Seventy Sixth Visit to Taft

It's time for mattress inspection. The latest edict from those in charge at Taft is that everyone of the 550 men must bring their mattress to the laundry room for inspection. Apparently, the four inch thick mattress they are issued is not comfortable for most, so many men try to alter the mattress. Some open the mattress and put towels in to make it more comfortable, then sew itback up. Taft management wants to make sure that no one has done this, so all mattresses must be inspected. Just picture 500+ men walking from their bunk to the laundry room with a mattress on their back. Pretty funny to think about. So far few have complied, but they have been given until July 1 to complete the mattress inspection. Something to keep the men busy on a hot summer day.

Our visit was great last Friday. Ron was in good spirits. He was Sandy Koufax for the day, number 32. Four more weeks is just around the corner. I never thought I'd get to the point where I'd be counting the weeks on one hand. I'm there now.

We talked a little this week about the prison experience, and the fact that some things were harder than Ron had expected, other things were easier. What was harder was the lack of mental stimulation and the endless boredom. From what he had been told he was expecting art and woodworking classes, toastmasters, and many other activities to keep him busy. This did not materialize. Except for a few weeks of Toastmasters and his horticultural classes, there was little to keep his mind occupied. What was easier was adjustment to prison life. Ron had been told there was little to fear at Taft, and this turned out to be true, which made everyday living so much easier.

One of the things Ron is grateful for is that he had the opportunity to live with his bunkie, Iffy, originally from Pakistan and a devout Muslim. Ron has always been a very open minded man, but having the chance to live with someone from a different country and culture was invaluable. Ron learned so much through this experience.

Ron talked with excitement about coming home. He plans to tell stories about the last 18 months over time, not try to share everything at once. He says he doesn't think he'll ever be able to truly express how he feels, but through the stories I hope I will get a good sense of it. With his passion and humor, he'll make it all come to life, and we'll try to write some of the stories and share them with you.