By R25288 ( c ) 2006-2007
Chapter Thirty-Four
December, 2004 (Part 2)
“While there is a lower class I am in it, while there is a criminal element I am of it, while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.”
Eugene V. Debs, speech (1917)
“I want to be the white man’s brother, not his brother-in-law.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
A Christmas To Remember
By Dolly Parton (sung with Kenny Rogers)
You’ve made this a Christmas to remember
Springtime feelin’s in the middle of December
Strangers meet and they willingly surrender
Oh! what a Christmas to remember
Almost went to Aspen but something told me no
I considered Mammoth but there wasn’t enough snow
And I even thought of Gatlinburg but that seemed so far to go
So I headed up to Tahoe for a Christmas on the slopes
And I had fantasized about Christmas in this way
Curled up by a fireplace in a Tahoe ski chalet
With a fast talking lover and some slow burning wood
But even in my wildest dreams it never got this good and
You’ve made this a Christmas to remember
Springtime feelin’s in the middle of December
Change the radio and I’ll turn the lights down dimmer
Oh! what a Christmas to remember
Strangers when we met, lovers as we leave
Christmas to remember, too good to believe
Don’t know how or when, but I know we’ll meet again
We’ll come blowin’ back to somewhere like some wild restless winter’s wind
And you’ve made this a Christmas to remember
Springtime feelin’s in the middle of December
Neath the mistletoe you kissed me warm and tender
Oh! what a Chrstmas to remember
We loved and laughed and played and joked
Sang Christmas songs and talked to folks
Sleighed the fields and skied the slopes
Then to the lodge for dinner
But now it’s time for us to go
As our hearts melt like chimney snow
There’s just one thing I want to know
Can we do this next winter
Oh! what a Christmas to remember
You’ve made this a Christmas to remember
Springtime feelin’s in the middle of December
Though the fire is hot, we’ll just have to let it simmer
Oh! what a Christmas to remember
You’ve made this a Christmas to remember
Springtime feelin’s in the middle of December
Though it’s cold outside we’ll just stroke the burning embers
Oh! what a Christmas to remember
My notes from confinement of 12-9-04:
I came into prison scared to death, and it took awhile before I discovered that they (inmates and guards) weren’t going to kill me. My first fear was of the inmates, then that got transferred to the guards. Finally, I realized that the inmates really were no threat at all, and the guards were more afraid of me than I was of them.
Prison is a strange, crazy world. It stopped raining and five birds are bathing in the puddle outside my AC(administrative confinement) window. The puddle is on the cement slabs surrounded on all five sides with fencing, so there’s no way to climb over and escape. It’s the four enclosed exercise areas about 10′ by 20′ each. It is where AC and DC(disciplinary confinement) inmates are allowed to exercise after they have been in confinement for thirty days. Two inmates are allowed in each area for three hours, usually Saturday or Sunday. After your first thirty days then you are allowed to go outside for that three hours on a weekly basis.
They just brought around new pillows for those inmates who had none. I see it as the first-last principle. The first will be last and the last will be first. I now had a bunkie, who was sleeping, so I let the Sergeant know that he had no pillow, as he didn’t. The Sarge told control through his walkie talkie to open my cell door, so they did electronically, and the Sarge gave me the pillow for my bunkie, and I gave it to him when he woke up.
I came into prison wanting to be a good inmate. Now, after three years, I see it doesn’t matter. It’s all random, and you can go to the box on the house(prison speak), meaning you did nothing wrong. It’s a numbers game to justify extra staffing, extra salaries, extra benefits. Keep the taxpayer in fear, and he’ll pay what he’s told to pay every quarter, or by every April 15th. I am a former Teamster, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, etc., union member, steward, and vice-president. So, while I generally support unions, I also know the numbers game. So, you could be the best “shaking the bush” Cool Hand Luke inmate, and you could still end up in the box.
I hear Mrs. Sinata (humane guard) telling the tower over her walkie talkie, “Gate 5″, … “Gate 7″, as she instructs the tower to electronically open gates so staff or inmates may pass through the gates which separates the dorms from the chow hall, laundry, and administrative/medical buildings. I’d also say the school building, but they did away with teachers about a year ago, so the school classrooms are rarely used. Another numbers game to maintain employment. You see, Virginia, if we keep ‘em dumb, they’ll just go back to what they know, which is why the majority return to prison within three years of their release, most within their first six months of release.
For my J.D. 12-10-04:
Matthew 5:42
Give to him that asketh thee…
Mark 16:18
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Luke 4:18
The spirit of the Lord is upon me…to preach deliverance to the captives…to set at liberty them that are bruised.
John 7:24
Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment.
Act 5:19
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth.
Romans 12:10
Be kindly afffectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another.
I Corrinthians 12:18
But not hath God set the members everyone of them in the body, as it has pleased him.
II Corinthians 2:4
For out of much affection and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears, not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
Galatians 6::2
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Ephesians 4:28
Let him that stole steal no more.
Phillippians 1:24 & 25
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for the furtherance and joy of faith.
Colossians 3:17
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Timothy 6:7
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Hebrews 13:1
Let brotherly love continue.
James 2:8
If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.
I John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
For my J.D. 12-13-04
I Samuel 12:23 through 2 Samuel 5:4
…but I will teach you the good and the right way…for consider how great things he hath done for you.
But Jonathan…and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened…
Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.
David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him;
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David,
And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants that they should kill David.
But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David; and Jonathan told David,
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence,
And David swore moreover , and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes;
Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
But also thou shalt not cut off thy kingdom from my house for ever:
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.
Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness.
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.
And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them; and there were with him about four houndred men.
Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be safeguarded.
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred,
And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be King over Isreal, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Isreal, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
…and David rescued his two wifes.
…and the Philistines slew Jonathan.
Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
And the men of Judah came, and there they annointed David king over the house of Judah.
…and they annointed David king over Israel.
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
For my J.D.
As Jonathan loved David, so too, do I love thee.
All My Love,
Chris
12-13-04 I2-1-20L
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
Anais Nin, diary entry (The Diary of Anais Nin)
Blowin’ In The Wind
By Bob Dylan
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, ‘n’ how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
“Here I stand. I can do no other.”
Martin Luther, speech (1521)
At this holy time of year, J.D. and I wish you and yours joyous days, and a prosperous new year!
