My Personal Journal

It's the beginning of the month, and time to write the blog that I seem to find harder and harder to write. It has now been 31 months since Ron was released from Taft, so long ago. Yet, the effects of a felony conviction are life changing and long lasting. For example, Ron is applying for a new passport, as travel is hopefully in our future. Since he turned in his passport to federal authorities in 2008, it was neither lost or stolen, the two possible boxes on the passport application. There is no box for "destroyed by the federal government." So after several hours on the phone, I found out how to proceed. It's just that there seem to be roadblocks at every turn. I finally have the passport issue resolved.

Several weeks ago new rules were implemented at Costco, which required Ron to stand for his entire 5 hour shift. He simply can't do that, with neuropathy from diabetes. He was forced to quit his air conditioning job at Costco, one that we depended on for additional income. But, out of something negative, some good has come. Ron has gotten several new tax clients, and a potential monthly account. This should make up for what he lost in the air conditioning job. These situations create stress, and we all know about the negative effects of stress on the body, both physically and mentally.

The Superbowl was yesterday, and on Friday night, Ron was thinking about where he was three years ago during the Superbowl. He remembers vividly the excitement and anticipation of the big game from the inmates at Taft. It was the highlight of the first part of any year. Football was what the men lived for. Anyway, Ron was feeling very melancholy about the men he knew that were still in prison. Big Dave, Ron's Bunkie for much of the time he was at Taft, a brute of a man, as gentle as could be, but a meth user and distributor who could not stop, probably has 5 more years. David, an ultra conservative Jew serving a 25 year sentence (2 years to go)for a complicated case involving importing illegal drugs in a load of bricks, being punished by the feds for going to trial and getting an enhanced sentence, will soon be home. His wife and grown daughter from Los Angeles visit him every weekend. Mark, a real estate developer from Beverly Hills who was involved in mortgage fraud of some sort, who, after three weeks at Taft, was served with divorce papers and ignored by his daughter because of what he did. I knew all these people too, and could feel his pain. Although Ron has moved on, and rarely thinks about the men he left behind or the ones that have been released, certain events, like the Superbowl, trigger emotions and memories.

2014 is the year that Ron's probation will be over (October 8, but who's counting?)and he will be finished doing tedious monthly reports for the probation department. He finished January's report last night, and I reminded him he only has 8 more to do! Then no one will tell him whether or not he can go to Los Angeles to visit his children, or go to Orange County for dinner, and no one will tell him how much to spend for rent, and how to spend his money. What a beautiful feeling.