MyTimeToBlog
My celly Red yelled at the correction officer in the dayroom that nobody was in the shower as I awoke on Christmas day. He turned to me, saying that they were screaming for those in the shower to get out. Nobody was in there; the nozzle had been stripped for a few days, so the water ran day and night. Oh well, my celly did say good morning, and Merry Christmas. To change the negative energy, I opened up my locker, grabbed a handful of Kind bars, and dropped them on him when he lay back down. Merry Christmas.
I will not be negative as this holiday begins. I marched out of the cell and headed to Ramutu's cell. He was making salat, so I excused myself for Haneef's cell. He too prayed. So, I ventured around the dayroom, saying, Happy Holidays and giving out hugs. Ramutu finished his prayers and I asked whether we going to work out? He nodded his head, yes.
In the shower stall, I used the thin metal bar that the curtain hung from to do my pull-ups. Ramutu joined me, and we made our numbers for the day: 44 straight for me, and 39 for him. Our arms were swollen with blood as we met up with Haneef; our third Musketeer, who pushed our butts to get stronger with our daily workouts.
After our sweat fest, we're being called out of the housing unit for chow call. I hurried to get cleaned up and dressed...but then my celly shared that it was raining...on Christmas. What else is new in this craziness? I dressed and raced to Chino's cell. I asked if he was heading for chow. He replied no, so I asked for his raincoat.
Out in a downpour, I'm being offered a packet of peanut butter from Issac, who always said peace when we saw one another. I accepted the gift, then saw a fellow New Yorker who said Merry Christmas, and Go Jets. More of my comrades greeted me by being festive...even in the rain.
In the chow hall, the men were active with chatter about the weather, the thin pancakes being served and how Netflix and Amazon Prime had all the NFL games we couldn't watch. I sat with Ramutu, Osama, and Mike as we tried eating our trays. I gave up after I ate a grape that felt like it was dipped in sand. I excused myself and headed for the pill line...not before saying Happy Holidays to the correction officer with whom I became social at the pill window. He was inside the chow hall, avoiding the rain. His smile was big and I returned one as well, then marched outside into the elements.
I jogged across the concrete sidewalk, climbing five steps for the Medical Unit. They had a window for us to show our identification cards to get our pills. I'm on a two-a-day aspirin regimen for a wisdom tooth I'm awaiting to be extracted. I chugged them down in a cup of water and headed back in the rain to my building.
The walk was with Heavy, an elder I became close to. We discussed how some of the men were being negative about today. Me, I smiled because I always said I'm blessed, I woke up. He chimed in the same sentiment. We parted with a handshake as Ced stepped from behind the door that led to an elevator and segregation.
Ced was feeding Reentry, which was on lockdown for another fight a man had with a correction officer. He hugged me, but complained about how the men were talking madness about ending their lives. I patted his back, then retreated to the dayroom.
The raincoat was saturated with water, so I hung it on Chino's tray slot. I thanked him again, then changed my clothes. I'm heading down the stairs, learning that the phones were off...on Christmas. I couldn't believe that, so I checked for myself, and they were. Great, just...great.
I had to occupy my mind by getting on the kiosk and checking Jpay for emails. I had 5. They were from those who love me, and I even had Christmas cards. That made me smile, plus my $50.00s I placed into my Media account was now available.
Every Christmas, I always did something for me to feel a part of the holidays in prison. Normally, I would purchase comic books or music for my tablet. This year, I used my money to get 2 albums: Millyz's Blood In The Water 2, and Post Malone's Stoney album, and stamps to email family and friends.
A couple of men began getting upset that the phones were off. They felt their family would assume they did something to get themselves locked up. That had them depressed, especially when one of them had a video visit at 11 AM, and that might not be possible since the phone system was connected to the video visits. I kept my mouth shut and joined the table with my friends and started toying with my tablet, waiting for my new music to be uploaded.
Ramutu brought me out of my head, as I was immersed in how Millyz's album would be. He informed me that the men at the center stainless steel table, making a Christmas meal, were discussing whether they would take their wives or girlfriends to a swinger party. I looked at them and shook my head. These were grown kids who departed from prison and came back, and others were junkies that steal. I closed out the world and placed my earbuds in as Millyz began rapping.
Music calmed the beast. Well, I'm roaring like a giant gorilla as I get lost in my new Christmas gifts. I opened up my photo gallery and checked out my family, who smiled, and continued to keep me in their lives after 27 years of being out of theirs. I dropped my head in a dayroom filled with men and became emotional.
This is Christmas in prison. My 27th one, and I'm praying it will be my last. I wiped a tear away, then leaned back in my plastic chair, recognizing that no matter what, I'll be OK. I see that as my Christmas miracle, because I'm not stuck in misery, I have love, family, purpose and above all, hope. What about you? Happy Holidays.