One year ago today I remember writing in my journal that I had a strange feeling in my stomach, as if forces were working in my favor and some type of relief would bring me home before I served another month of March. Well, the year passed, I’m still in prison, and today is the [...]
The room where I spend most of my time is bare. It has a concrete floor, concrete block walls, two windows that look out onto the center lawn of Taft prison camp. Every morning, just before 3:00, I sit at a round, Formica-topped table. I’m alone until I go outside to exercise at 6:00. I love the [...]
Last week I wrote about Molly and Goldie, two friendly dogs that had adopted the Taft Prison Camp as home. I enjoyed seeing these dogs, as did all the other prisoners. The men fed the dogs, played with them, gave them attention and affection. Unfortunately, someone with decision-making powers decided the dogs had to go. [...]
Two years ago today I was locked in the SHU at Lompoc. SHU stands for Special Housing Unit, though those in prison refer to the SHU as the hole. Administrators had locked me in the SHU because they suspected that I was using a word processor to type manuscripts. I had indeed used the word [...]
At 2:38 this morning I woke and hopped down from my rack in the Taft prison camp. A few minutes later I was in the quiet room where I write early each morning. I have come to really depend on the quiet time alone. If I am not awake before 3:00 in the moning, I [...]
An advantage of moving deeper into my 22nd year of imprisonment is that it gives me a better perspective of time. I do not expect to serve three more years, or at least not much more than another three years. I’m 45 now and I expect to be home when I’m 48. By then I [...]
