The bell awakes me in my cell. It’s 5:30 A.M., I know because the bell tells me this. That moment when you shift from a state of dream induced bills to the cold reality of a prison cell. That’s how I’m greeted by the day. A small penance for the sins that brought me here. My debt to society paid in daily installments of discomfort and boredom. The amenities aren’t so bad. A mat in the cell. Imagine motel 6 in the ghetto on a budget renovation. Three hot meals a day, think back on the worst meal of your life. An outdoor recreation area with enough weights to bury the incredible hulk. Picture muscle beach only with more gay dudes.

This is a snippet of life on the inside. In a place where routine is king, time loses its value once the monarchy is established. Suddenly, flash! 5 years has passed and you’re at the gate holding a worthless box of possession that only cost you everything. All that you own. Your whole life fits inside the box. 5 years on the calendar that is your life blacked out in sharpie. Looking back at the saddest moments of incarceration you realize you never had anyone to share the experience with. No one to remind you that there’s life outside these walls. That’s all I’m looking for, someone to remind me that there is life beyond these walls. Hit me up, let’s share an experience.