In that time an Inmate could work there prison job , do college , classes , or rome there cell block. Visiting hours were from 2:15PM to 4:30PM. Dinner was open at 4:45PM to 6:15PM but it wasn't a mandatory meal that inmates had to attend every day like breakfast. Every one had to be back in their cells by 9:15 and lights out was at 10:15.
I didn't know about the rest of the prison but cell block J was designed almost how I think most people might expect. Its big and rectangular with two levels. Inmates 2625 and lower were on the first floor while inmates 2626 and above were on the second floor.The second floor had metal railings to keep people from falling from the second floor to the first but they were so short if someone were to push you to hard you might still go over. There was a big open area in the center that had tables and chairs bolted down like in the yard. On the first floor near the entry door there was a wall of phones for inmates to make calls. All of the cells had doors made of metal rods like in the movies but these doors had better locks that wouldn't open or close until remotely told to. There was no bathroom since each of the cells had built in toilets and water fountains. And there were windows in some cells but they were few so the cell block was lacking in natural light. And everything was grey so inmates decorated the walls with their own art but it wasn't enough to get past the lack of color every where.
I thought it was strange that the inmates had the ability to rome around the prison as freely as they could . Sure inmates were restricted to their cell blocks unless they had a job or class that required them to leave their block but it was still so casual how everyone was allowed to do their own thing. Guards were always standing at every exit and there security measures to keep the inmates from just running wild but that didn't alleviate my fear of having to be around so many convicted criminals , a fear I'd been dealing with since my arrival but still a very real fear. But who was I to fear the other inmates, when I too was convicted and made to be in that place.
Inmates in cell block J couldn't sign up for a prison job until Friday. That was when the warden would take new request and partitions for work or programs to be added or introduced to the prison. Guards and inmates were allowed to submit request for just about anything.The only things the warden would permit were the inmates job request, anything else would take the backing of at least a few guards if requested by an Inmate.
I was unable to sign up for a job and had no visitors , or classes to get to so I did the only thing I could think of. I returned to my cell. Frank was there laying in bed with his eyes focused on some spot on the ceiling. All day I heard bits and pieces of rumors about Frank.
I knew he did something to his brother , and that it was beyond any Box and Savage would condone. But that was little to go on and a lot to speculate about.
When I entered our cell he glanced over at me to check who I was but soon returned to staring off into space. Inmates walking by obviously were avoiding our cell , they would even look inside. As I took a seat on my bed he sighed and turned over on his side facing me.
Frank- your hell bent on making this a thing aren't you
Michael- making what a thing
Frank- you being around me
Michael- this is both our cell
Frank- no , this is my cell and you sleep in it
Michael- why are you being so...
Frank- so what? Mean ? Is that the word your searching for
Michael- you said you weren't looking for an enemy and I get you don't need a friend, and you like your privacy but Its my first day, I didn't have anywhere else to go
Frank- there is an entire cell block for you to go explore kid
Michael- don't call me kid
Frank- that hit a nerve kid
Michael - you cant be more than a year older than me so don't call me ...
Frank- or what
I didn't have a come back .
Frank- exactly, now "kid" I tried to make this clear this morning but I'll say it again, you don't want to be around me, there are better people,nicer people for you to spend your time with than me , we have to sleep in the same cell but between lights out and lights on you and I do not need to see or speak to one another, and that's for your good as much as mine
Michael- what could you have possibly done for everyone to be scared of you , for you to be like this
Frank- is that you asking the question? Because I can tell you why , but then you'd have to sleep in the same cell as that new person you would have to meet
Michael- there are murders and rapists here and I'm pretty sure I've already met 2 of them today
Frank- is that a yes or a no
Michael- you cant be any worse than everyone else here
Frank- yes , or no
His eyes locked in on mine , he didn't blink or even breath differently. I turned my head away.
Frank- until you know what I did you don't know me , so take my word when I say you don't want to be around me kid
Michael - but
Frank-but nothing, now leave , I'm sure if you hurry we can both pretend we didn't have to have this discussion a second time today
He stared me down till I reluctantly got up from my bed and left .
I didn't know were to go. When you walk aimlessly its best to do so in an area lacking people with short tempers. Every where i looked there was an unpleasant face looking back at me. I made my way down stairs, there looked to be a good spot away from everyone else at a table near the back wall. Only thing about that table is that it happened to be directly in front of a specific cell I did not want to be near. His Name was Romulus, he was a wolf with red and grey fur. He was built and taller than me by a few inches.
As I took a seat at the table he exited his cell and approached me from behind. He started to massage my shoulders before he said a word , it caught me off guard .
Romulus- A tiger, how very rare
I tried to stand but he quickly forced me to stay seated applying pressure to my shoulders in a painful way.
Romulus- your the new fur aren't you, I know you are ,that white fur is to clean to have seen more than a day here
He messaged harder working me over. It might have been enjoyable if not for his claws that he let slide out and into my flesh. They didn't go deep but they went deep enough.
Romulus- you know boys only come to this table, my table, if they want something, do you want something
Michael- no
Romulus- no what , show some respect boy
He dug his claws in deeper.
Michael- no sir
Romulus- are you sure, because Daddy can get you what you want
He leaned in close to my ear and licked it.
Romulus- if you give daddy what he needs
I was lucky enough to be seen by a friend I made earlier. Jack was walking by on his way somewhere when he came to my rescue.
Jack- Romulus , I see you done met the new guy
Romulus- that I have Jack , do you need something
Jack- I recon I do , me and Michael were supposed to play cards
Romulus- well he's with me now
Jack- Michael didn't you want to come and play cards
I nodded my head and Jack took my hand pulling me from the table before Romulus could stop him.
Romulus- Jack you cock blocking country whore
We started walking away and drowned out Romulus's yelling with his naturally loud and southern voice.
Jack- go fuck one o yur usuals ya fuckin tramp
He guided me to his cell where he already had another inmate waiting. He was an fox,probably the first inmate I met who was shorter than me. They were actually playing cards so it seemed.
Jack- Michael this is Tristan Young , Tristan here is in on a case of the illegally selling and smoking and hiding what the law calls drugs
Tristan- it was weed, I sold a little weed and the 5 o threw me in here , any way nice to meet you Michael
Jack took a seat on his bed next to Tristan who was already seated and shuffling the cards and I took a seat on the floor.
Tristan- you play?
Michael- cards? No , I never learned
Tristan- I'd advise you to learn , you don't need to be too good to beat this sorry competition
Jack- Sorry competition? Ill have you know I once won a game of blackjack against Ruby Ruth Bell
Tristan- and who is Ruby Ruth Bell
Jack- only the finest piece of ass this side of the river and any other , and she happens to be a world renowned poker champion
Tristan- Ill believe that the day I believe you met Jimmy Carter
Michael- who is Jimmy Carter
Jack- the best actor in the world
Tristan- Jack here is a compulsive liar
Jack- the hell I ain't
Tristan- did he tell you how he got locked up
Michael- yea he said he robbed a bank stole a care and shot a cop
Tristan- he was the get away driver to a guy who robbed a bank and shot a cop , and the stolen car was his dads
A drug dealer and a get away driver, not who I envisioned myself being friends with but in prison I suppose there are worse people. They taught me how to play cards, or more realistically Tristan taught me while Jack tried to defend his wild stories.
I was almost ashamed to say I forgot where I was even if it was only for a short time. It felt as though maybe I was in a camp rather than a prison as we passed around stories off our lives on the outside. And the fun continued as we went to dinner together the three of us. The atmosphere and the orange jumpsuits and the guards with guns kept the assured thought of us being in prison real but as far as days go it could have been worse.
The vibe and calmness died when 9:15 was lurking close and I knew I had to return back to my cell. I had to return back to Frank.
When I returned it was as if he didn't move the entire time I was gone.
Frank- back so soon
Michael-I had to come back
Frank- no you didn't
Michael- wouldn't I get in trouble for being out of my cell after curfew
Frank- of course you would , but they'd just toss you in solitary or something
Michael- how is that a good thing
Frank- Did I say it was a good thing? I'm just pointing out that you have other options than coming back here
9:15 hit and the cell doors shut. Nothing could open them until morning.
Frank- well now your stuck with me
Michael- now your stuck with .... wait what
Frank- now your stuck with me
Michael - whatever
Frank- look kid you've gone all day without asking the question , are you really comfortable with not knowing
Michael- from the way you ask me do I want to know its like you want me to ask you about it , like your proud
Frank- because I am
Michael- no your not , If you were you would tell me regardless of if I wanted to know , I get it you did something bad but we're in the same place , you said we don't have to be enemies so why cant we be friends
Frank- because You don't know me or what I've done
Michael- I almost got raped today and my life was threatened by two very strange and frightening people, but I also met two guys who seem OK , you don't seem to be trying to rape or murder me so why cant we try to get along
Frank- you have some balls trying to talk to me like you make decisions around here...but your right I'm not trying to rape or kill you
Michael- then I'm willing to not care about whatever it is you've done , I wont even ask about it
Frank- that's stupid , your choosing ignorance
Michael- maybe but if your telling the truth and you really did something I wouldn't be able to look at you for , then maybe this is better, we're stuck together so why make problems for ourselves
Frank- are you gay
Michael- what no
Frank- you seem soft , trying to make friends
Michael- I'm not gay
Frank- its fine , I am too , but you are really really soft
Michael- I'm not soft.... wait ... did you say you are too
He turned over with his back to me and went silent.
Michael- you cant just say something like
I heard him chuckle under his breath , it was faint but it was loud enough to make out. It drew a slight smile out of me even if he was being a dick.
Michael- your screwing with me .... can I take that as a "yes we can try to get along"
He still gave no response.
Michael- Ill take your deathly silent none response as a yes
Most people on there first day in a place like that are lifeless or cry without end. I did my share of crying and cowering and judging but I felt alright. I had my whole life ahead of me before I was sentenced to a life in Cell block J but I didn't know where I was going. I didn't want to go to college, I wasn't in a relationship, my family wasn't rich. It sounds wrong to say it out loud but I could imagine a life in that place. And that's not to say that I didn't long for a life outside, but I wasn't completely miserable. A wise man once said the key to being happy is to find a place where your not sad and build on it, maybe there was truth to those words in that place.