Clothesline Saga

On Monday morning the new Lieutenant on the yard did a sweep of the dorms looking for clotheslines. I was out in the yard at the time of the sweep. I was very fortunate because I have an attentive Bunkie who took down the clotheslines prior to the inspection. Some of my dorm mates were not as fortunate. Normally the clotheslines are cut off and that is the end of it. However, the Lieutenant has started to write up inmates with clotheslines. This is called a CDC 115 which is a disciplinary action. It can be administrative or serious. The administrative variety is preferred because it only entails hours of community service doing prison clean up. A serious 115 is not good for anyone hoping to get to Fire Camp. This can delay the process up to 90 days. I would have thought having a clothesline hanging would be an administrative 115. However, the lieutenant has different ideas. These were the serious ones and 9 of my dorm mates were to receive them. Somehow the write-ups never got processed for anyone in my dorm so they dodged a bullet especially those waiting for Fire Camp. Needless to say, I no longer have a clothesline hanging from my bunk and now my clothes hang from the ends of my bunk.

On the subject of Fire Camp, three members of my race from the same FTP class have been transferred this week. They all had outside influences helping them arrive at the Fire Camp of their choosing. One of them was a previous Instructor and according to him, the old coach didn’t expedite his transfer. He took matters into his own hands and got the transfer. Quite frankly, I am disappointed (not devastated) that I wasn’t transferred this week and I really thought the old coach was going to help me. Unfortunately, it is now difficult to speak with him because he is on the other yard.

I really believed the coach’s influence would assist my transfer, but now I am having doubts so last night I implemented Plan B. I wrote a letter to the Associate Warden whom I met last month as part of the protein drink saga. In the letter I mentioned the discussion about the doctor stating that I should be transferred to Fire Camp as soon as possible. I subtly asked the Associate Warden for assistance. I’m not sure if he will help me but it is worth a try. I have also written the old coach to ask if he would follow up on the information he sent to the Captain to ensure that he received it. I am doing everything in my power to ensure my information does not fall through the cracks. I am trying to cover all my options and I have asked my wife to telephone the coach, the Fire Camp Placement Captain, and the Lieutenant at the Fire Camp as a back up and also as a sphere of influence. I do know that one of the classmates who was transferred had his family call the Lieutenant in the Fire Camp directly. There are inmates who are waiting three months for a transfer and 3 of classmates were transferred within 2 weeks. I learned a long time ago that many things in life are determined by who you know and prison is no different.

Well, it finally happened – I got caught! At breakfast I was served a banana which was a bit green and needed a couple of days to ripen. I was faced with a dilemma which was - should I eat the green banana or should I try to sneak it out past the “Fruit Nazi.” He has never caught me with any fruit mostly because I don’t even try when he is on duty. Most days he does a cursory check as I walk out of the dining hall so I decided to take a chance and stuff the banana in my hat. I have done this before and have been successful in getting the banana out of the dining hall. Well, today was not successful and my eyes must have been filled with guilt as I approached him and he looked directly at the hat in my hands. He didn’t even have to say anything as I turned the banana over to him. He was almost apologetic as he took the banana from me and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t let you take the banana out.” I was finally caught by the “Fruit Nazi” and it really wasn’t so bad as he was very nice. My zeal for the banana overtook me, but there aren’t any ramifications like the clotheslines. I doubt if I will ever attempt – oh check that. I won’t ever attempt to take a piece of fruit out of the dining hall when the “Fruit Nazi “ is on duty.