MyTimeToBlog
We have evening recreation in the day room around 7:00 PM most nights. I'm normally on a phone, chatting with someone in the free world. That's my routine, but tonight it was interrupted by a buddy of mine named Chris. He stepped to me with his hand out, wishing for me to shake it. I did, but as I tried pulling away, Chris asked, "Did you take my cellie's laundry to the laundry room for him?" I replied, "Yeah, why?" A story came that surprised even me.
You see, Chris' cellie is this older man named Rick. He goes to his Horticulture class and plays in the dirt all day. Nobody would notice him--and I mean nobody. That's how out of the way he is. So on an early morning outing for breakfast, he entered the chow hall learning we had scrambled eggs. Something he doesn't eat, so for an alternative he asked the food server for a peanut butter tray. As he waited on the tray, the food server handed him one with scrambled eggs. Rick leaned down to the slot and slid it back in, asking for peanut butter. In doing this, he inadvertently hit the server with the tray in his face. Well, the server shoved the tray back into Rick's face. Rick pushed the tray back, and as he did, the server snaked his hand through the slot and smacked him.
Rick's an elderly man. I'm talking mid-sixties. He couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag. Now with that knowledge you could understand why he avoided the altercation and retreated to his cell with an empty stomach. Can you imagine how this man felt? Alone. Isolated in his thoughts on how he hated being in a place full of misery. I could and have on many occasions...but not knowing any of this, I'm walking by the old man that nobody ever noticed.
Now as most cellies do, they head back into their cell and vent. It's a safe space, especially with the kind of cellie who'll let you pour out your heart. Chris was this type of cellie. So, he listened to Rick sharing his dark tale that left him with a sore cheek. He imparted that there was no humanity in prison, and never will be. Now this was where I came in.
You see, Chris and I had many discussions about his previous cellie. He was a trifling old man that never cleaned, and always remained in the cell, giving Chris no chances of alone time. So much so, that his previous cellie would remain in the cell when he defecated. Now when that cellie departed and Rick arrived, life changed for both men. I again know all of this, but I still never socialized with Rick until I headed back to my cell.
You see, Rick has issues with his legs. So, when he heads up and down the steps, he uses the handrail for assistance. I saw this on numerous occasions, but on this particular day, he had his laundry bag. I ambled up the steps, meeting him at the top. I said, "Hey, I'll take it down for you." He handed his bag over and said, "Thank you." I shuffled back down the steps to the laundry room and deposited it back there. Life continued with me unaware of anything out of the ordinary.
Meanwhile, Rick headed to his cell and spoke with Chris: "Some big black guy took my bag down to laundry for me." Rick smiled. "I guess I was wrong. Humanity does exist in here."
Chris shared the story with me about my changing the perspective of an older man by just being me. He lost hope in here, but my taking a laundry bag--of all things--shifted his outlook on life. That's amazing. I swear it is.
I want you to know that being kind can change someone's day. Remember that, and remember Rick. He lost all hope, but an act of kindness helped him see the greater good in this world. It's not about the greatest thing you can do for a person, it's all about being genuine. You never know the smallest thing you do may change someone's life. Just think if we all showed that we cared for each other, maybe just maybe the world could be a better place.