The first sign of trouble, at least for me anyway, were the pictures of Angie's daughter displayed on her desk. Everyone should be proud of his or her children, and it wasn't like her cubicle had been in a high traffic area; I just didn't think it was appropriate, especially in a prison setting. I'd never do such a thing. If I had a nickel for every time an inmate said, "Let me see a picture of your wife," I'd have one of those big pickle ring-bologna jars filled to the rim.I wondered whether Angie had been aware of the part-time inmate-clerk whittling away his time poking his nose around every corner and acting like the programs staff couldn't do without his superb filing skills. He was definitely a runner, one of those inmates that tells everyone in his cellblock about the latest office gossip. It got to the point where custody made the inmate-clerks sort files and do their typing in a different area, away from the office staff. Angie didn't seem to mind this arrangement. Whenever I talked to her, we shared a common theme--lazy ass inmates getting paid for doing nothing. Angie sounded real convincing when it came to bashing a prisoner's work ethic. You could tell she despised them. We got along just fine.
About the only thing I knew about Angie, besides that she had a daughter, was that she was divorced. It wasn't until after she had been fired that I learned about the married boyfriend. She probably thought he would eventually leave his wife, and be with her. It never happened.
From what I had observed, Angie started wearing really bagging clothing, and her hair became unkempt. But she always smiled when greeting me, and went about her business. I thought she was leaving her office cubicle to check in on her inmate-clerk’s filing and typing. I look back now and think about the music room a few doors away. No one noticed what was going on until it was too late.
I guess you could say Angie was making music with a lifer. He requested the baggy clothing so they could have a quick and easy romantic interlude. I'm not sure why she would risk facing felony charges to be with someone who, as a teenager, killed his mother for not lending him the car. A year or so later, someone showed me a picture of her and the new hubby. They got hitched at another correctional facility.
19 comments:
Jim, What a fasinating interlude!! Right under your footsteps out in the open. Unbelieveable, but urges make you do funny things. Hey, it looks like you're doing more work digging along with fixing your pool! This might be your 2nd full time job!!!! --Bro, Ron
Jim, Just want to say congrats by when tomorrow rolls around, you will have achieved 10,000 comments to your blog right within the 1 year mark of blogging!!! Keep going if your heart can. --Bro, Ron
Ewwwww. What was she thinking?
Yeah,
I think this is really good too.
Your dad.
Ewwwww is right! Prison mate~soul mate!
Gross!!!!
Hanky-panky in the clanky.
Some women have really bad taste in men. *Raises her hand.*
At least I didn't meet one in prison...
Unbelievable and maybe desperate. Shame!!
Jim,
Great story! I'm most interested in the line --We got along fine. Did your opinion of her change after her affair? Or of the prisoner? You've got great material here to dig deeper into the complicated dynamics between prisoners and the feelings of those (mostly yourself since it's your writing) about the people who are paid to interact with them.
A tale of misplaced values. Or perhaps redemption. Bad taste in men or love is blind? Can't decide how to look at this story!
Your posts always give me insight into worlds I would not have imagined for myself. Of course one wouldn't want to put pictures of your loved ones up on your desk in prison. But I had never thought of that before.
Excellent tale. Having inmates work in the regular office space is even crazier than letting temps do that kind of work. But makes for a good (real) story, certainly.
This story (and many of your other ones) are sad, depressing - and fascinating.
I'm surprised you're not more jaded and cynical.
(Or maybe you are???)
Must be that God alone understands the way the mind works because i sure as hell don't.
But this isn't truly uncommon except for the non conjugal visit sex. Some women for some reason, maybe through a good intentioned pen pal writing, decide they love this lifer and marry them anyway.
To me it is as un-understandable as women that are attracted only to homosexual, out of the closet, men even though they are heterosexual themselves. And they know there is no chance of a romance.
*shrugs* It is all simply just another slice of the collective life. But Jim you always present those slices to your guests so
well!
Good story. I agree with MB. Dig deeper. Betrayal by so called friends who held up her life for review and atonment while hiding theirs. Raised her high to an emotional precipice and pushed her over. Have at it JR you can do it!!! Nice read. MW:)
Love must be blind. What other explanation could there be for something like this? It's the same women who want to marry convicted murderers, and send them "fan" mail. It's just gross.
Jim, Hanky Panky! It's all about getting the high when taking the big risk! Who, knows maybe she was trying to get to YOU?? :) --Bro, Ron
That is really frightening that the inmates want to see a picture of your wife. Have you told Angie the dangers of having her family photos up?
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