The Visit

Yesterday, I made my first visit to the pen. There were many steps that had to be taken for me to get there. First, and I guess most important, Tb had to be sent there. Otherwise, I would have been quite happy never having visited the place. Really. Next, I had to fill out a form so the powers-that-be could check out my criminal past and make sure I should just be a visitor and not an actual resident. I passed that and now it was time for the actual visit. I read all the rules and regs about going on the visit. I couldn't take anything in with me, I had to go through a metal detector, there was a possibility of being patted down and of course, there was the threat of strip search. So as I was getting ready, I made sure to shave, just in case I had to get naked for an officer of the law.



I get there about 12:15, park the car and walk up to the building. The gate opens magically (someone does this from inside the prison). I walk through. However, the gate does not close magically and a voice asks me to please close the gate. I abide, just in case there is someone with a rifle pointed at me....


Now I enter the prison, fill out a visitation form with all my pertinent info. The guard checks me out on her computer. I'm okay. I can go in. But first I have to have my hand stamped with something that can only be seen under a black light, go through the metal detector and have my shoes x-rayed. (So the guard got to see my pedicure-lol) Then I go through the first set of bars and "clock-in". They have visitors clock in with a pin number so that in case of an emergency (I hear "riot") they know who all is in the building. Then through the next set of bars. Then bars 3, 4 & 5. Finally....into the visitor room.


The guard here calls somewhere and I wait. Looking around, reading the rules, checking it all out. There are vending machines (I should have brought some money). It takes me a minute, but I finally do figure out that there are actual prisoners in the room. They are dressed in khakis and white tee-shirts. They look just like everybody else!! After about 5 minutes, Tb appears. Not magically or anything, he came through a door....


So, we have a hug. Hugs are only allowed at the beginning and end of a visit. And proceed with our visit. He seems to be doing well. He looks good. His mood is good. He's lost a little weight and has been exercising, so he is toned up. Yep, jail agrees with him....but, I think that is just because there is no Jack Daniels or pot there...



According to him, he will be there for another week or so, then he will be moved either to "the Farm" which is a minimum security facility south of town, or to treatment in another town. He has a job. He earns $0.65 per day for mowing the grass and raking the horseshoe pits. He says he likes that, it gives him an opportunity to spend extra time outside each day. And, he also has a nice tan.


So, we talked for about 2 hours. I'm going to back on Thursday night. Since I did not bring any money along with me so we, err he, was deprived of vending machine fare. And, Thursdays is adults only. The kids there yesterday were running rampant! I suppose that is expected on Father's Day, but it makes me sad.