Letters from the Inside, Chris Porco, #5

Dear Kelly,

How are you? As usual I have let a few weeks go by without even realizing it. It is hard to believe and a little depressing that in 20 days or so I will have been here 3 years...

I hope you had a good holiday. I'm sorry to hear about Tokyo. I gotta tell you it is sweet justice to have a wife beater's police blotter come up on Google though. Can't be good for him if he tries to get a job. It would have been easier for her to just tell him what she did, and not pawn off responsibility. I dont' know much about tort law, but I do nknow if you are not in small claims court, which you aren't if he is suing for 4 million, you really need to at least consult a lawyer. Don't you have a friend or two that can advise you? Like you said, the legal system is extraordinarily complicated. What is he suing you for specifically. From the circumstances, I would be surprised if what was done to him was actionable. His arrest and the publication of it were public record, all that was done was it being publicized. Serves him right for being a dirtbag anyway. Did he sue you in federal or state court?

I am still waiting for a decision in my case. We are expecting it anytime, but more likely later in the month. I feel like at this point I am just floating along through each day. It is hard for me to focus on things, which isn't normal for me. I don't usually get worked up about much, but this shit has me all scrambled up. From my point of view the whole waiting thing isn't necessary, they have already made a decision but they are taking their sweet time in letting us all know. A quick phone call saying, "Come on home," or "See you in 46 years," would be a nice courtesy.

I remember you asking about Fireman Pete [Ed.: Porco is housed in the same facility as gruesome Peter Braunstein. ] I swear I told you about him in a past letter. Maybe you didn't get one? Anyway, he's here, and basically crazy. Not legit crazy, but just kind of twisted. He loves to do interviews and freak out the reporters with the insane things he says, a couple of months ago he did one, and before told people he was going to say all this stuff about being obsessed with "Gossip Girl," and other odd things like that. No one believed he would do it, but sure enough, he did. I don't know a clinical diagnosis or anything but I think he just enjoys manipulating people and getting attention. When he attacked that woman, it wasn't a sexual thing, he wanted to wreck her emotionally. If you just talk to him casually he is odd but nice enough. I have only talked to him a few times, mostly in passing. He says he is going to kill himself before too long, but I don't buy it, he loves being in the papers too much.

New Years was what you might expect. Maybe a little louder than usual, and guys tend to light things on fire and throw them off the upper tiers. The cops don't even do their rounds on New Years because people throw stuff at them. People break out the hooch and weed too, so it's just like Time Square; no kiss at midnight though. (Thankfully.)

Prison has made material things somewhat less important, so for Christmas all I asked for was some Starbuck's coffee. I got like 15 lbs, and I am loving it. I love the French Roast and cafe verona, and the Christmas blend. I have a coffee maker in my cell, one of the rarest kinds of contraband, and I have a 3 cup per day habit. I guess if I am going to be addicted to something, coffee isn't all that bad.

Did that guy really drink ensure? Or was it some other supplement shake drink? I only ask because Ensure is crap, but there is stuff out there sorta like it that can be good to get calorie and protein numbers up. I agree though, no self respecting man drinks Ensure. Why'd you break up with the current guy? You hadn't been dating all that long had you? It has been three and a half years since I was alone with a girl, how's that for a drought?

My brother has been dating the same girl for 5 years now and is currently trying to decide if he wants to break it off or propose. I don't see him marrying this girl, she is nice but honestly not all that attractive. She is third year med school, and doesn't take great care of herself either. Three years ago he asked me how he could get her to lose weight, and at that point I didn't see it lasting very long. But she is his first girlfriend, and it si not easy to let go of that. He's going to be 29 in March, sort of a late bloomer in the girl dept. They are total opposites too, she is gregarious to the point of being annoying, he is the most reserved person you will ever meet. Opposites attract I guess, at l east for a little while. Sometimes I feel like I don't even know him, even though we were always close. I haven't talked to him directly in a long time, hopefully that will change soon. He doesn't think I am guilty or anything, but has issus with some of the stuff I did years before he found out about because of all this. Combine that with his personality, and total inability to even being to deal with what happened 5 years ago, and he is just closed off. He is gradually opening up more, so I know things will be alright between us, it will just take time. He has done some prickish stuff to me too, so we both have things to work through. Starting that dialogue can be tough though. Do you have siblings?

Alright, it is getting late, so I am going to shut this thing off before people start bitching. I hope you are well and lawsuit free. (I am thinking maybe you got a dismissal, or they had a change of heart?) Anyway, take care, next time I write, maybe I will have some good news.

Goodnight!

Chris