Real Prison Real Freedom by Rosser McDonald

Author:Rosser McDonald [McDonald, Rosser]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Elm Hill
Published: 2020-02-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Rickie lived in cell #12 in SuperSeg with very few possessions. He had no reading material except for a law book or two, a 3-inch long toothbrush, bar of soap, and usually only one set of clothes—sometimes only boxer shorts.

The normal schedule called for taking each SuperSeg inmate out of the cell for recreation, alone, and a shower, then back in the cell for 23 hours. But normal didn’t apply to Rickie. He usually went days or weeks without being taken out of the cell at all. Officers would “shake down” his cell three times a week looking for weapons and contraband. He was always handled roughly and sometimes crowded or even pushed, apparent efforts to provoke him to fight. Often, a guard would pause in front of his cell to make an accusatory or threatening remark, sometimes punctuated with a finger drawn across the throat or simulating shooting Rickie with a pistol.

Other SuperSeg inmates from rival gangs would yell threats and hateful remarks at each other, especially Rickie. Even some from his own gang would make accusations and threats. And, of course, they would throw feces and urine at officers and at each other.

Frequently, Rickie refused his tray of food when officers passed them out. He accused them of putting feces in the food or urinating in the tray. Such mistreatment was testified to by other inmates later in a court hearing. While others experienced some similar treatment, they testified that Rickie got the most and worst ill treatment from guards. Once he discovered small pieces of glass in a cup of coffee.

Either Selestia, his mother, or Becky, long time on and off girlfriend, would come to visit once or twice a month. When the visits were permitted, the hallways from the cell block to the lockdown visitation room would be cleared while he was escorted in cuffs and chains by four officers. The visit was looking through reinforced glass and talking on phone handsets. Many times the visitors would be turned away because officers would not bring Rickie. Also, a lot of mail never got to SuperSeg. Rickie’s dad never came to visit.

Of course, Rickie did his part, too—cussing officers, filing complaints, struggling and trying to attack when he could. But the officers were now better trained and extremely wary and careful because they knew Rickie and his reputation very well. So the problems he could cause successfully were not as serious compared to the spearing, stabbing, and breaking out of the cell in mid-1986. That is a summary of how life was for a couple of years.

With day after day locked in a small cell and nothing to divert his attention, Rickie dwelt on himself and his hopeless situation. Hopeless! I am hopeless, he said to himself. My gang brothers are against me. The system is against me. I have no hope. There’s no reason for me to try to fix anything or to change. That reinforced his earlier declarations, Well, I’ll just live down here in prison but I will get respect.

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