The water’s still hot! How amazing. Guess they didn’t like being threatened with outside agencies getting involved.

Maria just walked by after chatting in Spanish with the spitter, as we call the new girl that spits all over the place.

Palma was on last night! So I didn’t scare her off, after all. As Ida pointed out, she wouldn’t go out of her way to be all smiles and chatty with me if she were uncomfortable with knowing I liked her. It obviously doesn’t bother her.

As soon as I saw it was Palma, Ida and I Palma-proofed the room. Ida put her extra condiments in an empty bag and placed it in the trash. I buried my extra towel under my blanket, covered my juice bottle with my gown, and pushed my extra underwear way back on the shelf it’s on.

The idea of my snob test was to see if she’d initiate a conversation with me if I didn’t first. She did, but not until later. She made 3 or 4 passes before dinner without a word to me and barely a glance, either.

She was her usual bitchy self to others and I thought she’d be a bitch to me, too. Mary, Marilyn, Deanna and Melinda did not start her off in a good mood. They spoke to Barajas about moving Melinda and I guess Barajas told them to talk to the next DO, but the next DO was the wrong DO. Palma may love to bounce people around over in A, but fortunately, not in M.

Anyway, Palma was cussing left and right, threatening to write them all up if they got in a fight, etc. I heard her say to Melinda, “B, you’ve been everywhere and you can’t get along with anybody.” Then she was like, “This is jail, cut the shit, it’s all fucking mad dog bullshit, ignore each other, keep your noses clean, try asking some other DO to move you cuz I’m not wasting my time cuz you’ll just need to move yet again. And as far as this medication bullshit, you’re responsible for your own meds when you get them,” she said to Deanna, who claimed that Melinda was stealing them from her.

Brea’s on now.

My second tank said to ask the nurse for an inhaler; one’s been ordered for me.

Anyway, Ida said she could clearly see that Palma treated me differently. I’d say yes, I’m obviously more popular with her, but I’m still not sure the extent of it.

When she went to let us out to go down and get our dinner, she was like, “Hi! Why are you in this room?”

I explained how I ended up here and said, “I’m not moving!”

Smiling she said, “Well, I’m not moving anyone.”

“Yeah, I heard,” I said, reminding her I’d beat the shit out of Melinda if I were stuck with her.

Dinner was the worst ever. Worse than weenies. It was this thick gravy-like shit. Neither of us could figure out for sure what it was. I’ve been practically starving, the food’s so bad.

After dinner is when things got funny.

When Palma was on a walk, Ida asked her what the chances were of her getting some extra salad.

“Not very likely,” said Palma.

That’s when I started laughing. It was an I-told-you-so kind of laugh that got Palma laughing too, as she headed down the stairs.

Palma really has a way of lifting my spirits. I was kind of down, but when she came on and I saw that I was still cool with her, I perked right up. I’m sure I was the only one in the pod happy to see her.

When Palma came to collect the trays, I told her another joke I remembered and she got a kick out of it.

I let her make a few passes without saying anything till the nurse came to give Ida another suppository (she’s saving them for the next time she gets stuck). Ida held up the suppository and was about to explain to Palma that she wanted the salad for “intestinal problems,” but Palma cut her off saying, “I don’t want to know.”

This is when I said, “She doesn’t need any of that stuff. I can scare the shit out of her.”

Palma, who had been out of view, stuck her head in the door and said, “That’s a funny joke. Tell the nurse your little joke.” I did and they both laughed before taking off.

After another walk or two in silence, I recited some German phrases Ida taught me. Sure enough, she looked at me all confused. This was when Ida gave Palma a tank order demanding books, or she’d “stick her little bulldog of a roommate on them.” Palma rolled her eyes, looked at Ida and shook her head, then went down the stairs.

On her second to the last walk, when she had her clipboard, we said goodnight to each other, and I told her to come back soon.

For her last walk, I was going to hide in the corner, then run to my bed as soon as I heard her slip the key into the lock, but she did such a quick, half-assed check that she never noticed I was hiding.

I fell asleep earlier, had a dream Palma went down on me, then got up at lunchtime, feeling more rested. There are fewer interruptions on weekends. Tomorrow we’ll be the last ones out, so I’ll already be up for it. I’ll try calling Tom, but I don’t know. The phones have been broken for days.

Like Mary did when she was on the top bunk, I find myself writing more up here than at the desk. It’s easier than climbing up and down all the time.

Brea said goodbye to us before leaving, and Ida said, “So next time you’ll be in here and we’ll be out there?”

Brea was like – I don’t think so!

The big ugly mean butch is on now. When she came by with her clipboard I said, “You again?”

“Yup,” she said nodding.

I said, “You ought to go to the dorms. No one here likes you.”

“I know. That’s why they keep putting me here,” she said.

I had to laugh at that one, but it sure felt good to tell her off, so to speak.

Got a pair of batteries and 2 envelopes from Melinda for 5 drink mixes. It would’ve been 6, but she gave me one back so I’d have it till Monday. That was nice of her, I must admit. I may not need it, though. Usually, after I water down the lunch juices that keep me going all day. She still thinks she owes me for the crackers I gave her in November. She doesn’t, but I’ll get her a drink mix on Monday. I use most of my mixes for envelope or battery trades, anyway.