by redclay | Dec 25, 2019 | Creative Writing, Detention Center Writing Contests
Mass Incarceration
Semhar Gerensie Teclay
Nonfiction, Heard/Arlington County Detention Center writing contest, August 2019
Arlington, Virginia, 1435 North Courthouse Rd., 7 a.m. Shift change shift change stand at your doors full uniforms on with wrist bands shown at your doors, shift change shift change stand at your doors, what you are about to witness is Mass Incarceration.
My mornings start at 4 a.m. with triage with a diabetic glucose check and then medication. At 4:30 a.m. I’m headed to the kitchen to start my day off working as the prep man. It’s a job that keeps my mind off things I can’t control. I get paid six dollars a week which is terrible but I get to eat what I want if you know what I mean. In order to work in the kitchen at the jail, you must be low or medium custody level; any violent crime will eliminate your chance to work. The things I see in the kitchen you wouldn’t believe, for example stealing, sending kites throughout the jail including females, selling onions, green peppers and sugar, everyone has a hustle including me. Around 6 a.m. trays are delivered through the whole jail one hour before shift change. Once the jail is fed the kitchen crew gets to eat. As we sit in the break room inmates pull out all the hidden goodies making sure staff or cameras don’t lead on. All the inmates come together and break bread, whatever I need you might have and whatever I have you might need. In the background all you hear is, yo who got some cheese while another says who got the onions let me get a little bit. Then it’s quiet as we eat together and forget where we are for about 15 minutes then it’s back to work.
At 7 a.m. the whole jail is locked down as the deputies are changing shifts. Inmates are locked in their cells as the deputy makes his or her rounds to check status of the inmates. For those who’ve never been in jail let me explain, stand at your door with your armband showing inmate number 1231417 and if you don’t you suffer the consequences. To me that’s nothing. I’ve been in ten different jails my whole life, give me a radio and some books and I’m out of your way. I feel bad for the guys here for the first time waiting for sentencing not knowing the seriousness of their case, expecting to go home in less than a month. Fear starts to penetrate into their heart to a point where they are desperate asking fellow inmates for legal help and advice, reason is their public defender won’t contact them til the Day of Judgement, can you blame them? I won’t. I’ve been there before.
From 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. it’s recreation time. This is when and how you determine the type of inmate you come across. First you got the inmates that are on the rec yard lifting weights doing their exercise routine, these folks got their time and is what we call Bidd’in. Then you have the folks at the tables with their paperwork laid out preparing their strategies to present in court, either for sentencing or filing a motion for reconsideration. Then you have those people lying all day long about their material possessions on the outside that are worth nothing on the inside, those folks we call crash dummies. Private investors call them investments.
12 p.m. it’s chow time, we gather at tables and eat cold cuts and potato chips. Later on in the day we start our programs to better ourselves. That’s what they tell you; see most of the jails don’t even have programs anymore, they don’t have the funds to keep a program going, it’s all a front. The prison industry to me is the new holocaust without the gas chambers, people of all kinds, I mean good people, screaming for help, waiting for the super power as if it was America saving Germany during WWI.
It’s 4 in the evening dinner time last meal of the day also known as another day gone. Most of us inmates like to watch a movie or write a letter to a friend or lover, or read the paper. A simple phone call to our family with a cup of coffee preventing bad thoughts or feelings to linger in our minds. Playing card or board games with a friend that you’ve done time with. For me reading the Bible seeking new wisdom keeps me calm at night. 11:30 p.m. lockdown, just sitting here preparing this paper to educate people on what goes on in America’s prison systems. Not all of us are bad, I happened to make a mistake and did some jail time, then I was put on probation and I’ve been stuck ever since.
by redclay | Dec 25, 2019 | Creative Writing, Detention Center Writing Contests
I’ve Weathered Some Ferocious Storms, and Noticed that the Most Extraordinary and Peaceful Sunsets seemed to Follow the Worst Ones
Victor Oben Ebai Jr., Arlington County Detention Facility
I’ve weathered some ferocious storms, and noticed that the most extraordinary and peaceful sunsets seemed to follow the worst ones. Though life can be diabolically treacherous at times in these vitally truculent moments in our lives solidifies and enhances our faith, strength, aptitude to endure pain, builds character, enhances our resiliency to obtain more patience and a reassuring understanding that ultimately God is in control. How can you show somebody the best way if you’ve never been through the worst way. Life has taught me that we don’t necessarily need to be the best, we just have to be good enough and strive for better.
Forty-six chromosomes make up our genetic code which pertain both dominant and recessive alleles. As our genes have to proliferate, mutate, dexterously finding ways to fight diseases, infections and be self-sufficient in rebuilding our immune system. We also must be subsidiary in our lives to find new and innovative ways to survive, evolve, mature gain wisdom and adjust to detrimental occurrences throughout life.
In direct correlation with God’s preeminent purpose to my opening statement that “the most extraordinary and peaceful sunsets seemed to follow the worst ones”. I quote from Proverbs 3 verses 13 through 18. “Happy is a man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding”. 14 “For her proceeds are better than profits of silver and her gain than fine gold”. 15 “She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her”. 16 “Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor”. 17 “Her way are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace”. 18 “She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her and happy are all who retain her”.
by redclay | Dec 25, 2019 | Creative Writing, Detention Center Writing Contests
Change or Remain the Same?
Anthony Campbell
Nonfiction, Heard/Arlington County Detention Center writing contest, August, 2019
Change or stay the same? Change or stay the same? To change means I have to change a lot of things about myself. Like my thinking, the way I move, people I interact with on a regular basis, places I go, and possibly my appearance! That’s a lot, then I have to think whether or not this change is for the best? Will it impact my life positively or negatively? Change has a lot of levels and steps, so am I ready to make those changes? Remaining the same seems pretty easy; it’s comfortable, it’s routine, it’s the same old me! Change will bring a new me and will my friends and family like that changed new me or the same old me and am I ready for the new me or content with being the old me?
What and how will I feel? At least I know if I remain the same all the questions about change will be put to rest! But one thing I do know about myself is I like new things so maybe change is good because it’s new, and if I like new everyone else will too because I’m not the only person who likes new things as long as they are new and improved! So do I change or remain the same? Change or remain the same? As much as I would like to remain the same old me, change seems like the direction to head in and the meanings of new and old says it all.
• New—different from (the) one in the past, strange, unfamiliar, recently grown fresh, unused, modern and recent.
• Old—having lived or existed for a long time, of aged people, of a specified age, not new, worn out by age or use, former.
Yeah its final. Change and everything new. I’m all in! Change is definitely in my and everyone’s best interest as long as it’s positive! Besides the meaning New comes before Old in the dictionary! Because the only thing that a person can’t change is their past, the future however if one does decide to change is full of possibilities!
Change Don’t Remain the Same!
Change Don’t Remain the Same!
by redclay | Dec 25, 2019 | Creative Writing, Detention Center Writing Contests
As the Mind Gets Quieter, the Intuition Gets Stronger
Victor Oben Ebai Jr., Arlington County Detention Facility
As the mind gets quieter, the intuition gets stronger. Often times throughout life we are faced with the anxieties of trying to live up to society’s futile preconceived credence ideology of our perception of success. Any desire that we have that’s in conflict with God’s desire for us requires that we change our desire. Theoretically speaking two wrongs don’t make a right but two lefts makes a right. As a result of our disobedience in God’s purpose in our lives we are forced to take two lefts to make a right as opposed to just making the right in the first place. We’ve all learned the hard way that when we abscond from God’s desire for us daunting and catastrophic occurrences takes place in our lives, forcing us to deplete lambently changing our course to where he wants us to be.
Though many life experiences may seem abstruse we must learn to grow from it and sustain our equanimity which is the evenness of mind especially under stress. Ultimately we reach a state of equipoise gaining greater simplicity and purity of equilibrium peace and tranquility thus causing our intuition to become stronger. Previously studying at Central State University and Wesley College I learned Anatomy and Physiology one, and two with the labs, human growth and development courses, psychology, sociology, and pathology which is the study of diseases along with my greater understanding of deoxyribonucleic acid better known as DNA. Also with interleukin which is any of several proteins of low molecular weight that are produced by cells of the body and regulate the immune system and immune responses.
Tying all these subjecting matters studies have proven that gaining equilibrium of peace and tranquility not only strengthens our intuition, but it also enhances our production of interleukin proteins to regulate the immune system and immune responses. Secondly our acetylcholine which is a compound that is released at nerve endings of the autonomic nervous system and is active in transmission of nerve impulses.
The determining factor for these bodily chemicals to be secreted and properly carry out its unique tasks, they must first be aerated which is to supply blood with oxygen by respiration. Studies have also proven that too much stress causes diseases and weakens our immune system. We were created in the image of God therefore we inherited God like features such as intuition which is the power or faculty of knowing things without conscious reasoning. So I challenge you to tap into your inner God and find your purpose. When we get on our knees for God, God stands up for us. As the mind gets quieter, intuition becomes stronger.
by redclay | Dec 25, 2019 | Uncategorized
The Return
Bianca Astore Bowman
Second place, Nonfiction, Heard/Arlington County Detention Center, August 2019
Richard paused in the forest to listen. He didn’t think anyone had followed him. But he was growing paranoid. The rustling behind him was probably just the wind through the trees. Though he didn’t feel any wind now. No breeze to dry the sweat accumulating on his forehead.
He had to keep moving. He couldn’t afford to hang around waiting for the fickle wind to start back up. A handwritten note in his jacket pocket was summoning him forward. It had been left at his apartment door, now miles away: “Midnight. Old oak.”
He knew better than to follow its demand. To come back here —toward the old oak of his childhood playground, the old oak he had grown to hate, the old oak where he had last seen his father-terrified him. But his obsessing mind had won out. He had left sure-footed as a cat, but now, he wondered if curiosity wasn’t going to be the downfall of them both.
With the wind still absent, he continued forward. His legs simultaneously alive with energy and unsteady as a sapling in a storm.
The anticipation of what he would find at the oak made him miss the subtle breaking of fallen branches a careful distance behind him. Thoughts of his father’s muffled yell the day he had gone missing overshadowed an equally muffled cough, now a few meters away. Memory of his pre-pubescent legs racing and tumbling, searching in vain for his father, still filled his head as he now came upon the very man he had been looking for ever since.
“Ricky…I only did it to protect you.”
But the sounds of the forest had caught up to Richard and were wrapping a blindfold around his eyes.
His world now buzzing with darkness, he was guided to a sitting position in front of the old oak. The bark clawing its way through his jacket. More noticeable was his pulsing heart, thundering heavily in his head.
“Dad?”
“Ricky — I hope you’ve lived the best life possible. I love you more than anything, I didn’t think they would come for you so soon…I thought you had more time.”
The unnatural sounds of the forest now added their voices.
“Your old man’s right, kiddo, he does love you. Talked about you every damn day.”
“But he was wrong to think we still had use for him. We need someone nimble, someone new. And he made us a deal, Ricky.”
“We need to collect our debt, the one your daddy left to you. We need to keep you around awhile. ‘Til it’s come due. Ain’t that right, old man?”
There was a scrambling to Richard’s left. His father’s voice, now farther away, pleaded out to him.
“It’s only a little bit left. I tried to pay it all back, I tried. I know you can do it, son. You won’t be greedy like me. They’ll treat you alright, they won’t hurt you. Just a few jobs. Just a bit of time and we’ll see each other again. I’ll protect you again. It’s been my only job. It’s all I’ve done. You weren’t one of my mistakes.”
His father’s words merged with the sounds of the forest.
Ricky had returned to the old oak. He had found what he was looking for. He had won the game of Hide and Seek.
He had lost the prize.
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