October 25, 2011

Hello World!

Continuing from my previous blog post—so what does one do when the end of all things occurs?

Naturally, you sit down and cry. Then as I stepped off the prison bus in San Quentin, I sucked it up and tried to look like a tough guy. It helped that I am 6', and back then, being a muscled surfer, I weighed 180. What didn't help was I possessed sandy blond hair, had no scars or tattoos, and had all of my teeth. I would not have called myself a pretty boy, but handsome? Yes, I've been called that. What I was called was "Fish"—a new guy. More like a fish out of water.

Fortunately, in 1987, all inmates who had a life sentence were given the privilege of a single cell (no roommates). My cell was 5-D-19, fifth tier, cell #19, in the cellblock named Donner Station. I often wondered if it was named after the Donner Party who ate each other after being stuck while trying to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

My 5'x10' cell contained a single platform bed, a stainless steel combination sink and toilet, and double steel shelf for my property. My property? It consisted of a lunch size paper bag with a 4" toothpick, pink tooth powder, a bar of prison made soap, and a small booklet containing the rules. Atop my bunk was my thin, lumpy mattress with two-folded sheets, a scratchy wool blanket, a plastic pillow with case, a roll of toilet paper, and a 3"x5" box of tobacco with rolling papers and matches. I don't smoke, but I guess the state wanted me to kick back, relax, and have a smoke as I was going to be in that cell for a long time.

I was officially on orientation. Prison would begin when, in 7-10 days, the cell door opened and I would be forced to mingle with my new "friends".

"God," I asked, "Why couldn't the bus have crashed en route and killed me instantly?"

I never wanted that cell door to open.

Please stay tuned.

Thanks for checking in on me.

[signature]
Gregory Barnes Watson
Mule Creek State Prison
D-67547 C-Gym-118-M
PO Box 409060
Ione, CA 95640

Novel: A Thundering Wind
https://www.amazon.com/Thundering-Wind-Gregory-Barnes-Watson/dp/0615379443