Episode 92 The warm welcome from the warders was good for that moment, but angered other inmates as well. I wasnt gonna spend my time with warders, but the inmates. After they had asked me all sorts of stuff they took me to cell 5, where the guys who cleaned the prison stayed. Those were the guys who were not locked up during the day while the rest were in their cells. I was new, but I had minimum key. I had taught myself something in my life, when I do something, I become the best in it. When they gave me a piece of blanket to wipe the floors and make them shine, God knows, I created mirror floors. I stayed out of trouble. Days went by, I had arguments with guys every now and then. Disciplinary what what, everything they had, I went through it. Till one day when they gave me access to a phone. To hear my mothers voice didnt hurt me, but made me happy. To know she hasnt forgotten me, that she was praying for me. That gave me hope, thus my atittude changed. From cleaning I then moved to working in the big kitchen. They didnt use pots there, but trollies and carriages to carry food. There was no menu, it was rubbish or nothing. 2 slices of bread in the morning along with tea or milk and soft porridge, 5 slices, pap, cabbage and eggs during the day. Two meals a day. That was the only time inmates were out, 7 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon for the second meal. Unless the captain felt like giving beneblus(sport time), where inmates were not locked up, but supervised as they played all sorts of games. And that was once a month. I had gotten a name (Jomo), since I had taken someone elses job, the guy was Jomo. Apparently he got sentenced, 20 years improsement. We were all awaiting trial, but the cooks that brought in the food from where it was cooked were convicted. None of that food was ever boiled, stewed or what so ever, it was all steamed. Except meat. Another once a week thing. I was staying out of trouble, Id just do my job, after that, just sleep. For inmates brushing teeth was a hobby, and so was bathing. There was nothing else they could do, if there was it would be smoking, figting, smuggling or telling lies all day long. Some had been doing it for more than 4 years. You could be suprised when the cell would be quiet during the day and people would be carrying phones at night. When I saw blackberries torch and curve along with other smartphones and rememberd how they came inside, I had respect for inmates. They made money selling airtime to warders in cheaper prices. It was an enterprise. My problem was one, everybody had then believed I was a big shot outside, but no one came to visit me, I wore the same clothes. Wore them during the day and washed them during the night. There was a high supply of bleach, soap, toothpastes and toothbrushes. All the necessary stuff. It always came in high quantity, and bossy inmates being stupid carried all those things to coart to sell to the coart mashalls than give other inmates. It was very rare to see any money, I even forgot how it looked and felt, even the sound of a falling coin. I was forgetting the smell of a woman, the only woman we saw was the very not so good looking nurse who gave us the same medication no matter what was wrong with you. Eye problem, chest problem, tooth ache, wonds, got the same medication. You could only be taken to the hospital when you showed intension to die or broken bones, and trust me they wouldnt rush for you. They would take time. I prayed The Lord is my shepherd every night, praying no one wakes up to stab me just to be respected inside here, that no one thinks I look like a girl, not that I did. Which is why I never even smiled. Sleeping knowing tomorow will be the same as today or even worse never gave me willingness to wake up. I woke up at 3 am every morning, I couldnt wake up at 4 with the other guys and share a shower with 19 more guys. In the two showers 20 guys had to wash up at a time. Yes, naked. Everytime I had to go to the toilet I used the guards toilets. I knew they wouldnt even suspect it since they know no inmate would have the gut to use it, but I did. Nothing in this world lasts forever. Yes I had guards who cared about me, but when shifts changed. The other guards didnt even want to see me. They would tell me Im not special, and lock me up till their shift ended. In two weeks. Those two weeks seemed like 2 months. I would stay inside the cell only get out to get some food. I would get a smack or a kick just by asking why I couldnt go outside during sports, I was getting used to the brown boot.The stick they carried. But as a person you need to create something good from every bad thing. So whenever the shifts changed, I wouldnt even bother going out. I would stay in the cell and write. I discovered I could write, over and over for hours. You were a big shot just for having chewing gum, and if you had a pen, you were a nerd. There were no papers, so I wrote on bible blank pages, back of calendars, anywhere I saw space. I was the prison nerd, even though I felt stupid half the time. And criminals admire intelligence, even though some are intimidated by it. Half of the guys hadnt even reached grade 10. Sometimes I doubted that the guards had. They had basic english. The kinda people used yes too much like they get everything when they dont. When the inspectors came to act like they want to improve the prison while they wont, they were white of coarse, the guards would come and ask me to talk to them. I had more bad days than the good. I couldnt even tell the difference anymore. I had forgotten to smile or even laugh, Mondays were the same as Saturdays and Sundays to me. Just like October was the same with November and all other months.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 18:51:24 +0000
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