Last Week In Prison

From being sentenced to 22 years in 2004 after a year of fighting for a deal, today, September 15th 2014, it’s come down to 7 days and a wake up.

Almost seems unreal – for so long getting out seemed as if it was a fantasy I entertained that was never going to come to be. But one that is now certain to come – in 7 days! So much has happened in 11 years, both in here with me and out there with my friends and family. I came in a baby faced child unable to grow facial hair. But I’m leaving prison a grown man with a full beard.

Five different prisons; max to minimum. From spending years in pods with men with hundreds of years still to do and not a care who they kill, to being in a low custody side, cooking the food the police eat and receiving their compliments for a job well done. I’ve seen my mom in full health to barely being able to hear her talk. And seen my nieces as babies to full grown young ladies. Eleven years has been a stretch of time; time I’ll never get back, but years I used to refine my point of views.

Now in a week prison will be a shut door; locked and sealed and my next mission will be to finish parole. No more standing counts! No more emergency lock downs! No more waking up to the sound of an intercom! No more sharing a room with another man! No more looking at my loved ones in the form a picture on a bulletin board! No more random funky smells! No more sharing a shitter looking at various smears on the wall! No more gagging up my laundry! No more having to order ramen noodles over the telephone! No more standing still while the world moves ahead! In seven days it’s no more to a whole lot!

Stuff that I won’t miss one bit, but there’s a few that I will miss that almost turn my release into something halfway bittersweet; like leaving behind my true friends who I’ve spent so much time with – day in and day out, breakfast all the way to dinner – my brothers in the struggle. For years we’ve been timin together and waiting to get out and now my time has come sooner than the others, so I shed quiet tears and say prayers to see them home sooner than the other… But I know it’s my duty to get of here and build a bridge-n-a better way for them and all those who have been in my shoes. God has blessed me like he did Saul and removed the veils that hung over my eyes so now I must go further and blaze that trail so we can all get better along.

Seven days from now, finally, I’ll get down that path and out this labyrinth – breathe a fresh breath and make my new life work! A new set of tools to build a whole new structure! The new life that’s built on a rock compared to living that old life that was built on sand!

It’s a wonderful feeling to know this is coming to an end in a mere matter of days; my mind is focused and I can’t wait for the 7th day. I feel as if I’m past due and ready to get on my way and I know the blessings from the most high are on my side because HE’s paved the way. Without HIS blessing, I wouldn’t be who I am or on the way that I am. Seven days from now, I leave this all behind. I’m leaving the penitentiary with only my letters and pictures—plus a few books that have illuminated my thinking. Seven days from now…. It was written. No more being surrounded by all these weirdo’s. Back with my family, goal orientated with time to stalk my God-given riches.

7 days from now…. It was all written.