Prison Journal: Day 7,954

May 20, 2009

At 2:37 this morning I gathered my writing gear and walked toward the quiet room where I work. On my way, I passed by cubicle number ten, where my friend Justin Paperny was assigned. I saw that he was looking at his watch. It was a big day for him and his family, as he had completed his time as a prisoner.

I didn’t acknowledge Justin. We had said our farewells and wished each other luck yesterday afternoon. He knew that I woke early every morning to write, but I told him to walk past me as I did not want to cloud my thoughts with longings for release.

In the room where I wrote in the morning, I sat in front of a large window. Since the sun had not yet risen, the darkness outside resulted in the window reflecting the movements in the hallway outside the room behind my back. At 3:15, I saw the reflection of Justin carrying his mattress to a storage area. He was ready to walk out. I kept focus on my work, trying to ignore the mixed emotion of seeing another friend go home.

Just before 4:00 this morning, I saw movement outside the window. Justin was carrying two boxes, walking away from the housing unit toward the camp’s exit. The guards had unlocked the doors for him, and soon he was out. I wondered what it must feel like to walk out of prison and into the free world. Someday I’ll know, but for now, the concept of liberty still feels surreal to me. Most of the time my release date feels close. When a friend goes home, and I don’t make many friends in prison, release can feel very far away. That is when I miss my wife the most, and it’s painful.

The emotions disrupted my writing. At 6:00 I went outside to run. After 10 miles, my tally advanced to 1,412 miles over the past 159 consecutive days. In the afternoon I read news magazines and wrote a few letters. I decided that I would resume my other writing projects tomorrow. I’m glad that I will visit with Carole on Friday.

Wednesday, 20 May 2009

Related posts:

1. Prison Journal: Day 7,947
2. Prison Journal: Day 8,025
3. Prison Journal: Day 8,126
4. Prison Journal: Day 8,041
5. Prison Journal: Day 7,953

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