Prison Stories - (new story) Friends
October 8th 2006 17:21
For your viewing pleasure…..don’t you wonder who these people are that create these things? Some of them just kill me!!!!!
Alright, as promised another story for Story Block
STORY BLOCK (rated R, some profanity, violence and sex)
FRIENDS
by
Cathy Jourdan
Pauline and David Morgan sat nervously looking out the nearby window of the dismal prison visiting room. David glanced across the room at a guard who was replacing a chrome chair at the cafeteria style table. He dutifully pushed the chair into place and quickly swept some crumbs from the table onto the floor. As he patted the crumbs from his hands, he noticed David, smiled and barely nodded at him. David thought to himself what a lousy job being a correction officer must be. He thanked God many times over for the opportunities he had been offered in life. Focused on the officer and his own thoughts, David was startled when Pauline grabbed his arm.
“There he is!” she says as she wipes a tear from her eye. Pauline looked old for her 45 years and the tears made her face look even harsher.
David watched with sad eyes as the young man dressed in blue with a number stenciled on his shirt entered the shakedown area, out of sight. He had been teased many times by his friends that he had a Ward Cleaver look. David never minded, though, because he felt there were a lot less desirable things and people to be compared to. But of course, it wasn’t likely that Ward Cleaver would be a prison visiting Wally or the Beav.
Five minutes later, Tim Morgan entered the visiting room, still arranging his clothing. Pauline ran to her son and hugged him. “Oh, Tim, I’ve missed you!”
“I’ve missed you too, Ma!” Tim answered in an almost childlike voice that matched his younger than his years appearance. He was tall and thin, yet muscular, but he had a baby face. In fact, shaving was something he only did about once a week to clear away the wispy peach fuzz that grew on his chin and cheeks.
Pauline returned to her seat. Tim stopped in front of his father, his vivid blue eyes searching his father’s face for reaction. “Dad.”
David’s face appeared tight with anguish, but his eyes reflected love as he stood and hugged his son. “How are you, boy?”
“I’m fine, Dad. I’m fine.”
The two men sat down at the table and there was an awkward silence.
“Your Aunt Sue said to tell you hi,” Pauline said gingerly, trying to break the silence.
Tim smiled. “Tell her I said hi back.”
Pauline nodded. “Are you hungry? I’ll go get you something from the machines.” Tim grabbed his mom’s hand as she started to push her chair back from the table. “Mom, please, just relax and visit with me.” Pauline smiled lovingly at her son.
“I’m sorry, I just get so nervous here. I mean your Dad and I love seeing you...it’s just...hard.” David nodded in agreement.
“I know it’s hard and I’m sorry...I never meant to put you through this,” Tim said with deep remorse. “I am so sorry.”
David patted his son’s arm in slow stroking motion. “Is there anything you need us to bring next time we come?” he asked.
Tim shook his head “No, but I do have a favor to ask you both.”
“Sure baby, anything.”
“What is it, son?”
Tim hesitated. “Well, there’s this guy...my cellmate. His name is McWilliams and he’s been locked up a long time and he’s never had a visit. I was thinking, maybe next time you come, one of you could sign up to visit me and the other could sign up to visit him. I think you’ll like him.”
“No one’s ever visited him?” Pauline asked curiously.
Tim shook his head. “No one, his family’s dead.”
“He didn’t kill them, did he?” David inquired with real concern.
Tim rolled his eyes. “Of course not! He’s in on a drug abuse charge...he just couldn’t handle their deaths.
David and Pauline looked at each other and then shrugged. “I guess we could do that.” his mom answered softly.
Tim smiled to himself. He really had good parents. Hell, a lot of guys he knew didn’t ever get visits. McWilliams’ case really wasn’t that unique, except for the fact that his parents were dead. Actually, that had to be a consolation for McWilliams. It had to be way worse to have family out there who just didn’t want anything to do with you.
Cheryl Figgins eyed Tim curiously. “So, did you have a nice visit?” she asked. “You’ve had quite a few lately.”
Tim smiled and nodded at the middle-aged woman. Sometimes inmates made fun of her because she would try to act cool, but most of them felt that she sincerely cared about them and that’s something everyone learned to appreciate in prison.
“Listen, I heard that your parents are visiting McWilliams also, is this true?”
“Yeah, that’s right. They felt sorry for him because he doesn’t get any visits and I think...I am probably his only friend.”
Cheryl raised her eyebrows and smiled. “That’s a very nice gesture.”
“They’re nice people.”
Cheryl leaned forward propping her elbows on her desk. “Remember what I told you guys in group, Morgan. You have acquaintances in prison who are sharing an experience with you, but I don’t think that developing deep friendships with other convicts is in the best interest of your rehabilitative program.”
“I understand that, Ms. Figgins, but he’s been doing so much better since the visits.”
Cheryl nodded. “Yes, he does seem to be in better spirits lately...just be careful.”
Tim left her office feeling proud of himself and of his parents. He remembered what she had said in group, but he felt she was a bit dramatic. But, maybe that comes with the job. Plus, who knows, maybe she had a bad experience sometime in her many years in the prison system. He respected her, but sometimes he had to take what she said with a grain of salt.
Continued tomorrow....
Alright, as promised another story for Story Block
STORY BLOCK (rated R, some profanity, violence and sex)
FRIENDS
by
Cathy Jourdan
Pauline and David Morgan sat nervously looking out the nearby window of the dismal prison visiting room. David glanced across the room at a guard who was replacing a chrome chair at the cafeteria style table. He dutifully pushed the chair into place and quickly swept some crumbs from the table onto the floor. As he patted the crumbs from his hands, he noticed David, smiled and barely nodded at him. David thought to himself what a lousy job being a correction officer must be. He thanked God many times over for the opportunities he had been offered in life. Focused on the officer and his own thoughts, David was startled when Pauline grabbed his arm.
“There he is!” she says as she wipes a tear from her eye. Pauline looked old for her 45 years and the tears made her face look even harsher.
David watched with sad eyes as the young man dressed in blue with a number stenciled on his shirt entered the shakedown area, out of sight. He had been teased many times by his friends that he had a Ward Cleaver look. David never minded, though, because he felt there were a lot less desirable things and people to be compared to. But of course, it wasn’t likely that Ward Cleaver would be a prison visiting Wally or the Beav.
Five minutes later, Tim Morgan entered the visiting room, still arranging his clothing. Pauline ran to her son and hugged him. “Oh, Tim, I’ve missed you!”
“I’ve missed you too, Ma!” Tim answered in an almost childlike voice that matched his younger than his years appearance. He was tall and thin, yet muscular, but he had a baby face. In fact, shaving was something he only did about once a week to clear away the wispy peach fuzz that grew on his chin and cheeks.
Pauline returned to her seat. Tim stopped in front of his father, his vivid blue eyes searching his father’s face for reaction. “Dad.”
David’s face appeared tight with anguish, but his eyes reflected love as he stood and hugged his son. “How are you, boy?”
“I’m fine, Dad. I’m fine.”
The two men sat down at the table and there was an awkward silence.
“Your Aunt Sue said to tell you hi,” Pauline said gingerly, trying to break the silence.
Tim smiled. “Tell her I said hi back.”
Pauline nodded. “Are you hungry? I’ll go get you something from the machines.” Tim grabbed his mom’s hand as she started to push her chair back from the table. “Mom, please, just relax and visit with me.” Pauline smiled lovingly at her son.
“I’m sorry, I just get so nervous here. I mean your Dad and I love seeing you...it’s just...hard.” David nodded in agreement.
“I know it’s hard and I’m sorry...I never meant to put you through this,” Tim said with deep remorse. “I am so sorry.”
David patted his son’s arm in slow stroking motion. “Is there anything you need us to bring next time we come?” he asked.
Tim shook his head “No, but I do have a favor to ask you both.”
“Sure baby, anything.”
“What is it, son?”
Tim hesitated. “Well, there’s this guy...my cellmate. His name is McWilliams and he’s been locked up a long time and he’s never had a visit. I was thinking, maybe next time you come, one of you could sign up to visit me and the other could sign up to visit him. I think you’ll like him.”
“No one’s ever visited him?” Pauline asked curiously.
Tim shook his head. “No one, his family’s dead.”
“He didn’t kill them, did he?” David inquired with real concern.
Tim rolled his eyes. “Of course not! He’s in on a drug abuse charge...he just couldn’t handle their deaths.
David and Pauline looked at each other and then shrugged. “I guess we could do that.” his mom answered softly.
Tim smiled to himself. He really had good parents. Hell, a lot of guys he knew didn’t ever get visits. McWilliams’ case really wasn’t that unique, except for the fact that his parents were dead. Actually, that had to be a consolation for McWilliams. It had to be way worse to have family out there who just didn’t want anything to do with you.
Cheryl Figgins eyed Tim curiously. “So, did you have a nice visit?” she asked. “You’ve had quite a few lately.”
Tim smiled and nodded at the middle-aged woman. Sometimes inmates made fun of her because she would try to act cool, but most of them felt that she sincerely cared about them and that’s something everyone learned to appreciate in prison.
“Listen, I heard that your parents are visiting McWilliams also, is this true?”
“Yeah, that’s right. They felt sorry for him because he doesn’t get any visits and I think...I am probably his only friend.”
Cheryl raised her eyebrows and smiled. “That’s a very nice gesture.”
“They’re nice people.”
Cheryl leaned forward propping her elbows on her desk. “Remember what I told you guys in group, Morgan. You have acquaintances in prison who are sharing an experience with you, but I don’t think that developing deep friendships with other convicts is in the best interest of your rehabilitative program.”
“I understand that, Ms. Figgins, but he’s been doing so much better since the visits.”
Cheryl nodded. “Yes, he does seem to be in better spirits lately...just be careful.”
Tim left her office feeling proud of himself and of his parents. He remembered what she had said in group, but he felt she was a bit dramatic. But, maybe that comes with the job. Plus, who knows, maybe she had a bad experience sometime in her many years in the prison system. He respected her, but sometimes he had to take what she said with a grain of salt.
Continued tomorrow....
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Comment by Harmony Rocks
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Comment by Cathy
Fakes Frauds Fools
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Comment by Jessicca
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Malaysia Found
Nice writing!
I hope that this is going to be a good story of giving hope to those who has lost it (perhaps with the same kind of experience). It shows humanity is still around and there is always a second chance to turn around as long as you realise it and cherish that chance.
This character Tim is pretty good. But you didn't say much about how he got himself inside. Perhaps I missed out some part or perhaps you'd explain later?
Comment by Cathy
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Comment by Cathy
Fakes Frauds Fools
Artist Quirk
Best Emerging Artists
Hmmm, well, what I will say regarding the story is this one is based on an actual event that happened to one of my inmates (I worked there for ten years). Of course the names have been changed to protect the innocent....you'll have to let me know what you think in the end.
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Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
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Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Finally got here and am pleased I did. What a good read. True stories usually are, aren't they? It reminds me of the time I ended up in a situation helping some poor illegal Indian's with immigration. Their visa's had expired and they plonked in a rather nasty remand centre with hardened crims. I remember being outraged because the punishment did not fit the crime and seemed so disjointed.
I'll be back to read more and look forward to it.
Lilla.
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
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Cheers, Lilla.
Comment by Jessicca
Learning Something Everyday
Malaysia Found
Wow, so it is a true story then? I will sure be reading the next two chapters I noticed on your recent post.
By the way... I finally tempted to try and write my very first short story, based on my true experience last night. It's pretty simple, and the characters were me and my friends (I didn't change their names) but that was what inspired me to write after the heart racing experience.
http://www.orble.com/thefunfair/
Do give some comments, will ya?
Comment by Cathy
Fakes Frauds Fools
Artist Quirk
Best Emerging Artists
Yes, Friends was something that actually happened with one of my inmates.
Good for you! Keep writing. I will check out your story tomorrow...gotta run right now.
Thanks for coming back.