Counting Down The Wednesdays

On the seventh Wednesday from this very day, I will be released back into society. Oh my goodness, that previous sentence sounds so ominous, but it is true. For the past 18 months and by the time I am finished my sentence, it will be 19-1/2 months, I have been separated from society and, most importantly, my family. I started this odyssey on a Wednesday, and it is only fitting I will be released on a Wednesday. I am now officially counting down the Wednesdays. Truly, I have only six Wednesdays remaining (after today) that I will be incarcerated. On that seventh Wednesday, my wife will be here to pick me up, and we will drive out together. I will not be wearing my orange clothing on that day. In fact, it will probably take some time before I wear anything orange again, if I ever do. I started wearing orange in the county jail, and the only place I didn’t was Jamestown. I was dressed in blue, which really wasn’t as bad as the bright orange. On the very faithful Wednesday in February, a new beginning will commence. As I look back, I am astonished as to how significant Wednesdays have been.
I was confronted at my previous employer on a Wednesday. I was arrested two weeks later on a Wednesday. I pled guilty on a Wednesday. I was sentenced on a Wednesday. I was transferred here on a Wednesday. Next month I will walk out of here on a Wednesday. This gives a different meaning to “Wednesday’s Child.” I’m not sure of the significance of all of this, but it sure seems interesting. I am so happy I only have six Wednesdays remaining, and I doubt on that seventh Wednesday from now that I will ever stop smiling. There have been some very significant days in my life such as the day I married my wife and the days my daughter and son were born. Nothing can top those days, but February 27th will be near the top of the list. Yes, I am anxious, but I have come this far living one day at a time. I am not about to change. The day will come just like all the other days, and I am patiently waiting.
In the meantime, I enjoyed the very tasty pizza and pasta that was served last night for dinner. This meal has come a long way from the first time I had it at the reception center many months ago. The pizza was vegetable containing onions and mushrooms. It is entirely made from scratch and very good. This is one of the two meals I can eat everything on the tray (the other being baked fish). I am very grateful for anything I receive, and last night’s dinner was very nice. After dinner, it was back to my room for the usual conversation. I asked my roommate if he could have dinner with three people who are alive who would those three be? I also said all three don’t have to come to dinner at the same time as it could be three separate dinners. His response was Bill Clinton, Robin Williams, and Nelson Mandela. I thought the choice of Robin Williams was peculiar so I asked him why. My roommate is a fan of Robin Williams, and unbeknownst to me, Robin Williams is a cyclist enthusiast just like my roommate and also a very impressive comedian and actor. The other two are self-explanatory as they are fascinating people. My three are Tiger Woods, Harlan Coben, and Bruce Springsteen. I do believe Mr. Coben would be a very interesting conversationalist over dinner. It was odd, or maybe not, that neither one of us selected a female. The conversation as usual was very good, and it was time to go to sleep.
The day started just like every other day as I got up to exercise. Now, even my roommate is getting up earlier because he needs to be in to work earlier. I previously had to wait 10 to 15 minutes for his arrival at the weight area. Now, we walk up together. The workout was very good, and it was on to start my day. The usual ensued, and I seemed to be moving quicker cleaning the bathrooms. I even had an hour to hike the hill before lunch. I thought I would take advantage of this time, and I did hike the hill. It was a very good hike, and after I checked in for the noon check-in, I was in need of a shower.
By hiking earlier, I was able to free up some of the lunch hour. I decided to make a telephone call to the reporter who wrote me a few weeks ago. I hadn’t received a reply from the letter I wrote so I took the opportunity to call. I was able to speak with the reporter, who sounds very nice and knowledgeable about pathological gambling. The reporter is doing a story on pathological gambling and the effects of the growth of Indian casinos in California. We spoke for the allotted 15 minutes, and that went very quickly. The reporter said something to me that I have thought about in the past. She wanted to speak with me because she believes I possess a unique perspective. I am a recovering pathological gambler who also worked in the gaming business for a number of years. I guess I do have a unique perspective because I understand both sides of the equation. I really enjoyed the discussion, and I am scheduled to call her back on Friday. I am resending what I initially wrote because it has yet to be received. I am sending her a visitor’s form because she is interested in meeting with me face to face. I don’t know when the story will be published, so conceivably, we can meet after my release. Hopefully, I can add value to the story, and it does appear there will be an impact from the article.