There have been several requests over time to know exactly what my schedule consists of. If you are not one of those curious about such mundane things, skip this entry.
Every morning lights go on at 5:30AM. Happily, it is perfectly possible to continue sleeping for a good half hour or so, as most do. My internal clock is completely used to waking up at this time, and I usually spend the 30 minutes fighting off a sense of dread at the direction my life has taken and how I could ever, ever have come to this. More recently, I have been trying instead, to repeat a mantra of sorts that, with every good night’s sleep, I am 8 hours closer to freedom. Then I take my pen and draw a line through the calendar over the date just completed, and feel heartened by all of the diagonals preceding it.
I get up, pee, and fix myself a cup of instant coffee. Then I dress for breakfast, get back in bed and listen to NPR’s Morning edition on my Walkman. At 6:30 or so, Lynn appears at my bed and we wait together on the benches in the TV room to get called for chow, which is anytime between 6:30 and 7.
The chow line snakes through the yard, against a fence, and we are admitted to the cavernous dining hall 50 or so at a time. We line up along a wall, and grab trays pushed anonymously through a slot from the kitchen, and then are directed to the color-coded section that is announced to be in current use by watching C.O.’s….”Green” or “Blue” or “Red” etc. The blacks eat on one half of whatever section, the whites and Latinos in the other. It is a no-no to eat in someone else’s section, but occasionally a new inmate does so, and believe me, he doesn’t do it again.
It takes about 10 minutes to eat, and then we put our empty trays through other slots to the dishwashers. Keeping our cups and spoons (that we brought with us), we grab bag lunches that we take back to our dorm. Lynn always takes mine back for me because I go in an opposite direction to the infirmary to take my morning HIV meds. Then I walk back to the dorm, arriving at 7:30 or so. I listen to NPR again until about 8, when 5 days a week I report to the central hallway where I get cleaning supplies and attack one of the bathrooms. I don’t really mind it, after all. All work has dignity, and it only takes 30 minutes or so. Still, today I had my counselor put me on the “clerks” list, which will enable the library to hire me if there’s an opening. I dropped off an application there last week. Hopefully the handsome clerk Armando will put my application at the top of the pile. I sure ain't doing it for the 90 cents an hour I’d be paid. But it would be many more hours than a porter job, so I figure my last 2 months would go faster.
From 8:30 to 11:00am I listen to NPR, punctuated by reading or letter writing. Actually, these three activities fill up the bulk of my time, which is why I am not complaining too much about being here, although I sure as shit want to no longer be. (Knowing I’m being read on a blog has transformed by time here.)
At 11:00 am, another round at the bathroom, but it’s understood to be rather cursory, a quick wipe, sweep and mop. I’m usually finished by 11:20, and except for Inspection once every 2 weeks, I am “off” for the rest of the day.
At 11:30 am we have our first count, which means we have to be on our bunks for ½ hour or so, until it “clears,” Afternoons, I sometimes go to the yard or the library, but it’s really too hot for the former and I usually have a book I’m already reading. Plus, the inevitable NPR, and usually a snooze in the afternoon. Oh, this is after the 12:30 pm bag lunch, or ramen soup, prepared and shared on my bunk with Earl, my best buddy. At all times during the day or evening, there is significant interaction with my neighbors. And always, always, once or twice an hour, someone comes by for a shot of coffee, to borrow the sewing kit, some creamer, trade something for a soup etc.
At 3:30 people are on their bunks, generally, and at 4:00 mail is handed out (except on the weekend). This is always the best part of my day. At 4:30 there is the 2nd count of the day. Right after count clears I go with Earl to the infirmary for afternoon pill call, which, unlike the morning, everyone goes to at the same time. This means waiting in line in the hot sun, but also is an opportunity for people watching and some socializing with inmates in other dorms, especially gay ones there for HIV meds.
When we get back to the dorm, around 5:30 pm, I do my pushups and then take a shower. When I get back to my bunk, I usually have a half an hour or so to read or reread my mail and get in some more NPR (on KPCC, Pasadena, by the way. I love all the people who work there, they have no idea.). Dinner is between 6:30 and 7:00 pm. I return to my bunk at 7:30 and read and write until 9:30 count and 10pm lights out. Two days a week it’s the same except no work, and on the weekend KPCC is even better. Saturday night there’s a play on at 10:00pm I always attend, at least in my head.
I am promptly asleep around 10:30 and that’s about it. I hope you’re all still awake, after reading this.
MCO 2004
