Will Talks to the New Guy
Hey who was that they just brought in? I don’t know he looked new.
What cell did thy put him in? I don’t know what cell number it is but it’s the one that guy who just got executed used to live in. Oh that’s next to Big Will (couple of guys talking in the day room)
I hear the gate pop so I go to the door and look out and I see 2 officers bringing in some new guy. He’s still wearing his county slides on his feet. It makes one think back when I first came to Death Row, but I had property coming from population, he doesn’t have anything.
He walks up to infront of my cell looking at his empty cell. The Officer is pushing the button to get the picket to roll the door, but the picket officer is looking the other way.
He looks up at me, I see the uncertainty in his face, so I ask his name, he tells me. I say I’m Big Will. I ask “do you have any property, he says “no they took it all in the county and wouldn’t let him bring it. I say well I don’t know what you lost but I can help you get what you need. He looks at me and says “oh no Man, I aint getting mixed up with none of that shit. I smile and laugh NO man Its cool, some of us know what its like to have anything and know you need stuff. It aint no game you got to pay anything back. Now Speer (the Officer chimes in) You cant even wait for us to leave before you try and corrupt this guy. (I smile) as he says trafficking and trading is against the rules. Now the door rolls and the officers go to put him in the cell and I tell him “I’l talk to you after they go” He (NG) says ok and steps in the cell. They remove the hand cuffs and walk off. I say y’all make sure he gets his necessities.
A few min goes by I hear the toilet flush and the sink water run then a sigh (NG) so this is it huh? I say yeah pretty much. They’ll bring you a mattress and necessities here shortly. He say’s hope so cuz I had to sleep on steel in the county for over 2 weeks and that was some rough sleepin.
Well they do that here too but that’s usually only when they want to punish you for whatever. Then they got ever excuse in the book as to why they can’t find a mattress but they’ll give you a blanket to sleep on. He’s just quiet (NG) Well how long have you been here? I tell him he’s quiet (NG) He asked how long he’s got I say honestly about 6-7 years but things could change for you (NG) How he says... Well law’s change all the time and I don’t know about your case, but maybe you will some action. He said yea i hope I do, cuz I don’t want to die here! I know the feeling. So is this where I’ll stay until the end? No they move us once every 6 months to a year. Oh cuz I heard that out there say I was going to the cell they just killed someone in (NG) Its kind of creepy living in a cell they killed someone in. I said well they didn’t kill him in that cell, but he did live there for a good year before they gave him his date, and moved him to death watch on A-Pod (NG) its still creepy, wel get used to it cuz every cell you go to will have had someone who lived in it and then got killed (NG) quiet and then Man that’s depressing. Yeah it is.
(NG) so what do we get here. Il show you my commissary list, but i hope you got your eye full of tv in the county cuz there aint none here. And you don’t get to use a phone either. Not like in the county. Once about every few months you might get to make a 5 minute phone call on a speaker phone with a ton of officers all around (NG) man thats all --- Yeah and believe me they make it such a hassle so you don’t even try. I don’t but I don’t really have anyone asking for one either (NG) yeah I ran up some pretty high phone bills in the county, so I know my people wont be asking for a while.. Speaking of your people Here let me get you some writing stuff and hygiene. Il holler and see what else we can get you. Some guys have already got stuff together and are sending it to you. Il pick it up and get over to you (NG) I sure do appreciate your help.
Its all good. I just ask to keep it real with me cuz all that what you did, who you were. Don’t mean shit anymore. You are in a new world now and your word and respect is all you got. (NG) I hear you man. I did over a year in the county I understand. No in county people ar still trying to hold on to who they were all that’s dead now. Its brand new. You can turn into a real piece of shit or be cool and have your respect. (NG) Hey I’ll fight for my respect aint nobody going to disrespect me!! Well you won’t be doing any fighting with inmates cuz you’ll never be around one to fight. Cell warrior is about all there is and that don’t get no respect not really. (NG) yeat that is not me, I was around alot of it in the county, Here get this (NG) Thanks what’s your name again Will , yeah Thanks Will (NG) I had a nick name I used to go by in the freeworld but the guy who gave it to me snitched on me and then lied on me to help send me to Death Row, so I don’t go by that anymore –Yeah nicknames can tell alot about a person’s character.
You know it’s friendly here like an old folk’s home really—for the most part you mind your own business, don’t look in people cells, respect your neighbours, try not to yell or bang at night. The officers come around every 30 minutes sometimes, but they will make rounds about every hour or two it depends on what’s going on. You can ask them for whatever you need but if they are busy they will forget so you’ll have to remind them---alot. Some of these officers got a real smart mouth too. So watch yourself or you’ll end up in a wreck. Try to keep things in perspective sometimes they just follow orders and don’t realize what they are saying or how its being taken---- Like sit on your bunk they only tell that at chow time--- but most will let you just stand back away from the door then open the slot to feed you (NG) oh so thats how they feed us, Yeah and the food is off and on good one meal bad the next ---- But its better than it was. Do you like to get out of your cell (NG) yeah but how? you get to rec 2 hours a day, 5 days aweek the Major is looking into 6 days a week not not yet. They will come around each morning and ask you going to rec, and shower, you say yes they tell you the projected time, but know shit changes around here so much, don’t count on it, cuz people V.R verbally refuse or some other officer does not like the way the other officer set up the rec, sheet and they change it, who knows just know it can all change. You’ll strip out every where you go, going and coming get used to them seeing you, cuz its your new way of life (NG) that sucks. You got visits on a phone in a booth with glass between y’all no contact for Death Row, If you don’t know ask, If you want to know about someone ask, I’ll tell you, cuz there are some real pieces of trash around here. You’ll see for the most part it’s best to be cautious and don’t take no cooked food from anyone until you get to know them, if you care about what they might put in it, again you got some real weirdos here.
This place is nasty too, always wash your hands especially out in the day room and if you pick something up off the run. Sometimes you can catch the SSI wiping the table with the same rag he just wiped the toilet and sink with. Try to keep your shower slides on especially in the shower to prolong you getting foot fungus--- but you’ll get it some how be it through the socks or sheets---Once you do get it you’ll have to put in a sick call form and well good luck with all that is all I’ll say--- It takes a while t get a sick call answered around here.
If you like to read, your people can order you books and magazines from stores and companys out there. But most everything is all bough off the commissary. It is alot cheaper than the county for some stuff and alot for others. Food is around 3-5am 10:30-12:30/1:00 ish and last chow is around 5-7 (NG) how long will it take for me to get my ID card? oh about 30 days or 50 (NG) man now I see why y’all hooked me up.
Well here they come with your stuff, I’ll let you go make your bed, kick back and I’ll holler at you later. (NG) yeah I am tired, thanks Man, Alright ....