 |
 |
 |
 |
Life Inside
Karl in Polunsky
I slid off the stool, and tucked myself up underneath the lil shelf-table on my side. This is a feat that’s actually a bit amazing, but how can I explain? Okay, first the visiting ‘cage’ is just about half or a third the size of the usual public restroom stall, and smack in the middle of that is a stainless steel stool which is bolted and welded to the floor. There’s a narrow gap between the stool and the table top, and then maybe 40 – 50 cms underneath that. Now, I’m a pretty big guy, but I turned and slid my legs underneath first, twisted slightly, and then folded myself into that small space. And man, oh man, when I leaned out and saw my niece grinning down at me so hugely, it was worth it! She was leaning forward, with one hand on the glass, and about the biggest smile you can imagine on someone about one metre tall!
Well, I did the appropriate thing, my eyes went wide, and I quickly ducked back under! Well, the next time I leaned out she was pressed against the glass, holding herself up, her smile had burst open and little quivering shakes rocked her whole body. Man, I just HAD to hear that! I reached for the phone, but … damn, the cord was too short! Sooo, (ummp, erg, aaah!) I climbed back up on the seat and put the phone to my ear … Did you know, that four-year-old nieces have the MOST delicious giggles in the world!
3rd March 2005
I had to do some laundry. That’s always fun. For a long time I kept little ‘plugs’ cut from the rubber sole of the flip-flops they sold on commissary (for shower shoes) but when they changed the brand to a stiffer sole it doesn’t work, so I have a sturdy chip-bag that I do my wash in. Basically just crushing a bar of state soap, then adding a bit of state cleanser, and some shampoo, then a cup of hot water, and a bit of time to shake it all up and let it dissolve … and finally filling the bag about halfway with hot water from my hotpot (all our clothes are white, and without any real detergent or bleach the best is lots of hot water and scrubbing), and I work the clothes through the bag while it’s still scalding, and then after it cools I come back, scrub and rinse, and then hang it on a little ‘clothesline’ I have hung between the light and my shelf.
4th April 2006
With this letter I will enclose a bar of ‘state soap’ and one ‘toothbrush’. We are given, by the state, a mattress, linen (which sometimes comes back dirtier from the laundry than that which was sent!), boxer shorts (which are in worse shape than can be believed), socks (which are usable about 70% of the time), 4 bars of ‘state soap’, one packet of ‘cleanser’ every week – and one roll of toilet paper per week.
In answer to your question: YES, there are guys here who get little or nothing from family/friends. If one is ‘indigent’ they are allowed 5 stamps per week, but there are several restrictions on what may be mailed, and often the mailroom likes to deny postage for the flimsiest excuse. I used to go utterly broke for 1 – 3 months at a time, so I’ve used ‘indigent’ mail and services before, and for instance I’ve had letters returned to me ‘cos I would type/write ‘air mail’ under the address rather than the left corner, or I put the #999241 by the unit instead of by my name. Also, yes, I pay a $3 “co-pay” whenever I see the doctor or dentist, and no, the toothpowder isn’t worth a damn. The dentists themselves will say “buy yourself some toothpaste”!
So, if you have nothing, what do you do? In prison there are always generous people. Same as with the poor, we have been there … and if ANYONE asks me for anything I can spare I’ll usually give it. Right now me and one of my friends have been trying to help one guy here learn to help himself – he had to learn how to read/write in prison, and is just now getting penpals and trying to get a circle of friends to help, you know? E (a fellow prisoner) used to send me a $10 ‘goodie bag’ anytime I didn’t make store for two weeks.
