Courtesy of the State

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 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

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!

The Case of Sasquatch and Sexual Misconduct

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 .