After yesterday’s emotional turmoil and tumultuous travel, I slept very well, in fact too well. Oddly in a room with 60 guys, all criminals, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin-drop. Literally, no snoring, no talking, no movement, just peaceful serene quietness – it was a silent night. Only time will tell if this the norm or if the peace is short fleeting – hopefully the former.
I woke up and felt a bit energized, then I realized that I had slept in (how could this even happen). I woke up about 7:40 am, and we are supposed to have our beds made and ready by 7:30 am. It turns out the lights were kept off and quite a few other guys slept in too. I quickly dressed and ran across the grounds to the laundry building to trade in my targeted newbie clothes for the official garb. I arrived just in time, since they were about to make announcement to the entire “compound” which is the official word they use for announcing everyone’s attention. I was greeted by two guys who helped me size up to the brown t-shirt and khaki button up and trousers. I was issued a towel, boots, socks, and something they call “boxers” which is more like sheets of tissue paper sewn with a fine thread. However, I quite excited to dress like everyone else and not stick out like a soar thumb or a soar newbie.
Before I knew it, it was time for lunch, which I believe is the highlighted meal of the day since the warden and all staff are present. We have to be formally dressed (shirts tucked, buttoned khakis with some contraption that they consider to be a belt, stiffly uncomfortable steel-toed black boots, and very secured ID badge – TheraPetic’s ID cards are much more secure than this thing). Roasted, quartered chicken with sweet potatoes, green beans, and two pieces of white bread. Honestly, the meal was really good. The chicken was moist, the corn nicely seasoned, and the sweet potatoes were stellarly sweet.
After lunch, I checked my credentials in the computer system and found that I had access to messaging and phone calls! This was a huge feat for my mental well-being. I was quite frustrated knowing that I could not communicate with anyone. Also, I am the only one that could input the information for communicating with others (only if they choose to accept to communicate). If I call someone, it says “This call is from a federal prison. You will not be charged for the call. The inmate calling is … ‘Ken Gaughan [with lots of loud background noise].’ If you chose to accept, then press 5 -PLEASE PRESS 5. If you do not wish to talk and be permanently removed from the list, press 7 – DO NOT PRESS 7.” If you accidentally press 7, it is a hassle to undo a decline. You have to contact the administrators at CorrLinks and I think actually physically write a recantation about why you pressed 7. So the magic number is 5.
Immediately I tried calling Drew, home, or anyone, but the system had not approved anyone at that time to talk. The first person to accept the request was Seth (a dear friend), and he replied back at the end of the day. The system actually worked. When I was able to place my first phone call, the phone system did not work, then was shut down.
The phones are located in the hallway just outside each dorm room, so it is quite noisy unless you can time it just right. I am learning about this schedule but it can be quite daunting. I spent much of the afternoon reading the Admissions & Orientation booklet, just trying to memorize everything from the schedule, process, who the people are, and again it is so poorly written that I do not know who thought this book would even make sense. At bare minimum, it is helpful, but all my reliance comes through the guidance and advice of others around me.
Tomorrow, I will speak more to the amenities, but I cannot go to the gym or any recreational activity without having proper tennis shoes, which are only sold on Tuesdays through the commissary system. To prioritize, I need shower supplies and shower shoes first before I can think about getting dirty.
5:00 pm is dinner time, which again dinner was actually good. Nearly half the guys just talk down the food and I cannot understand it. It certainly has not been the caliber that I was expecting of a bunch of goo on a plate. This evening, we had fried chicken and rice burritos with sweet corn, more of that good salsa, and some black beans. It was like having two dinners within hours of each other. The food does have a lot of sodium, but not as much as I had been expecting. Nearly any person that I speak with will mention that they have high blood pressure, especially over the age of 50.
After dinner, I was able to FINALLY talk to someone, Drew. It was a brief 15 minute call since this is the time allotted. Once you place a phone call, even if it is for 1 minute, it will take 30 minutes of waiting before another call may be attempted. Drew had a lot difficulty hearing me since the phone would cut in and out. I could hear everything just fine, including the every 5 minute interruption of an automated voice saying “federal prison.” I think they do these to show that the calls are not manufactured should the audio captured need to be used in the future.
More importantly, it was a moral boost to finally speak with Drew! Then, I tried calling family and Drew later, but the phone system was busted. I have been limited to just waiting on the system to figure out its bipolar mood to let calls through. For now, the emailing system is the only system that seems to work, but I am charged $.05 per minute of use, which quickly adds up.
At the end of the evening, I was ready for bed and it seems to rally the guys. They all start making their own chow with leftovers and condiments purchased from the commissary. The barter and trading one condiment for another actually happens. I guess it is some twisted version of top chef and use some mystery element to make a meal. The proteins for the meal are basically some spam or fish that drenched in sodium and preservatives. I am suspicious to the fact that the high blood pressure may not solely be attributed to the food served by the prison, but rather the afterhours meals being prepared.
After the first day of being cold, tonight I am grateful to have an extra blanket, a new pillow, and a towel so that I could finally shower and feel somewhat human again. As I mentioned earlier, I will write more about the amenities tomorrow. Overall today was a good full first day, but rather boring just trying to acclimate. Hopefully it will be another silent night…