Courtesy of the State

The Outrageous Adventures of Prisoner R

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  • Retards and Idiots
  • More Stupid Rules
  • Visiting Downtown Detroit - Memory Lane
  • One Upped (Again)
  • Escape from Sodom and Gomorrah
  • Your Tax Dollars at Work
  • Oy Vey!
  • Panther v Car
  • The Case of Sasquatch and Sexual Misconduct
  • Hello again

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Retards and Idiots

Beyonce_5 Today was rather slow. It is the day before we get store. One of my cubies (another prisoner who shares the same cubicle), keeps offering me sugar cookies he got from the cafeteria. I keep telling him that I don't want them, because him motives are not genuine. He knows that I cook up frequently, and he wants to mooch off me when I cook up. He's a bum.

Anyway, I got wrote up for not going to pick up my medications. I recentIy filed a grievance on the Physician's Assistant for medical Caruso_med_116512_7 malpractice. He seems to think that he is an M.D., and continues to diagnosis the prisoner population without a license. I have requested to be seen by a licensed Physician, but they keep denying my request, contending that the P.A. does in fact have a license to practice medicine. I've told him that the current medicines are not working, and that my condition is worse. Still he contends that it may caused by my smoking. I told him that I have never consented to any unlicensed person practicing medicine on my person, and now as a result, I am being punished. This shit crazy.

I broke a string on my guitar last month. I ordered new strings a month ago, and still they have not arrived. They deducted the money for payment from my account a month ago, still I have not received my strings. These people, (the administration) are such butt heads.

AII the guys here are raising such a fuss over the marriage of Rapper Jay-Z and Singer Beyonce. I say, "Who gives a f**k!" Obviously they do, but they just don't seem to care about their human rights that are being violated every day. All they care about is how long Tupac's been dead, how much money 50-Cent has, and stupid shit like that. I asked a guy who is Patricia Caruso, and he did not know that she is the Director of the Michigan Department of Corrections. He didn't know the woman who has him detained, but he did know what color Tupac's drawer were when he died, as well as the type of rims on his car. My God, I'm surrounded by a bunch of idiots and retards.

Tags: Beyonce , Prison Life , Civil Rights , Prison Medical Care .

April 11, 2008 at 08:04 PM in Life behind Bars | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

More Stupid Rules

Fire1_2 I talked to one of the guards today about an issue that has been puzzling me  for quite some time now. There is a rule that says prisoners are not allowed to have books in their desks because it is considered a fire hazard. However, I notice that the staff keep all kinds of books, papers, files, etc., in their desks. They contend that the rule does not apply to them, but I was inclined to ask the guard:

R: Why the hell did you give us desks, if we can't put anything inside them?

Guard: Well, the fire marshal says it's a fire hazard

R:    Well, do you think that the fire will be able to tell the difference between a prisoner's desk, and a staff member's desk?

Guard: Hey, I don't make the rules, I just enforce them!

R: Yea, I suppose that fire is pretty intelligent, and perhaps it will say, Well, this is a staff member's desk, I can't burn this, so let me go down the corridor and find a prisoner's desk and burn that!"

Guard: I know, it’s a stupid rule, but the warden says that we are to enforce it, and so I do what I'm told!

R: You people can save the whole country from all of us dangerous criminals, but you can't run a prison for shit!

I wonder what kind of stupid rule they'll come up with next?

Things that make you go hmmmm!

R

Tags: Prison Life , Prison Rules , Rehabilitation , Auto Biography .

April 07, 2008 at 09:29 PM in Guard-Inmate Interactions, Life behind Bars, Things that make you go Hmmmm | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Visiting Downtown Detroit - Memory Lane

Today my dad and I went to Greektown Casino, and handed them our money :-D We went to have a good time, have some Greek food, and that's what we did, so no regrets.

Playing video poker and slots exclusively, we were up, we were down, and then we were busted. Seeing all the people that were there also handing there money to the casino, it's hard to believe that there's a recession going on (Michigan's a recession, baby, not just a "dip" or "downturn"). Unemployment rates are back to where they were when I graduated college, and was looking for my first job - boy, that was tough going.

Anyway, we left the casino and walked down Monroe Street, walking past the Golden Fleece, Astoria Greek_3 Bakery, Pizzapapalis, Pegasus, Partheon, Cypress Taverna, Plaka Coney Island - all the old places that haven't really changed too much - with the exception that the menus seemed to be a bit more Americanized than I remember. I was so happy to hear Greek music blasting down the street, that no one had thought it would be a good idea to modernize or Americanize that. I was having a real trip down memory lane, and the Lane suddenly turned into the on-ramp of a superhighway! Think of the scene in Clueless where Cher and Dionne accidentally merge onto the freeway in a convertible BMW with top down, screaming their heads off as a semi rams up their tail pipe. Why is that, you ask? I realized that it was THIRTY YEARS (30!) ago that I was reminiscing over. Somehow I've never really accepted the fact that I'm not in my twenties anymore - that I'm two decades over the 20's, so 30 years ago is a cruel expression.

When I was in junior high and high school, I had a best friend (there were 3-4 of us that were best, best friends) and she was Greek. Her uncle owned restaurants in Detroit, and we spent a lot of time in Greektown, and all over the city. The day I turned 16 (I'd already been driving for 2 years) I had my appointment with the Secretary of State for a driving test. With newly inked license in hand, I headed immediately to Detroit, and went shopping at Hudson's - the one and only Hudson's on Woodward. When they blew it up about 10 years ago to make room for something or other (luxury apartments, I think, which still haven't been built), I was so sad. There'll never be anything else like it.

I found a few sites that are worth visiting - here are the links and an excerpt from each.

Glorious Detroit

If you’re a Detroiter, just because you’ve been living in Detroit all of your life doesn’t mean you know how the city got it’s start.  For instance, did you know that Detroit was founded in 1701 by the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac?  Or that Detroit was Michigan’s capitol from 1837 to 1847?  How about that Comerica Park had three other “names”: Tiger Stadium, Briggs Stadium and Navin Field?

Forgotten Detroit

Detroit is known for one of the most stunning collections of pre-depression architecture in the world. The past two decades have seen several of these treasures sit vacant, waiting for economic revival. On these pages you will find information about the past, present, and future situations of a few of these landmarks. It is my hope that this information helps you gain an appreciation for the importance of both the history and continued survival of these buildings.

Detroit Blog

You have found the detroitblog. This is about all things Detroit: things to do, places to see, people to know, from the East Side to West Side, and from downtown to the little neighborhoods. I love Detroit, even the old Detroit of blight, waste and emptiness. Hockeytown. Motown. I grew up here, had my best times here. It’s my home.

Tags: Prison Life , Detroit , Greektown Casino , Reminising

April 06, 2008 at 01:04 AM in A Wife's Point of View | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

One Upped (Again)

Argue Excitement around the joint was obscure today - about as obscure as real eggs, steak, soda pop or peace and quiet in here - with one exception...talking on the phone to my baby, my wife G. She always can bring out hidden passions in me, like no one else. I suppose that comes from our past together. After the call, I got 5 miles in around the track, and had a regenrating hot shower, where I thought about my wife even more since we always used to shower together.

You'd think that I was a celebrity in this place because the guys all want to know me. I really don't care for the attention because so many of the men here are living in an alternate reality. I suppose that it comes with incarceration - fabricating and exaggerating one's "illustrious lifestyle" prior to their current unfortunate present incarceration. Of course, these former big shots don't get mail, don't have anyone to call, and are always begging cigerettes, etc from me.  A great number of the men here tend to overrate their previous staus in their respective communities in order to obtain favor and have their egos massaged by the so-called big shots around this joint. Personally, I think that it is a waste of time and energy. Who cares what antoehr prisoner thinks or admires in the material realm? This is the very thing that got so many of us in here. I am so tired of hearing so much bullshit! I'll be so happy when I leave this joint for home! I will be so happy to hear my wife ragging on me about this or that because it is much better than the crap I'm dealing with now!

That woman can really get to me sometimes, but I'd much rather hear it form her than to hear it from these idiots in here. I remember a time when my wife was ragging on me about somehting I had done, or didn't do - I still don't know, but I know she had my blood pressure boiling!  I was so damn mad that I attempted to provoke her by screaming obcscenities at her. I guess the reason I go so made was that I was unsuccessful in my attempts to pick a fight. She was using 'chology on me - aka PSYCH'cology.  We were outside about to go somewhere in our car when the argument took place.

Me: Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!

Wife: I'm not a bitch.

Me: Ho!

Wife: I"m not a whore.

Me: Pussy ass bitch!

Wife: Yes, I do have a pussy, but you won't seeing it any time soon.

I became so angry that I threw my bottle of beer down and broke it on the cement, which gave her  fodder to begin mocking and taunting me...

Wife: (imitating my voice in a childish way, doing a mock internal monologue) "Well, I'm just gonna throw my beer down and break it on the ground - that will show her."

Me:  Fuck you bitch!

Wife: I've already explained that won't be happening.

me: Asshole!

Wife: I don't think so.

After this last exchange, we got into the car, and I was gonna get her by giving her the silent treatment, but she won't let me. She's really pushing my buttons, and worse yet, she's winning the argument. She made me feel like that g-damn doctor did when he put his finger in my ass and wanted to talk to me while he was doing it.

Wife: (imitating me again) I'm not talking to you, I'm just gonna sit here and be mad!

Me: Hey look, don't say anything to me before I kick out your fucking belly button!

Wife: And why would you want to do that?

Me: I don't want to talk to you!

Wife: Well dear, we're going to have to talk sooner or later, it will go better for you if you just accept it now. (shades of the doctor and his finger in my ass again).

Me: I don't have to do a damn thing except be black and die!

Wife: Well that is true, but why are you so angry?

Me: I'm done talking, just talk to the steering wheel or something!

I tell you the truth, that woman has a way of dealing with me like no other. It probably comes from her elite ivy league education, where they learn all that right wing politically correct bullshit. On the other hand, there's just something that I love about the woman that makes me a sucker for her. Maube its the way she talks, or maybe the way she wears her hair. Maybe it's her appearance of innocence and inexperience that turns me on, but all in all, I think she's a good woman, rarer than rubies.

I've said enough for one day - perhaps I can go fiind the Acting Resident Unit Supervisor and pick a fuckin' fight with her!

R.

Tags: Prison Life , Prison Phone Calls , Life in Prison , Auto Biography .

April 04, 2008 at 06:10 AM in Life behind Bars, Missing Home | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Escape from Sodom and Gomorrah

SodomI’m starting to have trouble getting time in the quiet room to work on my writings. It seems that there is a sudden interest among the prisoners to be up and about after lock down for no other reason that to just hang out and bullshit. The problem is that only five prisoners are allowed to be in the quiet room at one time, and the space is distributed on a first come/first serve basis. Since my bunk is the furthest away from the sign up sheet, the other prisoners get signed up before me. As I told you before, most of them just want to hang out and prevent other prisoners from utilizing the quiet room. As a result, I’m changing my schedule around so I can remain proactive.

There is a little Mexican guard who is obviously gay, and I think he has his eye on me. He always wants to talk to me just for the sake of talking. I want to tell the little bastard to make like Michael Jackson and beat it, before I beat him. He’s more mixed up than a feather in a whirlwind. I don’t agree with homosexuality being innate – in my experience, it’s always been a choice, and mostly for perversions sake alone. I don’t claim to know everybody in the world and what their sexuality is, but I’m telling you how I’ve always seen it played out. I do see homosexuality as rebellion against God, and that’s my religious belief – I’m sure you support my right to my belief, the way I support your right to do whatever it is that you do. I like to make my wife think I’m a Neanderthal, so whenever the subject comes up, I tell her that there’s no way that anyone can be “confused” about their sexuality…just look down. If you see a dick, you’re a man. If you don’t see a dick, you’re a woman. Note the shape of said organ, than note the shape of the opposite gender’s organ. No confusion. She laughs and laughs at me – we have a short hand expression now for when we’re having trouble communicating – “just look down.”

I’ve had gay friends, acquaintances, and hell, family members! I’m not discriminatory or prejudice, I just don’t condone the lifestyle. And I’ve also had some close encounters of another kind – one with a drug dealer in Detroit in the early ‘70’s, and the other was a prisoner at the State Prison of Southern Michigan.

In 1970 I was 12 years old, so this happened about 1973 when I was 15. I was visiting my cousins on the weekend, which was a usual thing for me during those days. We all liked to smoke marijuana and do goofy things. My cousin, “V”, had a serious crush on me, to the point of trying to do things to entice me into a sexual relationship. She often made attempts and passes at me which I would instantly reject – it was clearly wrong to me, it made me sick. “V” is a real freak-a-zoid, and still is to this day. Once she called me into the bathroom, and I walked in to see her squatting over the toilet with her hands spreading her vagina apart – it made want to vomit. It always pissed me off – aside from being my first cousin – she’s very unattractive…insult and injury in one shot. It didn’t take me long to get wise to her tactics, and I set her straight on the issue, although she still pulls those kind of stunts on me to this day.

So back to the main story – we’re all at my auntie’s house, and we want to smoke some weed. “V” is the only one that could score some pot for us. She took me with her to that I could be introduced to the dealer for future purchases. When we arrived at the house, this ugly-ass fag (sorry, there’s not other word that describes his appearance) came to the door. “V” introduced me, and we bought $10 worth of pot. “V” asked the guy if it would be okay for me to come back and buy without her, and of course the guy agrees. We went back to the house to smoke and get high. It wasn’t very long before we were out of smoke and needed to get more, but “V” didn’t want to come with me, and since I was the one spending my money like an idiot, I decided to go myself.

I knocked on the guy’s door, and it took an awful long time for Mr. F to come to the door…so long that paranoia kicked in and I was just about to turn and run when the door flew open. Here he was butt-ass naked and soaking wet. He was panting quite heavily – out of breathe. He told me to come in, and I was really scared but I wanted the weed, so what do you think dumb ass me did? Right, I went in. He disappeared into an adjacent room, and as I stood there in the dining room, I noticed a mirror positioned at an angle which allowed me to see into the bedroom. What I saw scared the shit out of my 15-year-old self.

A huge, black Great Dane sitting on the bed with its tongue hanging out and its dick fully erect. At this point, I’m about to shit my pants! First, I don’t trust this fag, and two, at the time I was fearful of dogs in general, let along an enormous dog with a hard-on! The guy came out of the bedroom, I grabbed the pot, threw the money and took off.

I had a few choice words for all my cousins, and for “V” in particular when I got back to my aunt’s house. “V” laughed at me, and after smoking the wacky-tocaccie, I thought it was funny too…but I’ve never forgotten any of it.

Then when I was in the Trustee Division in Jackson I was participating in the Impulse Control Psychotherapy program and there was a homosexual prisoner – let’s call him Mike for the purposes of our discussion here. Anyway, I noticed that this motherf’er kept on making eye contact with me during these sessions. There were about 12 guys in the group along with the female therapist. The therapist made all of us in class refer to Mike as “she” and “her” when making reference to something Mike said. Apparently this appeased and assuaged Mike’s misconception as to what he is. Naturally I refused to participant in this fantasy, and the therapist became offended at me for taking the position that I did. My reasoning was that, even thought this motherf’er had silicon breast implants, he is still a man, and I for one am not going to psyche myself out to think, say or believe otherwise to satisfy some quacked-out therapist who probably needed to see a fucking shrink herself. I don’t suppose that anyone cares that this had an impact on MY mental well-being in that, here I am being forced to acknowledge and accept a fucking lie. Nobody cared or understood that in being forced to appease and assuage this dude’s desire to be addressed as a female, they were subconsciously indulging in homosexuality themselves! But not this man! I told the therapist that she could kick me out of the group if she needed to, but under no circumstances would I address this motherf’er as a woman, and that I’d just refer to him as Mike. Needles to say, the therapist and Mike were not happy f=with me, however, the therapist was reluctant to actually take the step of kicking me out for those reasons.

During one session of group, I got up to use the toilet, and shortly afterwards Mike came into the restroom as I was finishing up, just about to return to group. He asked me if I could ask me a question.

M:          “I want to ask you something, but you might not want me to.”

R:            “Ask your question!” (My wife tells me I’m cantankerous, and I guess I am – I absolutely hate it when someone starts a conversation like that).

M:          “Well, I don’t know, you might get mad”

R:            “Just say what you gotta say, and I will decide whether I’ll be upset or not” (obviously, this kind of carrying on already has me mad).

M:          “Do you have a brother named “H”?”

R:            “yes”

M:          “Well you know that him and me a cool with each other?”

R:            “And?!”

M:          “Well, I just thought that …well, you don’t do homosexuals, do you?”

R:            “Bitch! Get the fuck outta my face with that shit, and don’t every approach me like that again!”

“Mike” damn near broke down the restroom door trying to get away from my wrath. The nerve of that guy, trying to hit on me because of what he and my brother may or may not have done. I don’t know, and I don’t want to know, and I don’t care!

These incidents go through my head when I see someone who thinks he’s a homosexual…I don’t like being around them for too long because of this. Don’t get me wrong…I don’t hate or dislike them because of who they are. I just hate and dislike what they do, especially when they try to involve me in it.  That is between God and them – I have my own issues that I have to address and deal with, I don’t need to take on someone else’s.

So call me a small-minded or a bigot if you must, but remember that I would die for your right to think the way you do, even if I think you're wrong...would you do the same for me?

Nothing new happening on the block today – so long for now.

R

Tags: Prison Life , Drug Use , Rehabilitation , Auto Biography .

April 03, 2008 at 05:33 PM in Life behind Bars | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Your Tax Dollars at Work

Tax Nothing unusual stands out, as I reflect over the day. It has been a somewhat slow day all in all, prison is like that. I did begin the Phase-I Substance Abuse Program today. I don't know why I have to take this crap - nothing in my so-called crime involves any substance, or abuse of substance. It's just another way for the institution to drain money from the state budget. I say this because I spoke with the program coordinator, and he made it clear to me that the state pays $2,500 per inmate to participate in this program, which is only 12-days duration...have you heard of legitimate drug counseling that fixes a junkie in less than 2 weeks? By Jove, it's a miracle! Everyone should know about this!

On top of all this, the program is facilitated and instructed by an inmate! I assume that some staff member down the line is getting a nice kickback. I already completed this class at another institution, but somehow someone thinks I need to take it over again. The governor is crying about not having the funding to support the state prison system,  it's been announced that Michigan is one of four states to spend more on prisons than on college, new crimes are invented every day and new inmates are pouring into the prison system by the hundreds every day. We are literally packed in here like sardines in a can, and when you have so many people in such close proximity its dangerous (not to mention uncomfortable).

I don't understand how the Department of Corrections is getting away with such flagrant violations of our civil and constitutional rights. I have written many "love letters" (aka Grievances) on the matter to no avail. Prisoners are written off as nobodies, only a number worth $35,000 per year (I just read something that breaks it down to $200,000+ per supervisee per year).

Your Tax Dollars, Watching TV:

A funny thing happened on the block a few days ago...I was going past the officer's station and noticed that one of the guards was standing in the TV room watching television, completely abandoning his post. I couldn't restrain myself from poking him a bit:

                Me:        Gee I wish I could get paid $50,000 per year to watch TV!

                Guard: (Laughing) Yeah man, good observation, you got down on me that time!

                The guards really hate it when a prisoner catches them breaking a rule. Like the time I had to remind another guard about the policy on tobacco-free living environments within government facilities.

                Guard: You guys are not supposed to be smoking in the Block, and you know it!

                Me:        Oh yeah, does that include chewing tobacco?

                Guard: That goes for any and all tobacco products!

                Me:        You mean even that big hunk of snuff you got stuffed in your mouth?

                Guard: (crickets chirping)

                Me:        Right – that’s what I thought you meant.

There is a state law which prohibits smoking in government buildings (Executive Order 1992-3) and it applies to state employees for the most part, but the Department of Corrections is violating it by improperly applying it to prisoners.

I can’t speak for other jurisdictions, but in Michigan MCL 333.12601(2)(b)(c)(d)(e) states:

(e) Rooms or facilities serving as the living units of individuals (such as prisoners in state correctional facilities, patients in state mental health facilities, inhabitants of the State Technical Institute and Rehabilitation Center, members of state veterans' homes, residents of group homes and other dwellings leased by the Department of Mental Health, and the like) in state government facilities and a strictly limited number of designated areas in other portions of such facilities as determined appropriate by the department directors or agency heads (such living units and designated areas hereinafter collectively referred to as "exempt areas") shall be exempt from the provisions of this Executive Order. Department directors and agency heads who operate or control such exempt areas shall develop written plans for the implementation of this exemption in consultation with the Departments of Public Health and Management and Budget by June 15, 1992. At a minimum, such plans shall prohibit smoking by employees of state government in such exempt areas and shall provide for smoke-free living units for nonsmoking prisoners, patients and other inhabitants of state government facilities to the degree feasible and consistent with the security and operational needs of the department or agency.

I would like to think that I do understand the legislative intent of the foregoing Executive Order, and I believe that it makes any prisoner exempt from the provisions of the prohibition on smoking in government facilities, so long as said prisoners are within the boundaries of their designated living areas. Further, it prohibits state employees  (i.e. corrections officers) from smoking or using tobacco products in all areas within government facilities. The irony of it all is that we have staff members writing misconduct reports on prisoners for smoking in their living areas, but they violate the rule that specifically prohibits their smoking in the same facility! But maybe I’m wrong, and perhaps I'm not properly construing what seems to be plainly stated in the above quote. Until someone can show me that I’m wrong, I remain steadfast in my belief that the Michigan DOC is wrong to sanction prisoners for smoking in their designated living areas. I agree with my ‘mans&nems,’ Chuck D. and Flava Flav of Public Enemy, “Fight the Power”!”

I’m outta here!

R

Tags: Public Enemy , Michigan Budget Crisis , Tax Payer Rip-off , Smokers Rights .

March 30, 2008 at 07:24 PM in Ripping off the State | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Oy Vey!

Hi again -

It's me again, G,  Prisoner R's wife -I was going to visit the hubby today (Sunday) for the full allotted visiting hours (10:30 am to 8 pm), but I got violently ill after eating breakfast.

More later, if I live, and at this point, I'm not sure I want!

March 30, 2008 at 11:05 AM in A Wife's Point of View | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Panther v Car

Although I don’t quite sound like a Christian, I am a child of GOD in Jesus Christ. You might say that I have a filthy mouth or thoughts that are unbecoming that of a Christian, but WHO ARE YOU TO CRITICIZE ME? Besides, GOD ain't done working on me yet, and He's probably still working on YOU! I had to get that out to my readers so that they don't become confused or mislead by my writings. Whoever you are, just know that Jesus Christ is LORD! Now that I've cleared up any misconception you may or may not have had, let’s move on.

Today was a good day. After all, this is the day that the LORD has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it.

As I was saying, today was a good day. I got out of bed and washed up before going out to the big yard for my daily run. I ran two miles and walked two miles today. I also did some calisthenics to burn off some excess fat around my waistline. Afterwards, I had a shower, and got ready for supper. I can't seem to remember what I ate for dinner, but I do remember eating all of it, I was really hungry! I have only been eating one meal a day, so that I can burn off more calories than I put in my body. I am expecting to Semour go home soon, and I need to get my bedroom suit back in shape for wife. She's already told me what she is going to do to my body when I get home, and well, I reckon I'll just let her have her way with me. Besides, there are some things that I'm gonna do to her body as well! Maybe I'll just act like that plant in The Little Shop of Horrors, and say, FEED ME WOMAN, FEED ME NOW!

I really enjoy talking to my wife on the phone because it keeps me sane in this mad house. Although today she was being an asshole and teasing me about something that happened many years ago when we were driving on the highway from Virginia to Michigan. When I reflect back on the situation, I suppose it was quite hilarious from an outsider’s perspective. One would have to understand that my wife is quite the well educated and sophisticated woman who was brought up in a well nourished and virtuous homestead. I, on the other hand, come from a dysfunctional family. I don't quite understand how the two of us hit it off so well, but perhaps it was an act of GOD. Anyway, what happened was this:

Panther We were driving to Michigan, and I think that we were on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just about dusk I was wearing sunglasses, and trying to act cool, you know, for my image's sake. I was driving while my wife slept in the passenger’s seat. Suddenly I saw a pair eyes on the side of the road, and it looked like a panther to me. Anyway, as I was just about to pass it, it lunged at the car as though it was attacking prey. I could feel and hear the tires rumple over the animal, and I immediately panicked I became quite hysterical and locked my hands and arms on the steering wheel and begin to screech in horror. Naturally my wife instantly woke up from this excitement

R: I hit it, I took a life, oh GOD, help me!!!!

Wife: R, just calm down, it's okay!

R: It was a panther, and I killed it, I killed it!!!

Wife; Just calm down, it's okay, just relax!

R: We have to stop and go back to see what it was, and see if it still alive!

Wife: R, just calm down, and TAKE THOSE DAMN SUNGLASSES OFF!!!

R; Okay! But it was a panther, and we need to go back and check to see if it's still alive!

Wife: R, there are no panthers in this part of the country, maybe it was a deer!

R: No, it was a panther, and he thought that we were food!

Wife: Okay, if you say it was a panther, it was a panther, but just calm down and relax!

Naturally I was shaken up so bad that my wife had to take over the driving, at least until I had calmed down some. She teased me about it on the phone today, and she still insists that it was not a panther, but how the hell would she know; she was sleeping when it happened. She claims that I was screaming like a bitch, but she probably would have reacted the same way or maybe worse had it been her who hit the panther. Anyway, I wasn't screaming like a bitch, I was just concerned about the animal. She still thinks that I was hallucinating, even after all these years, and still she insists that it was not a panther, even though she is wrong! I know what I saw, and she could not have seen it while she was sleeping!

Note from the Wife - I'm not saying that he saw a panther, I'm not saying that he didn't see a panther, but lot's of people see lot's of things that shouldn't be were they are...here's a neat site - www.Cryptozoology.com - there are many stories about panther sightings...this one caught my eye, since it has a family of black panthers in it. Oh yeah, it was not dusk, it was midnight - why would I be sleeping at dusk? This idiot is wearing those crap-ass blu-blocker sunglasses from back in the day (which apparently are still around), because he insists that they make him see better. Yeah! 

Tags: Prison Life , Christian Life , Humor , Auto Biography .

March 26, 2008 at 10:06 PM in Missing Home | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The Case of Sasquatch and Sexual Misconduct

Bigfoot If you read my last post, you know that my visit to my husband - Prisoner R - was delayed due to illness (mine). I pulled myself together this morning, and prepared for the 2 hr+ drive one-way to Pine River Correctional Facility in beautiful downtown St.Louis, MIchigan (how many of you knew that there was a St.Louis in Michigan? - Gold star if you did).

I usually visit on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or sometime on the weekend, and pretty much recognize all the corrections officiers on duty. When I came through the airlock area that separates the outside world from the prison, I saw a female guard that I didn't recognize sitting in the "bubble" (a glass-walled room where the monitors from the visiting room cameras are, sort of "command central" - they open and close the airlock doors, stuff like that). I mention this new face because she comes into the story later - but at this point, I remember jumping on the inside, because this "lady" looks just like Sasquatch (Yeti or BigFoot if you prefer).

Prisoner R was very glad to see me, and as we've been doing at this prison for over a year, and all the other State of Michigan correctional facilities that he's called home (he gets bounced around more than a basketball during a NBA game), we embraced and kissed for probably 30-45 SECONDS (which is  a lot longer than "brief" but a lot less than torrid). We usually are less entwined than any other couple, and we haven't changed how we greet or say goodbye to each other in all the visits, without interjection or incident from any CO.

We talk, eat, laugh, and of course, play cutthroat games of Cribbage and Casino. For the first time I beat R at Cribbage and not only did I beat him once, I beat him 4 out of 4. He doesn't know it, but it really pisses me off when he wins - especially since he is an ungracious winner - a real horse's ass. Unbeknownst to him, I've been playing Cribbage online at Pogo.com, and it obviously paid off. I've never breathed a word to him about playing any kind of game online, so I almost feel off my chair when he remarked, "so you've been practicing on the computer, ah?" What a bastard! How does he know! But this is nothing new...I'll write post soon about the amazing extrasensory connection between us - it's completely unreal.

While we were playing, Sasquatch came into the vistor room a few times, and R pointed her out and mentioned that all the inmates were ga-ga over her - that she's "fine." He told me that he looks at them with his head cocked to one side and asks, "How long have you been locked up?" I laughed, told him that I saw her too and found that she is "head and shoulders" above the rest in the ugly department (literally and figuratively). We mused for a moment over what the inmates see in her, than went back to our game.

So it's 8:30 pm, time to say goodbye and hit the road for 2+ hours back home (ie 10 gallons of gas, or at today's price, $32.90, plus $15 in the vending machines). You think for 10 times the price of a maitnee movie that you could get a little consideration from the movie ushers (aka corrections officers), but no.

We go up to the front of the room by the guard post as required, and begin to kiss and say goodbye when I hear Sasquacth yell out (across the other guests/inmates also saying their goodbyes), "THAT'S ENOUGH!" I didn't realize who she was talking too - we'd already parted anyway - until I saw her glaring at us. It's always some g-damn problem with these people, and best of all, it's always something that's been alright every other f'ing time, but suddenly is not longer allowed.

Is that the end of the story? Nope. But you knew that. After R gets processed and is back in the housing unit, he hears "Sassy" calling down to get a copy of the survellance tape to see if we can be charged with "sexual misconduct", which is a REALLY big deal, for both the prisoner and the visitor. It effects parole decisions, security classification, and terminates visitations.

We'll see how far this farce goes on for - there's no telling with these people. 

Tags: Michigan Department of Corrections , Visiting Michigan Prisoner , Corrections Officers , Cribbage .

March 03, 2008 at 11:37 PM in A Wife's Point of View | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Hello again

It's been a long while since a post on Courtsey of the State, and I hope to get something up every day from now on. Prisoner R - my husband - has been turned down for parole, because he didn't have a class that he asked to be in and Psychological Services told him that the didn't need, and they wouldn't give him. That was in August.

When I began calling and making noise about getting him into the class, Prisoner R was transferred from Mid-Michigan correctional facility, to Pine River (literally, across the courtyard), and one week later, to Cooper Street Correctional facility. Sound like punishment to you? Now remember, you can't complete a class or get into it if you're transferred out before they even get the request.

Although from a visitor perspective, Cooper Street seems like a dream compared to the facilitites in the middle of the state - ie professional, courteous staff versus smarmy, openly contempteous hicks, attractive grounds versus a cattle like round-up atmosphere, parking that is close to the visitor center, as well as well-drained versus the hike through a swamp at the other places. Unfortunately, the actual visitor room leaves a lot to be desired - no cards, games, books, weird arrangement of seats that makes private conversation impossible, and lest I forget, visitors that arrange to have photos done (which is they're right, I'm not complaining about them) interrupt your visit, because of where they shoot the photos.

However, from a prisoner perspective, as I am informed by Prisoner R 

February 01, 2008 at 03:22 PM in Things that make you go Hmmmm | Permalink | Comments (0)

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