My Personal Journal

Another month has rolled by, and Ron is that much closer to living life without looking over his shoulder. (366 days to be precise). I should say that at this point he doesn't feel he has much restriction because he has settled into a comfortable life in San Diego that doesn't require going anywhere else. However, I know he will be so much happier when he doesn't have to account to anyone for a trip to LA or Newport Beach. Having to do that is a minor inconvenience, but it's a constant reminder of his limitations. Won't it be grand to go to Colorado to see Phil and family, LA to see David and Tracy, Brian and family, and mom, on the spur of the moment? How about a trip for the two of us? I can't wait to go somewhere together. Our first trip may be in the fall or winter of 2014. Ron wants to go to Chicago to see the Bears play, and spend a few days in his hometown. That sounds fantastic to me. I'm ready. From time to time I get phone calls from people Ron met at Taft. I got a phone call from Ron's closest friend at Taft around the Jewish Holidays, and when I repeated the conversation to Ron, he wasn't terribly interested. He was happy to hear that this man is doing well, but he just wasn't interested in reconnecting, even if he could. (he can reconnect with anyone after probation is over) Prison friends are just that. They fill a need while you are incarcerated, and after that most inmates move on. Ron enjoys telling stories to new friends about his experiences at Taft, yet he has moved on. Thank goodness. He and I both feel that rehashing the past is not healthy. I may be over generalizing, but I think the men who want to keep in touch with "prison friends" have not put the past behind them. They may not have a strong support system, may not have a job, may be stuck in a stagnant life that's not going anywhere, so they want to stay connected with people from prison that accepted them and helped them stay sane. There are very few men Ron met at Taft that he would ever have befriended on the outside, so he feels, as I do, it is best to move forward and remember them as friends at a time when they needed each other.