Yesterday we were all wondering how he is getting along and then last night he called and we got to talk for half an hour! We got to hear how things are at the brig.
His first comment was it is like a "daycare". The food is surprisingly good. He said they had pizza on the weekend and hamburgers the night before. You are required to attend each meal, unlike county where you could just sleep through them. But you get enough food so that you are not hungry throughout the day. With him being a picky eater we were a bit concerned about what he would actually eat. He is currently in medium security in the welcome area until they determine that he is safe and can be placed in minimum and a "permanent" cell. They have movies on the weekends and he has the "freedom" to go to his appointments without being shackled and can just walk there. They have more free time and there are books in the common area so if he needs something to read he is set. There is a library as well as classes and jobs, which he will be able to take part in once he is placed.
They are much more strict about mail and phone calls. All addresses have to be preapproved as well as all books we send him. I have to send him a list of books so that he can get them approved. Once I figure out how to send him money via money order he can actually purchase a tablet and receive email. He said he is really "lucky" in that this is the first and only brig to allow tablets and email. He also said that with good behavior he could potentially purchase a PSP.
He is planning for when he can come home. I worry about that. I can only hope he can stay as upbeat once he is living on the list as he is right now being in prison. Because the list is it's own prison.
Showing posts with label letters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label letters. Show all posts
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Monday, December 9, 2019
3 calls and another letter
He called 3 days in a row! Incredible! The first time he called I am embarrassed to say I was incredibly excited.
We only had a couple of minutes before he was called away for some sort of lock down. I did pretty well, I did not cry until I hung up the phone. I am pretty proud of myself. I am a crier, big time. So I was convinced the first time I heard his voice I would lose it. The main thing he said "It sucks".
He sounded so down I just wanted to hug him. It is a terrible thing when you can't hug your baby.
I was surprised when he called again the next day. Hubby got to talk to him because I was working. He felt so bad when he found out his Dad had to pick up a night job to help pay the lawyer bills. Hubby just told him he will have to be the one to take care of us in our old age. He seemed in better spirits and asked for money for the commissary which they can visit on Sundays. Since he is confined in a pretrial area until he goes to his "permanent" confinement, he gets limited use of the common area.
Then he called a third time! This time to talk to me. We had asked him for a list of books so that we can have them sent via Amazon. He has always been a voracious reader. He had already read three books in the first few days. He said getting books is like doing a drug deal. You have to "buy" them with other books or food from the commissary.
I have been pleasantly surprised at the cost of the calls. I had read horror stories of $1-3 a minute, so I put $15 in his phone account thinking I would have to refill it after each phone call. Instead we have had 3 calls and it has cost less than $3.
We received a letter today as well. He told us what he was telling others as he was advised to not say why he is really in. His story is that he was carrying a pound of weed in his trunk with scales and baggies onto base and a drug sniffing dog "sat" on his car. It seems to be going over well. Funny thing is he does not even seem realize how much actual pot a pound is!
He is getting along well with the older men and seems to be doing ok.
If the amount of letters and calls seems like a lot, it probably is for most people. We have always been a very close family. He says he plans on calling every couple of days if possible to keep in touch. This is our boy.
This is how we raised him.
He is not a monster.
We only had a couple of minutes before he was called away for some sort of lock down. I did pretty well, I did not cry until I hung up the phone. I am pretty proud of myself. I am a crier, big time. So I was convinced the first time I heard his voice I would lose it. The main thing he said "It sucks".
He sounded so down I just wanted to hug him. It is a terrible thing when you can't hug your baby.
I was surprised when he called again the next day. Hubby got to talk to him because I was working. He felt so bad when he found out his Dad had to pick up a night job to help pay the lawyer bills. Hubby just told him he will have to be the one to take care of us in our old age. He seemed in better spirits and asked for money for the commissary which they can visit on Sundays. Since he is confined in a pretrial area until he goes to his "permanent" confinement, he gets limited use of the common area.
Then he called a third time! This time to talk to me. We had asked him for a list of books so that we can have them sent via Amazon. He has always been a voracious reader. He had already read three books in the first few days. He said getting books is like doing a drug deal. You have to "buy" them with other books or food from the commissary.
I have been pleasantly surprised at the cost of the calls. I had read horror stories of $1-3 a minute, so I put $15 in his phone account thinking I would have to refill it after each phone call. Instead we have had 3 calls and it has cost less than $3.
We received a letter today as well. He told us what he was telling others as he was advised to not say why he is really in. His story is that he was carrying a pound of weed in his trunk with scales and baggies onto base and a drug sniffing dog "sat" on his car. It seems to be going over well. Funny thing is he does not even seem realize how much actual pot a pound is!
He is getting along well with the older men and seems to be doing ok.
If the amount of letters and calls seems like a lot, it probably is for most people. We have always been a very close family. He says he plans on calling every couple of days if possible to keep in touch. This is our boy.
This is how we raised him.
He is not a monster.
Monday, December 2, 2019
A Letter!
We got a letter!
It took all three of us to read it. The waterworks started almost immediately.
He starts out by apologizing to the whole family for putting us through this. And promising to make it as right as he can.
He sounds like the same M that we know and love. He is like my twin. He has a hard time staying down for too long. He was always one to make the best of any situation.
He told us a bit about prison life.
Boring. He says they sit on their beds wrapped in their blankets most of the day because there is nothing to do, but also because it is so cold. He says they keep the AC at 45-50 degrees. His "bed" is a 2 inch pad on a steel plank. The food is terrible, "fake" meat. Fortunately he can gets snacks at the commissary with the money I was able to send him. He was always a very picky eater, so I know he will lose some weight. His cellmate is a Christian as well so they have had quite a few conversations about faith. I am grateful for that.
He will be in state prison for another 20 ish days before they move him to a military prison.
I know I probably sound like an excited mother getting a letter from her child who is at camp.
I am not "excited" or even "happy", my child is not in camp, he is in prison. He is in prison for viewing and sharing pictures he never should have had access to.
I can't ever forget that.
It took all three of us to read it. The waterworks started almost immediately.
He starts out by apologizing to the whole family for putting us through this. And promising to make it as right as he can.
He sounds like the same M that we know and love. He is like my twin. He has a hard time staying down for too long. He was always one to make the best of any situation.
He told us a bit about prison life.
Boring. He says they sit on their beds wrapped in their blankets most of the day because there is nothing to do, but also because it is so cold. He says they keep the AC at 45-50 degrees. His "bed" is a 2 inch pad on a steel plank. The food is terrible, "fake" meat. Fortunately he can gets snacks at the commissary with the money I was able to send him. He was always a very picky eater, so I know he will lose some weight. His cellmate is a Christian as well so they have had quite a few conversations about faith. I am grateful for that.
He will be in state prison for another 20 ish days before they move him to a military prison.
I know I probably sound like an excited mother getting a letter from her child who is at camp.
I am not "excited" or even "happy", my child is not in camp, he is in prison. He is in prison for viewing and sharing pictures he never should have had access to.
I can't ever forget that.
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