Collect Calls

August brings the heat.  This past several weeks is by far the hottest month of the year.  Usually July would have ranked the same.  This July wasn't nearly what August was.  The month is now over.  Just a few more weeks to go before the weather begins to cool off. 

Just walking to the reck-yard the other day I passed two black eyes and a nose with stitches.  Everywhere you go, you hear arguments that escalate into who's dick is bigger.  Tempers are flaring and fuses are short.  This happens each year.  Small things become big things and before you know it punches are thrown and someone gets their lip split.

One of the biggest fights is over the phones.

A call lasts 15 minutes.  Guys watch the clock.  They know when you dial and likewise they know when it should be their turn.  Problems result when someone dials back.  The man on the phone decides to buck the guy behind him and calls his people back for a second call.  When next in line realizes this, he confronts the man on the phone about the dial-back.  The man on the phone says, "...what you want to do about it?!"  Meaning....you think your bad?  Then do something.  Make me get off.

This presents you with a decision.  Somebody has been watching the entire situation unfold.  If you just back down and tell him to go ahead, then you have tucked your tail.  Here in prison we say that you "bitched up".  Anyone who sees this takes it as a sign of weakness on your part.  You have established you won't do anything.  After all it's your people on that phone line.  If you won't stand up for them, you won't stand up for shit.  That's how your read here when you back down.  Your other option is to react.

Twice when I was presented with this dilemma I reached out and pushed down the receiver on their call.  Both times they walked away and did nothing.  One other time I had a visit two days later.  The dude on the phone had a reputation and I knew he would fight. So, my decision was to let him have that so I wouldn't miss my visit by being in the box for fighting.

A lot of prison life is preventive maintenance.  I watch who has the phone in front of me.  I don't go after someone I know double dials.  Then, I'm not the one presented with a decision about what to do when he dials back.  You have to always be ready for anything in here.  You have to keep your mind sharp so you don't walk blindly into a bad situation.  Then, when faced with a problem consider the outcome.  Life here is some smarts, some instinct, some gut feeling, and finding the balance.

They say you know a happy biker by the bugs in his teeth.  In prison, you know a scrapper by the lack of his teeth.  I still have all mine.  My nose is still fairly straight.  To date I have found the balance I need to navigate this life.  

Our lives are all made up by balance.  We need air, water and food to live.  In some ways, life back here isn't all that different from life out there.  Still, the days can't pass quick enough to bring me home.  Until then, I have fifteen minutes calls and will wait in a line for my turn to call the people I love.