"Flat Tire" - Lost Shoe

This vegetarian meal thing may work out well. Last night I approached the window and the CO recognized me by sight. I didn’t have to mention the meal because she handed me two tubes of peanut butter and a tray without the Kung Pao chicken. Frankly, I was shocked but not as shocked as I was later on while I was eating my dinner. I was eating the rice and vegetables when the CO flashed her flashlight in my direction. Usually this means an inmate is doing something wrong and the CO was getting their attention. I wasn’t doing anything wrong so I wasn’t so sure this beam of light was aimed at me. I looked back to the CO and asked if she wanted me to come up to her. She said, “Yes” and I approached her. When I reached her I very politely said, “Yes” and she then told me that if there wasn’t enough food on my tray she would take care of it. She went on to apologize for not having enough food because when I first came up she was very busy and didn’t notice my tray but as she saw me eating she realized there wasn’t enough food. I was genuinely shocked in a very good way and thanked her and returned to the table. When I went back, the person I was eating with asked me what that was all about and I told him. He asked if I was going to go back up for more food. I took one look at my tray and told him that I was going back for more food. I went up and very politely asked the very nice CO for another tray. I only asked for the rice and the mixed vegetables because I don’t eat the cole slaw. I received a tray with two more helpings of the rice and vegetables. This is the most amount of food I have received since I started the special request of the vegetarian meal. Again, I was shocked to see this much food on my tray, and I thanked the CO profusely! I ate everything and I was completely full. In fact, I had trouble finishing the last forkfuls, but I did. On the way out, I again thanked the very kind CO.

For the first time since I arrived at this Center , I was not starving when I woke up in the morning. Yesterday was a very big workout day for me and I was exhausted last night so the additional calories were welcome. The CO’s came through the dorm at 5:00 am, I woke up and lay in bed until 5:45. I did my job and woke up my two neighbors respectively. Just like yesterday, the unlock for early chow came at 6:30 am. This morning I was able to eat breakfast with three of the other instructors. An interesting fact – currently there are 7 instructors (including me) and 5 of us are the same race and the other 2 are of a different race. Apparently, the coach awards the position of instructor to the person who can pass the very rigorous physical test not based on race. Some of the other instructors fit into the “normal” category and they are good guys. After breakfast we all went to the basketball court to start Day 8 of the PFT training class. This is the last day of “regular” class before the participants take the exam. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday the test won’t be given until next Monday and the regular coach will return from vacation. The delay may hurt some of the participants and I know personally I wouldn’t want to wait the four days, I would want to get it over with tomorrow. However, there is no class of any kind the next two days because we instructors are officially off. The lead instructor referred to our days off as being on vacation, but I very politely offered my opinion which was I not refer to the time off as vacation because I am not going anywhere! He completely understood and corrected himself and said days off.

Once again the class was led through their warm ups and the lead instructor told
me to take the front pace just as I did yesterday. Today we were only doing a 2 mile power walk which is really not enough but I was happy to be in the front to redeem myself from yesterday. I did much better and was only a few seconds ahead of the pace. I recognized something which was very basic and I now know how to hit the exact pace. I need to adjust my pace prior to the hashmark, not after. Something unexpected happened on the third lap. As I was leading the pack someone by accident stepped on my right running shoe. I not only got a “flat tire” but my running shoe came completely off. I didn’t know what to do so I instinctively kept walking with one shoe on and one off. What else could I do? I walked about 50 yards this way when the lead instructor came up to the front and saw what happened. He relieved me at the front as I turned back to get the running shoe. One of the members of the pack behind me actually picked it up and handed it to me. I thanked him and pulled over to the side of the track and very quickly put the shoe back on. It took a matter of seconds and I ran back to the front of the pack where I relieved the lead instructor. I resumed my duties as the lead pace man without missing a beat. The participants on the track in the pack behind me gave me a big ovation as I returned. Also, the lead instructor told me I handled the situation perfectly. I was not angry, embarrassed or even annoyed when this happened. It was an accident and things like this happen and I do believe I handled it properly.

There aren’t any secrets in prison because everyone seems to know everyone’s business. All throughout the day I had other inmates – some I knew and some I didn’t - come up to me and say, “I heard you lost your shoe during the power walk this morning.” Please keep in mind when we were doing this we were the only ones on the track. Everyone else was inside their dorms. So much for being anonymous and keeping a low profile – now everyone knows me. When I received these comments I made light of the situation and didn’t take any of it as an insult. Things happen and it is how I react to them which will define me as a person. I try to act and react in a positive manner – thanks to my recovery. The whole “lost shoe” story may not seem like a big deal to anyone reading this but if it happened to one of the participants or even another instructor the outcome may have been very different. I am glad I was the one it happened to because now I am known as the “lost shoe instructor.”

The regular class ended with a 9 minute mile which I lead along with the lead instructor. No, I didn’t lose my other shoe on this run; it was very uneventful. After the run, the class went through their cool downs and I put away the hose and “water horse”. This has gotten much easier to do over the past two days so I may have a chance of becoming a firefighter. Now it was time for the PFT Plus where I lead the warm-ups and mirrored the lead instructor. I was a little tired this morning so I was content “instructing” the class with the lead instructor. There are two lead instructors – one is close to my age and the other is in his late 50’s. The latter will be leaving in one month and the former will be the sole lead person.

The PFT class ended and it was only 9:45 am; however, being Wednesday and having my tier out for morning yard meant mandatory “kick out” from the dorms. We are not allowed to return until after 11:00 am. I really wanted to rest but didn’t know what to do with myself. Fortunately, the two lead instructors also wanted to rest also so the three of us talked for the next hour. The conversations focused on our individual sentences of which I am serving the least amount of time – and we also talked about the Prison system. We also touched on nutritional information with me mostly discussing my diet. The lead instructor closest to my age was very interested in my diet and was asking about my special meal request. But the bulk of the conversation centered around how we were sentenced. After listening to these two speak, I have no right to complain about my four year sentence which I will serve half. These two are currently ineligible for fire camp based on a variety of reasons. This is very ironic because they are both the fittest and hardest working inmates on the yard. A fire camp would certainly benefit having either one or both of them but as of right now they cannot attend. Both of them are very “normal” and it is hard to believe they even committed any crime let alone the types of crimes they committed. The saying of “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is quite appropriate. The hour passed very quickly and even though my voice was fading fast I enjoyed the conversation immensely.

We all departed back to our dorms for lunch…..Nope, a baloney sandwich….just joking! It was yet another peanut butter and jam sandwich. By the time I am released I will resemble a PB and J sandwich!! After this it was time for the afternoon PFT Plus class where I did participate. I had to do some type of exercise because the morning session was very restful. The lead instructor – the one closest to my age – may workout more than I do but even he called it a day after class. I was thinking about doing this but just couldn’t (I may have a problem?) so I did an hour and 10 minutes of the Harvard Steps before calling it a day.

It was in the upper 50’s today which is the coolest it has been but I was still getting a good sweat. After the Harvard Wall I wanted to test myself by seeing how long I could hang on the high bar. In the regular PFT class the participants must hang on the high bar for 60 seconds after doing 10 minutes on the Harvard Wall. I was able to hang for 90 seconds and did five pull-ups right after. I was pleased and now it was time to head back to the dorm. As I was walking back, I saw one of my fellow instructors. He noticed my drenched shirt and said, “You just couldn’t stop, could you?”

He said this with an smile and I smiled back and said, “Of course not because I am sick in the head.” He just laughed and kept walking. Working out is my salvation in a place like this and to have a job which incorporates this is a blessing. Yes, I maybe a little or maybe a lot obsessive about exercising but right now the benefits outweigh the negatives and most importantly make my days go by faster.