Fifty Ninth Visit To Taft

Last week I got a call from a woman I met last year whose husband was facing a long prison sentence. She and her husband met with me several times in anticipation of their lengthy separation. I helped them understand what they would be facing both individually and as a couple. About two months before his sentencing I got a call from the wife saying that marshals had come to their door and taken him away. She didn't know where he was taken or why. Apparently they decided he was a flight risk (he'd been out on bail for over a year) and they took him to a small town in Minnesota. (that's where he was going to be sentenced). He was there for over 7 months, in a local jail cell, with nothing to do and no information about his future. He has since been sentenced to over 10 years in prison and has been transferred to Terminal Island. (he will arrive there by "diesel express", which I have written about before). In all that time his wife has not seen him, only talked to him on the phone. I can't imagine what the two of them went through these past months, and soon he will be less than an hour from her home.


We still have no word on Ron's official release date, and I think that is adding stress to both our lives. I know he has accepted the date they have given him, but is somehow hoping that his actual release will be sooner. We just have to wait patiently, which is hard sometimes.

I just got a call from Ron's friend Murray, that touched me deeply. He wanted my mailing address. Murray is sending us a gift certificate to Ruth's Chris, so that we can go out for a delicious and romantic dinner when Ron gets home. I was really moved, as was Ron, by such a meaningful gift. Thanks, Murray.

The weeks are going by, not flying by, but we're getting there. There's just not enough to do to keep a busy, curious mind occupied at Taft, but there is one bit of good news. A new inmate arrived last week, and he's a bridge player. Now they have 4, and plan to start playing everyday. It will definitely be something for Ron to look forward to. Now Ron is worried about the quality of the players. I told him he should be happy to have 4 bodies. At least spend a few hours playing bridge every week. At this point, who cares if they're good or not. I too plan to start playing a little more bridge, and hopefully that will make time pass more quickly for me too.

As the weeks go by Ron is opening up more about his feelings. He has put on a happy face for a long time, but recently he has gotten more real with me. He has many ups and downs now, waiting for final word on his release date. When he gets that I think he will settle in and live with it. Right now it's a roller coaster.

Thank goodness for great friends like Richard, David and Mark, who help keep Ron sane. I don't know how he'd get through this without them. Our visit Friday was very special, as it took place just before our 41st wedding anniversary (March 8). I couldn't be happier or prouder of the man I married. Friday one of Ron's close friends was visited by his wife, who informed him that she was divorcing him after 27 years of marriage. I know how sad he must be, what a difficult time this is for him, but I know he will emerge strong, with plenty of life left and time to find a deep, lasting relationship, like ours.