Down Time

I'm supposed to meet with my case manager and counselor some time int he next couple weeks. Until then I seem to have a lot of down time on my hands. I have been spending it reading some books I got from the library and playing cards with a group of other outcasts. Mostly we play Rummy, Pinochle, chess, and various forms of Poker. Of course we only play for fun. There is no money involved. Some of the guys play tennis and racquetball, so once I get my shoes I'll be able to join in the fun. After my meeting with the case manager and counselor I will be placed on the job list and be able to start some educational courses as well. Until then, I'll just enjoy my vacation.

Just What the Doctor Ordered

Today I had my first soda drink in over nine months. Who knew I could survive so long without it? As I mentioned yesterday, I purchased some diet Dr. Pepper. I hear they used to sell Pepsi products -- although I'm not sure about Mt. Dew -- up until a month ago when they switched to Coke. This is both good and bad. I much prefer Pepsi and their line of products over Coke, but when it comes to diet drinks, Dr. Pepper is probably my favorite. So this way at least I'm not tempted to consume a lot of sugary soda. I know even diet soda still isn't "good" for me, but hey, it's a compromise. I will miss you Pepsi and beloved Mt. Dew. May I rest in peace. So anyway, I bought this stuff yesterday but waited until today to do the honors.

Safford Continued

Meals here are served at 6:00 am, 11:00 am, and 5:00 pm -- a much more normal schedule. The weather is great, at least right now. I don't know the temperature but it's nice and warm in the day and pleasantly cool at night. During my wandering around the place I have discovered the clinic, the main laundry, the commissary, the mail, the auditorium, and library buildings. The library is pretty small but offers a much better selection of books than I've had access to in a while. There is no checking out. If you want a book, you just take it. No late fees!

My day for commissary shopping is Thursdays. So I went today and bought a bunch of things, like a hat, sunglasses, hygiene stuff, correspondence materials and, oh yeas, some diet Dr. Pepper. Unfortunately there is a spending limit, and so I have to wait for two weeks before I can finish out my "getting settled" shopping spree. Big ticket items I'm still waiting to get: athletic shoes and a radio. The shoes are necessary if I'm going to exercise, and the radio for watching T.V. Although I'm generally not welcome in front of the T.V.'s, supposedly I can get away with it for weekend morning movie showings. On weekends, edited feature films are shown. The radio will also just be nice to have for musical enjoyment the rest of the day.

Safford Arizona. Here I Am!

Early in the morning we were loaded onto another bus. Approximately much later we arrived at our final resting place, at least for now, FCI Safford, Arizona. I'll spare you the details of being processed at intake as they are much the same as all the other places I've been. The compound is really quite nice -- very aesthetically pleasing. There is no grass anywhere. Just artfully arranged dirt, rocks, and indigenous plant life. There are several cabanas in the central compound in which are found many T.V.'s for watching. Of course I'm not allowed to watch most of them, or participate in most of the reindeer games due to the nature of why I'm here. But that's okay, there is plenty to be doing and I wouldn't have wanted to really associate much with most of the people normally found in prisons. The rec yard has basketball, tennis, volleyball, and racquetball courts. I and the others of my social standing are not allowed to use them if others are or want to. Otherwise we can. There is also a baseball diamond and soccer/football field, all dirt. There is a dirt track that runs around it all. Once I get some shoes I plan to go jogging, or at least brisk walking, or at least just walking, or at least just admiring my shoes while thinking to myself that I should use them to go jogging. :)

I am living in a giant warehouse dorm unit. It is roughly about 200 yards long and 50 yards wide. On the two ends are the bathrooms, showers, and some washer/dryers machines. 120 two man banks fill the central area with a row down each end wall and a row of back to back bunks down the center, creating two main walkways. I'm on the bottom floor. The building actually is two stories with everything I just described duplicated on the top floor as well. I am also on an upper bunk. Bottom bunks are assigned by medical need and seniority. So eventually I should get to move to a lower bunk. Eventually. But I actually kind of like the upper bunk, s it's all good. I've got a locker next to my bunk where I can keep by stuff.

I Heard It Through the Grapevine

Word came today that I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning for my final destination. It comes with both nervousness and relief. There are another 30 guys leaving with me. As Mario can often be heard to say on various video games "Here we go!"

Avatar

I finally saw the movie "Avatar" this morning. Well, most of it anyway. I'm missing the beginning 20 minutes or so and also another 20 or 30 minutes somewhere in the middle. But I saw enough to pick up on the story line and I saw the end. I suppose that's all I really have to say about that.

Phoenix Continued

There is a limited selection, but a decent one, of books here to read. Wince I already read Genesis, I am continuing with Exodus in the Old Testament, in addition to the fiction literature.

We are all located in one room filled with 22 three-man bunks arranged in 4 rows. It's about two thirds full. I'm on a middle bunk. I'm glad I don't have to be on the top one which is about fix feet off the ground. Also in the room are the sinks, showers, and toilets. There is an adjoining room we can use during the day that has two T.V.'s in it.

Breakfast is served at 4:30 am, lunch at 10:30 am and dinner at 3:30 pm. The food here is really good compared to Davis County Jail, but still not quite Mama's home cooking. I'm not complaining though. I can easily live with this. All federal prisons use the same menu and food standards, mostly, so I'll be okay no matter where I go.

Phoenix Continued

At some point this morning I was moved from the S.H.U. (pronounced "shoe") tot he annex. This is where inmates are stored when they're only here awaiting transfer to somewhere else. Some of the guys here have been here for five weeks. I have no idea how long I'll be here.

Phoenix

Today I was awakened at around 2:00 am and told to roll up. I had begun to wonder how long I would be stuck here since there were apparently several other who had been there for several weeks. Of course by "several others" I mean federal inmates. The county inmates are supposed to stay there. So I was taken to the holding cell where I had spent time upon arrival cooling my heels. Here I waited until around 6:00 am when I was again shackled -- but mercifully not subjected to the black box -- and laded onto another bus. Six hours later I arrived at FCI Phoenix, Arizona.

During processing here I gave up my street clothes for the final time. I had temporarily given them up at Davis County and San Bernardino during my short stays, but had thus far used them for traveling in between. I also finally learned my ultimate destination, which was not to be FCI Phoenix. I would only be here for a bit while awaiting my final transfer. This is a medium-high security prison and I was hoping for a low, so that was good news. I have been placed in the S.H.U. for the night and was told I would be moved in the morning. Due to overcrowding, I am the fourth resident for this two man cell. This means that I have the privilege of sleeping on the floor next to the toilet.

Genesis

I finished reading the book of Genesis in the Old Testament today. One can only sleep and watch Spanish T.V. so much before even the Old Testament becomes appealing.

San Bernardino Continued

At about 6:00 am in the morning I was moved from the holding cell to a single man cell in the S.H.U. (Special Housing Unit). At least here I had a mattress, if not a pillow. My cell is pretty small, just big enough for a bed, toilet, sink and small table surface, about 8 feet by 6 feet. Outside the bars is a T.V. which is shared by two other cells. I have this stick thing made up of paper maché using magazine pages. The other inmates tell me this is the T.V. remote. We use them to operate the T.V. which is too far to reach otherwise. Breakfast comes at 4:30 am, lunch at 10:30 am, and dinner at 3:30 pm. The food here is a lot better than at Davis County. I am let out of my cell for 1 hour each day during which I can shower. Only one cell on each row is open at a time, so we're all taking turns on whose hour it is to be out. There are 13 cells on a row. The guy next to me let me borrow some magazines and a bible. 10 of the 13 on my row are Mexican, so we watch a lot of Spanish T.V. which isn't too bad since I at least can follow what is going on.

San Bernardino

Like the Children of Israel who journeyed towards their promised land for 40 years in the wilderness -- on account of them forgetting to properly charge their GPS (God Positioning System) -- I too embarked upon my own journey today towards my own promised land. Also like those wanderers of old, my own route has proved to be thus far less than direct.

I began the day like any other on which I wished to shave by getting up at 4:30 am. Having completed this successfully and barely retired to bed again I am called to the door and told to "roll up, they'll be here to get you in about 30 minutes." SO I dutifully get all my things together and ready to leave. Like moths to a flame, others gathered to huddle around me. Some were merely well wishers, but others are inevitably vultures, and only there to see what can be scavenged. Luckily for me, I had gotten ready to leave many days previously and had all the stuff was keeping already gathered together in one bag. So all I had to do was open my box, remove the bag, and close the box. I left everything in it to Brett to handle as he saw fit. He wasn't exactly thrilled with that since now he was going to have to deal with the dumpster divers himself.

I was told to roll up at about 5:00 am. 30 minutes came and went. Another 30 minutes came and went, and another, and another,. Two hours later I was still waiting for them to "come get me in 30 minutes." Breakfast came int he meantime, but I chose not to eat it foreseeing the dilemma to come of needing to use the restroom while shackled. This proved to be a wise decision. Shortly after 7:00 am they finally came to get me. Hugs, hand clasps, and parting words were hurriedly exchanged and I was out the door. I actually didn't say anything at the end, being on the brink of losing my composure and breaking down. I was taken to a holding cell in the intake area. There were already six other inmates in there waiting as well. We would end up waiting there for two hours. I forgot to mention that before depositing me in the holding cell, I was given back my street clothes to wear. After 9 months, regular clothes felt sooo good.

Shortly after 9:00 am they came to get us. We were all shackled up and loaded onto a bus. From the jail we then drove down to the federal building where we picked up some more people. For some reason that only the federal government understands, this process took about an hour, just to get five more guys. We then drove out to the airport where we drove right out onto the tarmac. Here we had to sit for another hour for the plane to arrive. Wile we waited the officers took the opportunity to black box some of us. I guess the rule for flights is that every inmate with a sentence over 120 months has to have a black box. What is a black box you might wonder? Well I hope you don't already know from experience. I can assure you that you would regret finding out first hand. If you sit with your hands clasped in your lap, you will see that your wrists make more or less a 90 degree angle with each other, which also means that with cuffs on, the cuffs naturally make a 90 degree angle as well. The black box is a small contraption that fits over the cuffs between the wrists which covers the keyholes and chain. It also forces the cuffs into a straight line. While keeping your wrists about six inches apart and near your waist, try making your wrists parallel to each other. It is extremely uncomfortable for anybody but even more so for the gravitationally challenged. Now keep in mind that I had this contraption on for about 12 hours. Don't worry about forgetting, I'll try to keep reminding you.

We finally boarded the plane after a friendly -- a little too friendly -- pat down search. I don't know what kind of plane it was. It had twin props on wings mounted near the bottom of the chassis. There were I think 20 rows of easts, each row with 3 seats, 1 on one side and 2 on the other. I had a window seat on the 2 seat side, which was good. The flight guards did not carry weapons and would not tell us where we were going. After take off we angled north-ish. After some undetermined amount of time we landed in what turned out to be Great Falls Montana. Some people got off, and some got on. I stayed on. After take off we headed south-ish by my best guess. It was hard to say because the sun was high in the sky and so it wasn't clear which way it was moving. Based on angles and the knowledge that this far north the sun is somewhat to the south anyways I guessed a slightly west of south direction. Knowing we were leaving Montana I was going to upset if we flew back over Utah, which of course we did -- right over the SLC airport!! Great, hours and hours of painful discomfort just for a nice scenic run to Montana and back. At least we didn't land at the SLC airport. That would have been quite upsetting indeed. We ended up landing in Las Vegas, Nevada roughly an hour later after passing over SLC.

In Las Vegas I was kicked off the plane. It felt like I'd just stepped from the fridge into the oven. The heat coming off the tarmac was blistering. Here I was handed off to a new set of guards and loaded onto a bus. Remember that I still have the black box on. By this time the unnatural angle has done some superficial damage where the cuffs have been digging into my wrists. No, they're not padded, or even rounded.

So off we go on the bus which turned out to be a six hour drive to San Bernardino including an hour break for the driver and guards to eat while we sat on the bus. Remember I still have the black box on. We finally arrived at the San Bernardino County Jail. About 30 minutes later I was finally relieved of my torture when the black box was removed. The indentations in my skin from the cuffs lasted for two whole days. The soreness lasted for a couple days longer after that. Intake processing took awhile. After having the cuffs removed (and black box), which was about 9:00 pm, I was put in a holding cell. I still didn't know how long I would be there or where my final destination was.

One Week Left

By this time next week I expect to be in transit to another facility where I hope to find food, friends, and fun. Well, I'll settle for just the food I guess. I am somewhat apprehensive concerning what kind of shock actual nutrition will be to my system, but I'm willing to take the chance. My new address will be listed here (on the left side) as soon as it is known.

There's a List in the Bucket

Tonight's movie was The Bucket List. I opted not to watch it considering that I would likely have ample opportunity to do so at some future date and in considerably more comfort. For you see me feet and back were complaining loudly to me for a reprieve at the time the movie was beginning. And so I went to my bunk and read instead.

Happy Birthday Alan!

I suppose it would be fitting on this day to point out to the reader, that this blog has been made possible by the combined contributions of myself, the postal system, and Alan. But let's not bicker and argue over whose contribution is most important. Today I shall extoll the not insignificant efforts of Alan in transcribing my hand written entires, without which you would all have to find something else to waste your time reading. So many thanks to him for helping out in this endeavor.