Cut off from society

I must say, the worst part of being in jail is being cut off from society. The only people you have are the two cellmates and the other people in the pod.

We can make calls, but they cost $2.25 and it's only for 15 minutes - which feels like five minutes after it's done.

Even on the TV we have six channels and are not allowed to watch news channels. We miss out on holidays, birthdays and all the good stuff that happens throughout the year.

It's hard to keep a relationship when you're locked in a box for years. But some manage.

It definitely gives you a lot of time to sit back and think about how good you had it. Stuff like soft toilet paper, your choice of food and music, a phone, conversations with other people that you aren't locked in with.

I miss being able to hug the ones I love, being able to calm them down when they're stressed.

Needless to say, I can't wait to be out in society, have a job, be with family and just enjoy every day.

Photo: Prison of Desires by Kleyos, www.deviantart.com

Cut off from society

A typical jail day

I've been to Land O'Lake [a Pasco County jail] three times in my life, but there was something different about this time! It seems like racism is heavier than it has ever been. You have white people walking around with swastikas in their head. Hispanics are just waiting for someone to fight them so they can all jump in.

For a person who is not prejudiced, it is awfully weird to see a pod so segregated. I have already seen six fights and it’s only my 9^th day…

What is a normal day? Whenever people find out I have been to jail, they ask me what it’s like. Well it’s super boring, but let me break it down for you.

It all starts at 4:14 – 4:30 a.m. when we get a wonderful wake-up call for breakfast, which consists of a baby bowl of cereal and a sandwich (either cheese, egg or peanut butter). I have yet to meet anyone that gets full off of this. After that, we go back to our cells.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we are woken up two hours later by the loud rattling of wheels on the laundry cart. I swear they do this just to push us. They can’t come later in the day?

After that, we go on lockdown ‘til about 9:30 – 9:45 a.m. At 9:45, we can wander around our pod – which consists of six steel tables with four seats, one TV that only has six channels, 15 plastic chairs, three phones, and four showers – but only three work. That’s about as free as we get. Then at 10:15, we get to eat lunch, which is usually a bologna sandwich, a pear and some lettuce. I think this makes people more hungry than anything.

After lunch, we get to wander around, watch TV or play cards ‘til 12. Then it’s back to our cells for a half hour for count. Any time we have to go to our cells, it’s no fun. There is nothing to do except talk to your cellmates. This gets old very fast after I hear their life story 10 times over.

At 12:30, p.m., we get to come out of our cells and if we are lucky, we get to go to Rec – which has two basketball hoops and a volleyball net. It isn’t a big area at all. It has about 30 – 40 foot high brick wall with chain link fence and barbed wire at the top. I think its’ a tease and kind of depressing. We only can go out there for 30 – 45 minutes then it’s right back to our pod.

At 3:15 p.m., we get the privilege of eating dinner – which is just slop with a little bit of fruit.

After dinner is the worst part of the day – we get locked in our cells from 4 – 6:30 p.m. But usually we don’t get out ‘til about 7:30 p.m. whenever the CO wants to let us out.

After that, we get to wander around some more. I usually watch Sports, but a lot of people play cards. It gets quite loud with about 50 people in here at night.

From 7:30 – 11 p.m. it goes by quite fast. Seeing as how there is a lot to do.

Then at 11 p.m., it’s time for lockdown ‘til breakfast. Then right back to the same routine.

I told you – it gets boring fast.

A typical jail day