February has arrived and now I’m halfway home!

The 3rd shift DO will be on soon. Haven’t seen Temple for a while. I wonder if she’ll be on.

We had corndogs last night for dinner and chicken patties the night before. And always the same damn crackers for a snack. It’s better than nothing, but how about cake, pie or ice cream for a change? We rarely have cookies, either. Got a donut with breakfast maybe twice in the whole time I’ve been here.

I miss popcorn and my favorite hot foods. It’s nice to be able to buy candy, but I crave more chicken, fish, beef, Chinese and seafood! I miss those pizza pockets and so much more. I’ll probably get fat again when I get out, but I don’t care.

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Tom will be here any sec to visit. Can’t wait to see him! Don’t know what I’d do without his visits.

The showers are hot again. I was surprised. Usually, when they go cold, they stay cold for a while.

I’m going to have to get new earbuds because mine is beginning to short. They’re cheap pieces of shit with thin wires. They sound good, though, and I’m surprised how loud this little thing goes.

Mena’s on now. Someone I don’t particularly care for or dislike. She’s just there. I see a definite pattern and I now know I can usually count on either Mena or Kahn working when I have visits. I wish Palma would work visitation for a change so Tom could see her, but it’s almost always McDurmont and Osborne. I heard Osborne was beaten and raped during the riot they had here in ‘96 and that’s why she only does visitation.

They carried on and on next door till 3:00 in the morning last night. Ida wasn’t too happy about it. Yeah, as soon as blacks hit the scene things get pretty loud.

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Had a good visit with Tom. He didn’t get home last night till 9:00. Damn! That’s why he didn’t answer. Been working a lot of overtime. I worry about him when he gets this busy and tired, but he says he’ll be OK. I filled him in on Ida.

White Johnson asked us how much time we had left towards the end of our visit. Guess there were lots of visitors. Tom said I may have a wait when he left, but Johnson came right back for me. She recognized Tom right away from the picture I showed her in November of him with Ratsy. She’s got a damn good memory! Most people have garbage disposals for memories. I’m impressed.

We made small talk on the way back. She walked me all the way to M’s door, too. Usually, they just watch you walk down the hall from where the control station is. As we walked down the hall she asked, “So how ya doing?”

“Still hanging in there.”

Still have a crush on you, too.

The dinner cart was by the door and I asked what was for dinner. She was nice enough to take a peek for me. It was chicken patties.

“Not bad, huh?” she said.

It’d be better if you kissed me.

“It’s better than weenies.”

As I entered M, Mena pulled the cart in and Pancake Face Smith goes, “Will you hurry up so I can get something out of the office?”

Mena’s reply to that was, “Fuck you.”

I laughed and Smith says, “How unprofessional!”

How double-standard, too. The sheriff’s little servants can swear at each other, but God help us if we swear at them.

The lights will be going out soon, so I’ll have to write some other time about the very interesting chat I had with Ida earlier. She really is a good person. She’s totally out of place here. As different from most of these people as I am. You really can make a friend in jail! She says she will write when she gets out. I hope so. Tom asked if I knew who I’d be with after Ida leaves. I don’t want to know because I know they’re going to be bad. We’ll be far from compatible. Now that I’ve adjusted to jail life, I think I would prefer 3 compatible cellies in a big cell, over someone like Melinda in a small cell. I’m used to using the toilet in front of people now. I don’t like it and would not want to be caught on the toilet by Palma, but I can handle it.

Tom forgot to put money in today because he was tired but is going to put $40 in tomorrow. I really appreciate that because I want those backup earbuds ready for when these die on me. I play it full blast when Ida’s up, so they die faster when you play them as loud as I do.

Tom and I discussed my case some more and yes, I’m convinced that a motion to modify my sentence would be worthless. Ida’s case is different. Her lawyer, whom she paid 2 Gs for, didn’t ask for back-time and fucked up in other ways, too. She said she won’t tell me why she’s here; God forbid I should blow up at her in a week and blab it to everyone. I can’t see that happening at this point, but I understand. If we keep in touch on the outs, she’ll tell me when she’s ready to.

Ida asked me to ask Tom if I got the minimum, presumptive or max sentence, but I didn’t get either of these. I got the standard treatment for a class 6 felony. All undesignated F6 cases get 3 years’ probation and one of its terms is 6 months in jail.

But guilty or not, how can a fucking letter come under such a harsh sentence?!

I just wish I could prove the thing about the interpreter and that The Public defender lied and withheld info!