Hi everyone! I know I’ve been missing in action for awhile. My spirit is a little low right now. I've changed prisons. I made Level Two, which is a drop from where I was—at Level Three. Yes, I should be grateful because this new place is full of good things to do: there are all sorts of programs to get me ready for reentry—out of prison and into society. The staff doesn't seem bad either after being here three weeks . They seem really helpful in wanting to help us prisoners make the adjustment to the outside.
However, most of the Reentry Programs offered, I can't get into because on my record I am down for “life without parole.” We have to have an “out date” to get into the programs that would really help.
I don't really have much more good to say about this place. I was reminded that if you can't say something nice don't say anything. On another positive note this place has vending machines we can use daily. But they are money greedy here. Where I was, they offered one food sale a month while here they have six different food sales going on. They have a thousand groups here all grinding for your money. Aramark sells a $6.50 double cheese burgers, tater tots and the like. The State contracts with the same company for our meals—which are really lousy unlike the double cheeseburgers we have to pay for. Funny! Their food is horrible but their sales food is decent—what’s that about? The Vets have sales as do the Red Cross, Kind Way, NAACP. So you get my point, From pizza to KFC, from jewelry to clothes and such—it is busy. Between the Vending machines and the sales I can often bypass the crappy food.
As you know some of my friends refer to me as a clean freak, I own up to that. In moving to Level Two at a new prison, I went from a cell setting to a dormitory. This is a BIG change—a BIG difference. One hundred and four guys all live in one room, There is no privacy whatsoever. This is the most degrading situation I have ever been in in my 33 years in the prison system. I actually wrote a different blog to share with you, but the details were pretty graphic so I was encouraged to give more of an overview than a full blown description. Think of the worst situation you could ever find yourself in and times it by 100. The bathroom setting is the worst.
No thought you can bring to mind would even begin to help you imagine this grossness. I have been here three weeks and I still don't feel clean. The guy in the bed right across from me just did his second treatment for scabies. We live packed like sardines with about as much space. My—and everyone else too—is on one side of the bunk bed only. The other side of the bunk bed belongs to the bed on the other side. If you step into that space that belongs to the guy in the other bed, you get a “ticket.” That is the one thing I fear—they write you up for everything—no matter how petty including if my badge is on backwards, if I am late for a pass. I am really wondering if I can keep my record here spotless.
I won't be here much longer. The day after I got here I put in for a transfer to a different Level Two prison. The lady laughed and said “Mr. Tyler, I know of no one else ever who put in for a transfer quicker than you.” I didn't wait 24 hours--II knew I didn't want to be here.
The good news is I was accepted for the transfer and all the paperwork is done. I should be leaving any day now. Don't know if this place I think for Lorain, Ohio. I don’t know if it is any better, but at least it will get me closer to Cleveland where my family and friends can visit more easily. And anything has to be better than this.
The other part of the good news/bad news is that I just found out we won't be going to the parole/clemency in April as we hoped. The governor is running for president and it seems our guy feels he can win. And we don’t want a repeat of what happened last time when I got in the way of his political agenda. So the new idea is to wait and see if he drops out of the presidential race between now and the last primary in August.
So that's where the spirit is and has been—I’m a little down. Rather than five weeks before we file it’s more likely going to be four more months.
Other than that, I’m fine after all, I am blessed to be able to sit and chat. Two years ago I was facing execution? What's four more months? As I said, I will be leaving soon from this place. The change will be huge no matter what that place is like. I will not survive this if I stay here...So I will just sit still and hope for the best.
Much love to all of you...Hugs...Arthur.
