April 30, 2021

Dear Readers......4/1/21

by Kelly Jones (author's profile)

Transcription

" So in the midst of the storm, stand proud against it, lift up your middle finger, and defy the fates with everything you have." - Sherilyn Kenyon, "Illusion"

Dear Readers,
Thurs. 04-01-21
3:08 p

Happy April Fool's Day! I hope everything is going great for all of you + I thank you for checking out my blog, No foolin'!
I'm in bed while the bottom tier is out of their cells and we're locked in. Currently Brandy is singing "Sittin' Up On My Room" on C3PO.
It's been one year today since this stupid, awful lockdown/quarantine started. As you may recall, at the time I was in the Hole for a bogus knife shot which my previous cellie, the druggie thief, had tried to screw me over with.
As I remember, the lockdown started with our being let out only three times a week for 1 1/2 hours, At least we're out for longer now.
When this whole thing started, I would have bet anything that it wouldn't last more than 2-4 weeks.
And after a month or two, when guys were predicting it would last through December, I thought that was ludicrous and didn't want to hear it.
I can't freakin' believe this crap.
Someone said that we should be given extra days off our sentences for all the time we've been under this lockdown/quarantine 'cause we are doing extra "hard time" during all this. They're right, of course, but I don't see any politician doing the right thing and making that a reality.
There has been one positive change since all this started. I wonder how long it will last after things (theoretically) get back to normal.
There has always (since 2004), been a 4p Stand Up Count, plus on the weekends + holidays there'n also been a 10A stand up count, In 2011 or so, they added a 9:30-10P stand up count every day.
And they do mean, Stand Up.
Do you know what a pain in the butt is to climb down from the top bunk every freakin' day to Stand Up when you're uncomfortable and it's freakin' OBVIOUS that you're RIGHT THERE.
(Side Note: The rumor, which is believable, is that they indicted a Stand Up Count after some guy, it was discovered, was dead for several days (or hours), and they didn't know it 'cause he wasn't required to stand for count.)
Anyway, I'm guessing this is a result of all the ridiculous "counts" they've had during this lockdown, but we never have to stand anymore. As long as you're sitting up and they can tell that you're fine, they're satisfied.
It really is nice after all this time, I can understand about the whole "dead guy" thing, but if it's obvious that you're alive + moving, we really shouldn't have to "stand".
Seriously, Common sense is not a strong point of the BOP.

Wed. 04/07/21 4:04p
Howdy Y'all! I'm sitting here waiting for the usual 4p "count" as "Everything She Wants" (Remastered 2006) by "Wham!" plays on C3PO, May the Goddess and the God bless and care for George Michael.
I got my first vaccine shot today! They came in the afternoon when my tier was out (and I've mentioned how much I prefer afternoons....) and I was busy with something in the cell when I heard someone call out about how we should all sit outside our cells if we wanted to get the vaccine.
For the record, our units are two tiers in a triangular shape. There are 144 beds on the top floor and 136 beds on the bottom floor (for the handicapped cell also, as there are no handicapped cells on the upper floor, you would have 144 on each floor). That's to give you an idea. We're pretty full right now. If there are any open beds, they are very few.
So anyway - oh! almost forgot - they told everyone who didn't want the vaccine to step inside their cells + close the door. [scribbles] The person yelling this was the unit mgr., Stallings, There were three Medical staff.
This screwed up our "free period" out of our cells (some guys call this our 'Rec,' but this is not Rec to me). That's not fair at all to those who didn't want the vaccine.
So... a bunch of guys sat on their chairs outside their cells.
The staff then huddled up and quietly said, " Oh fuck!" amongst themselves. Apparently they only brought "so many" vaccines. Why there still aren't more available is anyone's guess.
Then, the unit mgr. says that anyone over 50 who wants the vaccine should sit outside their cells. Nick had come out with me and wanted to get his, but he had to get in the cell.
So they came around + I got my first shot - it's the Pfizer version, BTW. It only hurt some going in, but I think that was more that nasty fag nurse who I don't [?] fault.
I'm glad to get that over with - at least the first one - and I suppose they'll come back in three weeks.
One guy, who is in his 40's, called out that he was a high risk category + couldn't get a job 'cause he hadn't had the vaccine yet (more on him later), and that he wanted one, and that it was BS, basically.
Too bad, Although, after they were done with us "OG's" <WINK>, they called out the guys who 40 and over [?] this guy was able to get his. I don't know how far they got 'cause I wasn't paying attention, but they didn't get to Nick, who's 25.
The thing I wanted to mention about the guy in his 40's has to do with all the regular workers at Laundry getting fired 3 or 4 weeks ago, Apparently, they found "something" at Laundry during a search and fired all the regular workers, and hired a bunch of new guys, two of whom were white guys in my unit.
White guys don't work at Laundry. I've seen one or two Latinos, but you have to be black to work at Laundry.
One was "40-something" above, Steve, who is tall and well-built (+handsome!) and former military. He's here under a military charge.
The other is Mack, who's probably early 30's + who works out (he's stocky) and who was previously working in the Kitchen during that month or so when our unit was working there.
They were both fired for not being " medically cleared" - even Mack, the former [underlined] Kitchen Worker. [underline stops]
Crazy. These people are nuts.
I went outside to Rec on Mon. It was a beautiful day. (I missed it today 'cause something came up, but I was planning on going).
The wild violets are in bloom again - I always love seeing them every year. They're mostly white, but there are a few with a bit of purple. There were also a bunch of other wild flowers I don't know, Really pretty.
Instead of hanging with my "bitches" again, I put on my "Strut" playlist and "Ripped" it around the track like I used to.
I got in several laps + then found a patch of clover + took off my shoes and sat down + connected with Daia for a while. [?], it was nice after all this time.
In case you didn't know (or realize), we've been getting peanut butter and lunchmeat for dinner for over a year now. Oh my God, do you know how awful that is to have that [underline} every single day. [underline stops] The lunchmeat has been either bologna (ugh) or turkey.
There's a rumor floating around on Inmate.com (according to a Kitchen Worker), that we're suppose to get hot meals beginning on the 12th.
Please, please, that would be [underline] wonderful. [underline stops]

(Later: 5:37p)

OK, my arm is sore as crap! I know that mostly faggot nurse did it. He shot me higher up on my shoulder [scribbles] then usual + it hurt going in - like right below my top shoulder bone.
I've had a feud with this bitch 'cause when he does SHU (Hole) rounds, he's purposefully quiet as a mouse.
In order to get refills or put in a sick call, you have to turn in a form to the Medical staff member that comes through in the morning, Everywhere else I've been the person yells "Medical!" when they make their rounds.
Not this guy.
He walks down the range as quiet as could be, so you [underlined] literally [underline stops] have to stare out the window in the door continuously after breakfast or you'll miss him. I've down it. And I chewed him out for that.
As a result, I can't stand this faggot bitch, but have to deal with him. I think my arm hurts more 'cause of the way he shot me instead of the vaccine itself.

Wed. 4/14/21 6:33p

Hey again! It's been an awful week and am currently listening to Micheal Jackson's "Rock With You" and and "Don't You Want Me" by Cody Wattey come on C3PO.
To catch up a bit...my arm hurt all night. As I can only sleep on my side - and usually my left side where I got the shot - it was not a fun night.
Nick told me that all the guys aged 40 and up got the vaccine + that's where they stopped. That's about a third of the guys on the top tier. They didn't get to anyone else on the bottom tier.
That same night was when all hell broke loose (well, maybe not [underlined] that [underline stops] extreme, but still bad).
We were out for about an hour that evening for our evening "free time" when the CO called "lockdown." One of the black guys, who goes by "Yellow," had complained that he couldn't smell or [scribble] taste anything for a day or two.
Surprise! Yep, you guessed it. He tested positive for COVID and the whole unit was put on full lockdown/quarantine. The next day five other guys tested positive.
They didn't test the whole unit (I've never been tested), so I'm guessing that some of these guys reported symptoms and then were tested.
"Yellow" had previously gone out on a medical trip + spent three weeks or so in the quarantine unit (F-North) and had been back in our unit for a week or two. I can only guess that he had been carrying it all that time and had been asymptomatic. Is that even possible for that long?
The other five guys were fairly scattered throughout the unit, except for Yellow's cellie and one guy on the bottom tier directly below their cell (in the same vent). Two guys were in cells to our right along that third wall, and one was on our wall (Yellow's on a separate wall - our unit is triangular-shaped). All, except for the one guy below Yellow, were on the top tier. They included three other blacks, one white guy, and one Latino. All of the other guys' cellies tested negative, and they moved the positive guys into cells together.
So... we're back to be locked in our cells 24/7 except for showers 3 times per week. Awesome, right? Luckily, the CO let us revalidate our MP3's on the computer today while we were out to shower, but that was it.
Also, for the guys who have money, we can now only spend $25 at Commissary while on quarantine, down from the previous $180. We are being punished 'cause someone is sick. [underline] Total bullshit. [underline stops] I only have $5 anyway, but this is screwing me up 'cause I can't arrange to shop for someone else now (for the usual fee, of course).
I don't know if E-North and -South are still on full quarantine or not, but we may be the only unit if they've come off it. So, all the other units can go to Rec + such, but we're screwed.
As far as I know, this will last for three weeks as long as no new cases come up. There is a rumor that it'll last only 10 days, but I have no idea if that's true or not. It would be [underline] so nice [stop underline] if it were. <fingers crossed>
But I seriously doubt it. Stay tuned, folks!
Until next time, I wish you...

Love & Blessings,
[Signature]
over

P.S. Almost forgot: the rumors of a hot dinner beginning on the 12th were fake. We're still getting lunchmeat and peanut butter for dinner. Ugh.

XOXO
[signature]

Favorite

Replies (2) Replies feed

elrose2 Posted 2 years, 10 months ago. ✓ Mailed 2 years, 10 months ago   Favorite
Thanks for writing! I finished the transcription for your post.

This pandemic has been horrible for everyone, but you provide insight into what's going on in our prisons. I hated to read what you're going through, but your conversational update made an enjoyable read. I hope that your quarantine is over and you don't have any more lockdowns due to the virus.

Take care!

Kelly Jones Posted 2 years, 9 months ago.   Favorite
(scanned reply – view as blog post)

We will print and mail your reply by . Guidelines

Other posts by this author

Subscribe

Get notifications when new letters or replies are posted!

Posts by Kelly Jones: RSS email me
Comments on “Dear Readers......4/1/21”: RSS email me
Featured posts: RSS email me
All Between the Bars posts: RSS