Prison Diary (PD)

7/13/99

Prison Diary (PD)

"I sentence you to life in prison without parole" the judge said to the young man.

The man was led into a large clean living area that except for the bars resembled a large recreation room. There was a pool table and pinball machine, several overstuffed chairs and couch, a complete bathroom, as well as a television mounted high on a wall. The young man said aloud "Some punishment! This is the life" (though the guard assigned him was deaf and unable to hear his words).

The following are excerpts from his diary.

Week One:
"This place really isn't so bad. Three square meals a day delivered to me by a deaf-mute guard, cable television 24/7, a pool table so I can perfect my 9-ball game, comfortable furniture that I can sleep on...yeah, I am gonna be just fine"

Week Ten:
"....the floor is tilting...must be some sort of way they can control this....pinball and pool no longer possible...furniture shifted a little though still functional...feels like I'm tipsy as I walk around my cell...complained to the guard to no avail...seems odd that they would do this to me without telling me...meals cut down to twice a day...hard to eat when tray won't stay still"

Week Twenty-nine:
"...floor is tilting at about 20 degrees...pool table, pinball machine and furniture have slid to the far side of the cell against the bars...thank God the TV still works though it's hard to watch it sitting in the couch at the other end of the cell...shower leaks out of the stall and is ruining furniture...thought about complaining but realized it would "fall on deaf ears"...food trays quickly slide to the far side of the room....getting back and forth to the bathroom difficult"

Week Fifty Three:
"......floor now at 30+ degrees...this isn't funny...the last several showers I've attempted have ruined the furniture piled up at the far end of the cell and shorted out the pinball machine ...toilet still functional but beginning to overflow with each use....pool table no good since balls have rolled off the table and through the bars...TV still works though hard to watch from waterlogged furniture or by laying flat against the cell floor to keep from sliding...cell beginning to smell really bad"

Week Eighty Six:
"......haven't seen the guard in days....cell floor now at 45 degrees.....Christ, I'm living in ****ing Waterworld!...have tied myself to bars to keep me from sliding into the deep pool of water... water with waste, furniture, and recreational games floating in it.....television bolted to the bars stuck on what sounds like Chinese home-shopping network"

The prisoner was startled to see a doctor and the guard standing on the other side of the bars. "You're dying slowly...you're barely hanging on" the doctor said to him. "Are you ready to be moved to a new cell?" he asked the prisoner. "Sure, just get me out of here!" the prisoner begged. The doctor gave the guard a signal. He unlocked the cell, handcuffed the prisoner and led him down the corridor to a hospital room. The doctor came in and gave him a shot "to help him sleep" and the prisoner drifted off into the deepest sleep he could remember.

The prisoner woke up smelling clean sheets and coffee brewing and looked through sleepy eyes at his new cell. It was the way he remembered when he first arrived yet he felt something was different...as he reached up to scratch his head, his fingers felt a tender area. "You fell and got cut pretty seriously; we fixed that with a few stitches...you'll be fine". The prisoner sat up and saw the doctor and his old guard standing on the other side of the bars. "How long have I been out?" he asked. "You were in poor shape; we cleaned you up, gave you some supplements...I guess we kept you in the hospital for a few days" the doctor responded "Thanks, Doc" he said and slowly got up to look at his new quarters.

The feeling of fresh clothes against his skin was wonderful he thought as checked out his room. Pool table, pinball, cable-TV, chairs and even a small bed and desk had been added. This was better than before he thought as he sat down in a chair to watch some television. He ordered some dinner and when it arrived, he determined that it was the best he could remember in a long time.

The following are excerpts from his new diary.

Week Two:
"I still can't get over how good I feel. That head wound must have put something back in place...I'm sleeping better, my appetite is great, and I'm actually enjoying life behind bars. Gotta make this short...... my favorite program's starting"

Week Nineteen:
"TV went on the fritz today and I signalled to the guard to have somebody look at it as soon as possible....guard didn't acknowledge my request so I don't know if this will be remedied soon or not. Meals are getting monotonous...one's starting to taste like the next. No clue as to this change. Sleep still okay though I'm getting up really early some mornings...what's that all about?"

Week Thirty Seven:
"Something must have happened during the night....furniture and recreational equipment shifted several inches....not as much energy lately....beginning to have mood swings for unknown reasons...TV stuck on Spanish-dubbed America's Crummiest Videos show (when I can get decent reception)....my complaints fall on deaf ears (literally)....don't feel compelled to keep writing thoughts in this journal..."

Week Sixty One:
"A feeling has been gnawing at me.....not sure why it feels familiar but it does...meals are intermittent since the guard is almost never around anymore...........and worst of all, I'm sure the floor is beginning to tilt........"



		7/13/99 Prison Diary (PD) "I sentence you to life in prison without parole" the judge said to the young man. The man was led into a large clean living area that except for the bars resembled a large recreation room. There was a pool table and pinball machine, several overstuffed chairs and couch, a complete bathroom, as well as a television mounted high on a wall. The young man said aloud "Some punishment! This is the life" (though the guard assigned him was deaf and unable to hear his words). The following are excerpts from his diary. Week One: "This place really isn't so bad. Three square meals a day delivered to me by a deaf-mute guard, cable television 24/7, a pool table so I can perfect my 9-ball game, comfortable furniture that I can sleep on...yeah, I am gonna be just fine" Week Ten: "....the floor is tilting...must be some sort of way they can control this....pinball and pool no longer possible...furniture shifted a little though still functional...feels like I'm tipsy as I walk around my cell...complained to the guard to no avail...seems odd that they would do this to me without telling me...meals cut down to twice a day...hard to eat when tray won't stay still" Week Twenty-nine: "...floor is tilting at about 20 degrees...pool table, pinball machine and furniture have slid to the far side of the cell against the bars...thank God the TV still works though it's hard to watch it sitting in the couch at the other end of the cell...shower leaks out of the stall and is ruining furniture...thought about complaining but realized it would "fall on deaf ears"...food trays quickly slide to the far side of the room....getting back and forth to the bathroom difficult" Week Fifty Three: "......floor now at 30+ degrees...this isn't funny...the last several showers I've attempted have ruined the furniture piled up at the far end of the cell and shorted out the pinball machine ...toilet still functional but beginning to overflow with each use....pool table no good since balls have rolled off the table and through the bars...TV still works though hard to watch from waterlogged furniture or by laying flat against the cell floor to keep from sliding...cell beginning to smell really bad" Week Eighty Six: "......haven't seen the guard in days....cell floor now at 45 degrees.....Christ, I'm living in **ing Waterworld!...have tied myself to bars to keep me from sliding into the deep pool of water... water with waste, furniture, and recreational games floating in it.....television bolted to the bars stuck on what sounds like Chinese home-shopping network" The prisoner was startled to see a doctor and the guard standing on the other side of the bars. "You're dying slowly...you're barely hanging on" the doctor said to him. "Are you ready to be moved to a new cell?" he asked the prisoner. "Sure, just get me out of here!" the prisoner begged. The doctor gave the guard a signal. He unlocked the cell, handcuffed the prisoner and led him down the corridor to a hospital room. The doctor came in and gave him a shot "to help him sleep" and the prisoner drifted off into the deepest sleep he could remember. The prisoner woke up smelling clean sheets and coffee brewing and looked through sleepy eyes at his new cell. It was the way he remembered when he first arrived yet he felt something was different...as he reached up to scratch his head, his fingers felt a tender area. "You fell and got cut pretty seriously; we fixed that with a few stitches...you'll be fine". The prisoner sat up and saw the doctor and his old guard standing on the other side of the bars. "How long have I been out?" he asked. "You were in poor shape; we cleaned you up, gave you some supplements...I guess we kept you in the hospital for a few days" the doctor responded "Thanks, Doc" he said and slowly got up to look at his new quarters. The feeling of fresh clothes against his skin was wonderful he thought as checked out his room. Pool table, pinball, cable-TV, chairs and even a small bed and desk had been added. This was better than before he thought as he sat down in a chair to watch some television. He ordered some dinner and when it arrived, he determined that it was the best he could remember in a long time. The following are excerpts from his new diary.** Week Two: "I still can't get over how good I feel. That head wound must have put something back in place...I'm sleeping better, my appetite is great, and I'm actually enjoying life behind bars. Gotta make this short...... my favorite program's starting" Week Nineteen: "TV went on the fritz today and I signalled to the guard to have somebody look at it as soon as possible....guard didn't acknowledge my request so I don't know if this will be remedied soon or not. Meals are getting monotonous...one's starting to taste like the next. No clue as to this change. Sleep still okay though I'm getting up really early some mornings...what's that all about?" Week Thirty Seven: "Something must have happened during the night....furniture and recreational equipment shifted several inches....not as much energy lately....beginning to have mood swings for unknown reasons...TV stuck on Spanish-dubbed America's Crummiest Videos show (when I can get decent reception)....my complaints fall on deaf ears (literally)....don't feel compelled to keep writing thoughts in this journal..." Week Sixty One: "A feeling has been gnawing at me.....not sure why it feels familiar but it does...meals are intermittent since the guard is almost never around anymore...........and worst of all, I'm sure the floor is beginning to tilt........"