Well, it’s amazing how quickly time can pass in here despite how the weekends drag along. The repetition of things makes time go quicker at times and slower other times. I so look forward to the next phase of my life inside corrections.

Maybe I look forward because I am around so many fakers, who say what people want to hear so they can advance. Fortunately, the counselors are wise to their ways and hold them back. I also tire of their lying and tales of innocence. I know some may be correct in saying they were framed because of spiteful people getting back at them, or calling it rape when it really was consensual or other such circumstances. After all, the system has been wrong before in convicting innocent guys.

Maybe because I have been moved yet again to a six man room and placed on the bottom bunk bed. Joyous. At least the guy above is older and thinks I am the quietest guy he has ever been over. I believe him, as he has already served over 20 years and was finally put in the ISOP. He figured that must mean good things for him, maybe even eventual parole, though he has 25 to life. He had been on cocaine when he raped a girl on a high rooftop in New York City, then threw her off, though he didn’t remember doing the latter part. Regardless, he is now in his mid 40’s and seems repentant, even attends church and a Bible study with me. He also is an excellent chess player who taught me many things about the game. Nevertheless, I am in this room and want so badly to get out of the program and in the honor dorm.

Fall basketball leagues are starting to form as the softball season is over and the flag football season half over. Watching the latter gives me something more to do on certain evenings in the yard and is a great distraction. I have no desire to play, though the inmate officials get paid, so I am contemplating pursuing that as added income. I am continuing to work out in the weight room, but inside basketball is sparse as the gyms are very hot, so most guys go outside. I did find one who would play one on one full court just for the exercise. We actually do have a blast and often laugh as much as we run, putting up trick shots or other foolery just for fun. We joke about how the time flies by when we are there doing that and pledge to repeat again the following week.

The great news is that I had successfully completed my clarification on my first attempt, no small feat I was to discover. I am soon scheduled to depart the ISOP dorm for higher grounds. I had put in for the honor dorm but have not heard as yet. Guys say it often takes some time to get in as there has to be an open bed. It is mid September and counselors say I would probably be moved out somewhere before the end of the month to make room for others. I can’t wait! Our Friday Structure meetings take on a different tone now for me as do most things in the program. I just want to “lay low and leave whole” as guys say, more about prison than a program.

I can feel the Lord’s hand over my life in many areas. No one, I was told, had ever completed the program in less than a year, and here, nine months after beginning, I was ready to leave. I had completed a gospel retreat weekend with many of the Bible study mentors who come in from the outside, and thoroughly enjoyed the learning and comradere, continuing to work on the inside corrections I need. My brother keeps his monthly visits toting a food package each time. Other than the strangeness of my wife, things seem great for being inside corrections. I am also working on a couple of Scriptural correspondence courses set up for incarcerated guys like me. They are pretty basic, but I still learn from them. Despite being here, I have now pledged to make the best of it.

One roommate I got to know some had cautioned me about our outside relationships while incarcerated. If your wife took off her wedding band, as his had, it was a bad sign. Mine had not, as yet, but her aloofness gave me pause, and I guess I couldn’t blame her if she did. I had really turned her world upside down too. I knew the trek here, a two hour drive, could be daunting for her as well as the personal time she gives up to do it. I keep repeating how grateful I am for her efforts, but it seems she has something else going on, though she denies it when questioned.

I am blessed also with surprise visits from parishioners from my former church at various and unexpected times, as well as a bunch of former ‘Noon hour Warrior’ basketball teammates. For the previous 25 years or more I had played pick-up basketball at a local college at noontime at least three times a week. During the summer we often conspired other raucous events way before but similar to present day iron man competitions, though with sports such as golf, bowling, tennis, track and, of course, 3 on 3 basketball, all in one day. Needless to say we grew close. So to have four of them visit at one time was a joyous celebration. Once I stopped crying that is. The mix of emotions was crazy and I had trouble sorting them out at the time. Shame, guilt, elation, pride, everything rolled into a single surprise visit. For them to travel that far, take a Saturday off to go inside prison, that just was a great deal to process for me. All were well over 6′ tall, with one being 6’7”, so I was teased by the CO’s for a while after that about starting my own traveling team.

So as a whole, life is good. At the beginning of the last week of September I received word of two great things. First, I would be moving out, and second, I would be going to the honor dorm! Double hallelujah! No shortage of volunteers to assist me on my move this time. Guys were wanting to get out for a bit as well as see what the honor dorm was really like. I can hardly contain my joy. I am moving on toward my goal of making my first parole board, and the pieces seem to fall into place with His help.

God is truly good, and I continue to thank Him for his many blessings.