Letters from the Inside, Barton Corbin, #4

Hey Kelly,

Thank you for the card I just received. Mail means more to an inmate than just about anything. you had told me previously about the problems with your friend. I had hoped you two had worked it out. I'm sorry. I did not expect any correspondence from you for I thought you would be gone. Where did you stay since you had arrangements for your place? I haven't a clue about what type of ceremony that it was that you attended.

Good to hear some new business has come your way. I thought I read where Harlem was coming up since President Clinton set up shop there. I hope the new year brings a boom to your business.

My details for the last three (3) years has been in an optical lab. I am sure it is not state of the art but it is one of the few details one can occupy their time with here. I do it mainly to get out of the cell houses and stay busy. We call it "detail" for you get paid to work which we don't. I am more a warehouse/stock/clerical kind of thing than anything else. I really didn't push to learn much since I originally planned to transfer to another prison with medium security so as to have more privileges. Hays is what we call a Level 6 maximum security prison. We have a new warden so there is very little free movement at this time.

How was the subtitled film at the Guild? Did you dress up? Was it a "be seen at event?" I love movies, but I can't say I am always a cultural high-brow. We have access to three tvs in of dorm: one dedicated to sports, the others to movies and whatever. Unfortunately, not enough wished to watch IDOL'S premiere so I've no idea what went on. I don't' watch LOST; it is difficult to get the TV regular enough to commit to a series. The cable is extremely basic also.

Some prisoners live for it and violence sometimes kicks off over that, what we nickname a "tuck-box".

I have been reading my Bible again alot lately. I always liked John MacDonald novels and just found one called The End of the Night. I had not seen before. It was primarily about a thrill kill group and tells the story from all angles first person: killers, Feds, victim, etc. I quit it for a found it not escapist enough for me. A little too depressing but considering it was from the 60s I believe, it and he always seem quite contemporary.

I don't know if you can call prisoners your "friends". Generally you might pick a few to group with most of the time and watch each other's back, then just show the rest limited respect and carry yourself right and most of the time you are alright. I have mostly shared a two (2) man cell since I have been down but am now in a two (2) floor open dorm like a barracks. No privacy, but I am not locked down in a room all night. One just adapts. Prisoners run the gamut here: real old to real young, short timers to lifers, all races together. We have alot of gang activity picking up there due to the increase in young guys with long sentences. That's a security problem now. I won't tell you all are innocent or good, but you do meet some straight up guys here better than most you meet on the street. There are some who are proud of the lifestyle and need to stay here, at least till they learn better, if ever. It's not like TV, we have gays but not many that I know of anyway. Snitches all over but few get hurt, child molesters which everyone hates but few get hurt either. You can die here; we have had several deaths and severe assaults in the last few months. Usually it is not spontaneous violence, but some mitigating circumstance that precipitated it. Theft, debt, snitching, etc. I'm straight, don't gamble, borrow money, don't care about that tv and stay out of the "dope game" so I avoid issues unless some youngster tries to rob me. But they never come alone anyway.

The general biggest problems for an inmate here are staying in contact with supporters on the outside and making a little money to buy extra food and hygiene products to help you be comfortable. They starve you up in here and health care is an embarrassment.

O.K. It's late and I am tired so I'll stop there. As usual, I'm well considering. Thanks for writing again and do so again soon. If you need to talk to me about your friend or anything, I try to listen and God knows I always have an opinion about everything.

Be good or be good at it,

Bart