As I was walked through the door into the garage; I struggled along, trying to learn the penguin walk. By the time I got to the car, my ankles had taken a beating. It’s quite embarrassing, shuffling along. The chain drags on the floor and makes a sound that reminds you that you are nothing to the common world. No matter what kind of person you are; a hatred of the injustice, even if deserved, comes to the forefront of your mind.

The garage was just large enough to hold one car, maybe two. There were large garage doors at either end, but they were locked shut. I was put into the back seat of a police car
The driver of the vehicle was male, and he was escorted by a female officer. I was dressed in an orange jump suit with my chain accessories and placed in the back seat. A metal screen separated the front from the back.

* typically, a prisoner goes to a country or regional jail. once tried and convicted, they are then sent to receiving where they are processed before going on to a state penitentiary.

When I first arrived at receiving, it had already been a long day. I was called out early in the morning to pack up and be ready to leave. I put all my possessions in a plastic tub and said goodbye to my cellmates. I promised to write and to say “hey” to various other people on their behalf. I was taken downstairs and put in a holding cell. After a long wait, they came and got me and took me through the double doors which are always locked.

The double doors are controlled by a guard in a booth. No matter what happens in the jail, the only way in or out is through these doors. Twenty four hours a day, someone sits in the control booth and buzzes people in and out. The guard has maximum visibility through the glass. There is no doubt that to try and break the glass would be futile. I wonder how boring of a person you would have to be to hold the job!
Continued…