Pricey Reader,
As I write this letter to you it’s January nineteenth, 2026. I’ve been within the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for 31 days. One full month. I determine that could be a milestone worthy of penning one other letter to you. The time has concurrently crawled at a snail’s tempo and raced by faster than I can perceive. From daily time strikes unbearably slowly. The day crawls by, I really feel as if I’m strolling via quicksand, each step an infinite effort. A minute seems like an hour, and hour seems like a day. However on the similar time it feels as if simply yesterday I used to be surrendering myself to FPC Morgantown.
The one month milestone has been in a position to creep on me surprisingly shortly whereas I used to be involved with how gradual time has been passing. I used to be sentenced by Decide Dusty Coat, excuse me, Decide Denise Cote for a interval of 60 months of incarceration. One month down, 59 extra to go.
Jail is a very alien atmosphere. Every thing is seemingly backwards and designed to frustrate you. As many prisoners have stated to me, “BOP stands for Backwards On Objective”, they usually actually aren’t incorrect.
Here’s a fast instance, as a result of the US taxpayer is now chargeable for my well being and properly being I’ve been positioned on the ready record for a dental test, cleansing, and any fundamental work that may be wanted (filling, extraction, and so forth…). Being a logical individual I concluded that the wait wouldn’t be too lengthy contemplating the inhabitants of FPC Morgantown is so low (round 160 inmates when properly over 800 might be held right here) it wouldn’t take too lengthy for my title to succeed in the ‘prime of the record’.
I used to be then knowledgeable that the ready record contains all inmates inside the total BOP at each facility. So despite the fact that our dentist right here solely has 160 folks to see, I have to wait for somebody in Oklahoma who’s increased than me on the record to obtain therapy earlier than I might be seen. Backwards on Objective. Nothing works logically or as anticipated.
On my twenty eighth day right here I acquired my A&O – Admission and Orientation – which is usually a field checking operation as we have now all been oriented by the opposite inmates within the 28 days we have now been right here.
In any case, we had been instructed that being right here will not be a punishment. The punishment is the sentence the decide fingers down, the time away from household, being right here on the Federal jail is simply our residence for a short while. They inform you this with a straight face whereas counting you 5 instances a day, forcing you to work for slave wages, and limiting the variety of folks you’ll be able to talk with monthly. Not a punishment.
There are vaguely motivational posters positioned across the within the housing unit. Most are so saccharine they make me queasy, I may do with out the ‘HR-ization’ of jail thanks very a lot. They’re all clearly printed from the web with out permission as they’re all pixelated to hell, however there may be one that’s my favourite. I get a great snort at any time when I stroll by it or give it some thought. There’s a vignette of a iron barred cell door with the phrases “You’re solely incarcerated by the partitions you construct your self”.
What a hilarious factor to place in a jail. I’d like to think about a CO or administrator placing that up as a result of they discovered it humorous, however I do know it’s extra probably somebody put it up as a result of they discovered it inspiring and insightful, which I suppose makes it even funnier.
Over the month I’ve been right here I’ve considerably succeeded find a routine – one thing many individuals who’ve been to jail have instructed me is crucial – and sticking to it. I get up every single day at 4:00 AM. This fits me vastly as a result of I’m the one one awake at the moment and getting any form of alone time in jail is surprisingly troublesome (at the very least while you’re usually inhabitants. If you’re in Solitary Confinement, it is extremely simple).
Upon waking up I make myself what I’ve taken to calling a “jail latte” which is a mug of sizzling milk created from powdered milk with two heaping scoops of Folgers immediate espresso added in. I acquire my pen, pocket book, and my jail latte and discover a properly lit space. The place that space finally ends up being tends to vary by the day, there isn’t a rhyme or purpose as to which overhead lights the COs activate all through the week.
Normally I find yourself within the frequent room or the pc room, which ever one has lights on or sufficient gentle bleeding in from the hallway lights. I sit and write for the subsequent hour. I write these letters to you, a each day journal, or responses to any mail I’ve acquired. I return to my bunk to await the 5:00 AM rely. At 12:00AM, 3:00AM, 5:00AM, 4:00PM, and 9:00PM (and 10:00AM on weekends) we have to be at our bunks as two guards come by our beds and rely us to verify we’re all nonetheless there.
I await the rely by starting my full physique stretching routine. I learnt this routine a few years in the past – throughout martial arts coaching – which focuses on stretching each main muscle group from neck to toe. It has change into an important a part of my day since I get up so sore and stiff from the paper skinny mattress on the sheet metallic bunk. Stretching makes me really feel considerably regular.
The 5:00 AM rely often takes place round 5:20. Two guards stroll briskly by, their chains and keys jingling with their gait, they usually presumably rely you by shining a brilliant flashlight in your face – to be truthful, just one specific CO does that, the others appear to be a bit extra courteous and aware that persons are nonetheless making an attempt to sleep.
Whereas stretching I hearken to my AM/FM radio. This radio is my prized possession, it connects me to the surface world in contrast to the rest in right here. At 5:00AM I tune to the native public radio station 90.5 which performs the BBC World Service information and documentaries. I look ahead to these each day applications vastly.
At 6:00AM the telephones and computer systems activate. I test my jail e-mail first. The computer systems aren’t like regular computer systems, think about as a substitute a 1990’s PC terminal with extraordinarily restricted performance and designed particularly to be as irritating as attainable.
It prices $0.06/minute to learn, reply, and compose emails. So I attempt to be as fast as attainable when studying and responding to any emails I obtain from my authorised contacts. Proper after checking e-mail I name my spouse Lauren.
There are 8 payphone model telephones within the housing unit, however solely 2 of them work earlier than 5:00 PM. There isn’t a actual purpose for this restriction. BOP, backwards on objective. The phone line is often fairly dangerous. You typically should yell to be heard and a computerized lady interrupts you typically to announce a reminder that that is certainly a name from a Federal Jail, as if we weren’t conscious.
Regardless of the frustrations of the telephone system I reside for that 6:00AM name. You solely are allotted 510 minutes monthly, and probably the most you’ll be able to spend on the telephone in a single session is quarter-hour. You then want to attend half-hour earlier than you should utilize the telephone once more.
Nevertheless, 510 minutes means you’ll be able to solely make a single 15 minute telephone name per day and be left with three 15 minute telephone calls additional for the month. So, I name Lauren as soon as per day for quarter-hour and place one 15 minute name to my mom, my father, and my grandmother monthly.
Rationing the telephone minutes is disturbing, ensuring I’ve sufficient minutes left to make the calls I wish to make is one thing I test and double test each week. However to not fear, being right here will not be a punishment, rationing my connection to the surface world have to be a type of partitions I inbuilt my thoughts.
After my 15 minute name concludes I modify into athletic clothes and head in the direction of the recreation constructing which often opens round 6:30 to 7:00 AM most days. I’ve made a buddy in right here and we play handball collectively most mornings for about an hour. It’s good train and a enjoyable recreation to play. A pleasant option to kill and hour. If we don’t play handball I attempt to spend a while doing cardio or power coaching within the fitness center, relying on the day.
By 8:00 AM I’m again within the housing unit on the brink of make breakfast. I often make oatmeal with dried fruit and honey, however typically will go for a vanilla protein shake. I buy all this stuff from the commissary weekly. I select to make each my protein shake and my oatmeal with powdered milk as a substitute of water, for additional protein and since it tastes higher and creamier than simply utilizing water.
Since I not go to breakfast within the chow corridor at 6:00AM I wouldn’t have entry to any milk cartons. I as a substitute purchase the powdered milk and both add sizzling water to it for oatmeal or chilly water for the vanilla shake.
I desire to cook dinner for myself at any time when I can now. By this time I’ve turned off the general public radio station, the BBC world service is off air and has been changed by NPR, which is so self essential and out of contact that I can’t stand to hearken to it. I change to 101.9 FM WVAQ the place a enjoyable and informal “drivetime” radio present is airing. “Josh and Nikki within the morning” affords an informal and humorous morning present that’s simple to hearken to. They play regardless of the hits of the day are, which I don’t acknowledge in any respect, however most of what they play is kind of catchy.
There’s one track carried out by a feminine singer occurring and on about “Ophelia”. I’m not 100% sure however I think it could be Taylor Swift. I benefit from the track which I assume makes me a Swiftie? Possibly somebody will write me a letter telling me who sings that.
After my breakfast, at round 9:00 AM I like to begin my job. I even have two jail jobs, however one is simply on weekends. The one I do each day at 9:00 AM is “Lavatory Orderly”. Orderly is a elaborate phrase for janitor.
At 9:00 AM I shut the B-Wing lavatory and start the grueling and admittedly disgusting means of cleansing up after 80 males who seemingly are incapable of cleansing up after themselves. I’m offered two rags, a twig bottle of disinfectant, a straw broom, and a musty mop. I’ve give you a system that appears to be environment friendly and probably the most sanitary.
I sweep all the lavatory and bathe room first, making an attempt to get all of the pubic hair and mud into piles I can sweep into the dustbin. Afterwards I spray and wipe down the shelf and sinks utilizing one of many allotted rags. I wipe away any hair or cleaning soap scum left within the sinks and guarantee they’re spotless.
I then transfer on to the showers, spraying the shelf, bench, and tap deal with and wiping them down. Once more, I’m aiming to take away errant hairs and mud. Typically there are different issues I have to wipe up that’s not match to debate on this letter, however you should utilize your creativeness.
As soon as the showers are full, I wash out the rag and transfer on to the urinals. I wipe the highest (how on this planet does pubic hair get onto the highest of a urinal. Please pricey reader, I can’t determine it out) and sides, and most significantly the rim. It isn’t very good, however it doesn’t take too lengthy and it’s satisfying when it’s performed.
As soon as the urinals are performed I transfer onto the bogs. Spraying the bowl, the rim, the seat, the flush deal with I wipe the underside of the seat and the rim down. I take advantage of a rest room brush to wash contained in the bowl. Lastly I take the one unused rag and first wipe the handles of the flusher after which the highest facet of every bathroom seat. As soon as all that’s full I mop all the flooring together with the showers and every lavatory stall.
It often takes about 45 minutes to an hour. I work up fairly a sweat however I attempt to do a great job as I additionally use that rest room and I desire my lavatory to be clear. As soon as completed I take a bathe. One of many solely perks of the job of loo orderly is that I get to make use of the toilet whereas it’s freshly ‘clear’, earlier than anybody else has the chance to desecrate it.
By 10:30 I’m performed with the bathe and and the remainder of my day is free. I’m nonetheless engaged on how you can fill this a part of my day into my routine. Proper now I principally learn and nap, after which learn and nap some extra.
I hope to change into extra productive with my time quickly. Possibly I’ll take some lessons when some change into obtainable to assist fill the time. I attempt to keep away from the a number of TV rooms because it appears principally full of individuals who do nothing else however watch TV and get fairly territorial in regards to the distant. Many instances every of the TV rooms will likely be enjoying the identical soccer recreation, which I’ve little interest in watching. So, TV will not be a dependable or desired option to cross the time.
I can’t imagine it has been one month already. It typically seems like I’m caught in a foul dream I can’t wake from. An endless nightmare that me and lots of others right here with me reside. Probably the most we will do is determine a option to make the time go by as shortly as attainable so we will get again to our households and our lives. One month down, 59 left to go.
Thanks for studying,
Keonne Rodriguez
Write to Keonne:
Keonne Rodriguez
11404-511
FPC Morgantown
FEDERAL PRISON CAMP
P.O. BOX 1000
MORGANTOWN, WV 26507
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This can be a visitor put up by Keonne Rodriguez. Opinions expressed are fully their very own and don’t essentially replicate these of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Journal.
