Once a week we have clothing/linen exchange, in which we turn in most everything we have in exchange for new or laundered materiel. I say "most" because of course there is always demand for extra sheets, from which are made rope - used to hang clothes, tie sheets, to fit beds etc. Plus we keep extra blankets, which are tightly rolled and tied, and then placed sideways and used as stools (picture sitting on a can). Every month or so, the C.O.'s make everyone clear out, as they purge the dorm of all extras and the game starts anew.
But one constant is the astonishing assumption our keepers seem to have that the average size of an inmate is twice that of the average American male, even though there is no evidence--save the fearful imaginings of a terrorized public--that this is so. Inmates are perennially forced to swim in Rabelaisian-sized garb, which starts at Large, and moves up to 2x, 3x, 4x. There is no medium size, or heavens forefend, small. Hence the hip-hop street fashions pants around-the-ass-crack phenonemon. Yes, it came from laundry exchange in your local prison-all sizes "PLUS"
MCO 2004
