Since one purpose of this blog is to record and therefore remind me, many years from now (I think!) of the depth and breadth of this abyss, today let's talk about my bedroom, bedding and bedclothes (think Martha Stewart!). My bed is about three feet in width by seven feet in length. It's a platform design made of concrete. My mattress is a pad about three inches thick. I've slept on this pad for several weeks, wearing soft spots that allow parts of my body to feel the firmness of the platform. I was issued two sheets and a synthetic "wool" blanket and one non-absorbent bath towel, approximately 20" x 32". Both the sheets and the bath towel are replaced with ostensibly clean ones about once every week to ten days. I'm still with the original blanket after 7-8 weeks so I don't know when I might get a clean one. I was told it's probably every 90 days. I've described our "uniforms" in a prior blog so there's no reason to go over that again. We get clean ones on Thursday....well, sometimes it's Thursday! Now and again the uniforms arrive on Monday. At the same time, we are issued five pair of underwear and five pair of socks...for a week! I try not to think of the other men who have worn said undies and socks! :( It seems time and schedules and "ownership" are not important in this "underworld". What do I wear to bed you might ask? My uniform of course. It's multipurpose! Yup, that's right...well, really it is wrong...yet I wear this "outfit" 24/7. I've seen only one triabe member strip to his briefs to sleep. He had a Greek god-like body and was clearly proud of it. For the rest of us, it's just too cold to go au naturale. I am looking forward to a "REAL" bed, clean sheets and a comforter tucked inside a duvet...fluffy pillows (no, they do NOT issue pillows, of which I always slept with TWO!) and a quiet night's sleep...ahhhhh...the thought of it!! FREEDOM TO SLEEP IN PEACE...with clean pj's! As you go to bed tonight, be aware of...be mindful of your bed, your bedding and sleeping attire...whatever they are...and perhaps be grateful?!? Some have asked for a description of "the tank". Below is a diagram of the bunks, bathroom and "day-room". When I first arrived here, I was given the "inmate handbook". There is information in this "handbook" about the privilege of using "the day-room" . I remember being excited to think I could get out of "the tank" every day to read, write, talk with others, etc. I think it was the end of my first day here that I became aware of the fact that I became aware that NO ONE LEFT THE TANK!! I was isolating back then but took the risk to ask my bunk mate where the day-room was located. He was a nice man, did not laugh at me or show my naïveté to the tribe members in "the tank". Instead, he smiled and pointed to the two game tables about six feet from my bunk. The "day-room" is embedded within "the tank"! :( Except for "visitations", my new world is "the tank"...24/7. AND, with thanks to our favorite architect, Leon, here's a visual for those of you who wanna' SEE my world! In "the tank", I have lots of time to think, read and write...and chat with my tribe members!! It's getting dark which means dinner is Coming Soon! There are no clocks so I estimate time by the lightness outside my "slit window".
Fathers and teacher, I ponder "What is Hell?" I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love. -Dostoevsky Tis the Season of Love...enjoy in joy!
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AuthorPatrick Michael Leonard Archives
August 2020
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