This story was told by a person incarcerated at Mule Creek.
UCI: Well, first, what facility are you at?
Caller: I’m at the Mule Creek State prison.
UCI: Okay, and what has the COVID-19 situation been like at your facility?
Caller: Terrible. It was terrible actually. It sucked. It was not fun at all. It took a while for, you know, at first it seemed like it was a joke, you know, and like, we thought it would never hit. And then once we heard about, like one of the other prisons getting taken over by it. And, you know, it sucks to say, you know, these guys weren’t prepared for it at all.
Like, it was like a joke to them. So, they didn’t even, you know, really put an effort to really contain it, you know what I mean?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: And then at some point, we’re like, you know, still thinking, that this isn’t real. No one’s really even caught it here yet. But when it did it hit like wildfire, you know. And for the most part we’ve, we thought it was one of the cops who, well it had to be somebody from the outside that brought it in, you know, clearly.
So it had to have been one of the cops that brought it in, you know, and there’s, they were during this whole pandemic thing, you know, they, you know, they search ourselves every now and then, right?
UCI: Uh-huh.
Caller: So, you know, they were, they’re allowing these officers to search our cells while we’re, while we’re on this whole scare of the pandemic, right. And we’re all like, “Why would they do that?” You know, at some point, you know, a lot of us have paranoia, paranoia, thoughts about, you know, being set up, and being, having stuff placed in our cells.
You know, so one, it’s not far fetched for one person to think, “Well how easy would it be for them to put something in there?” While they’re searching, you know, cough on our bedding or whatever, for whatever reason. It’s just the weird things that go through your head in here, you know?
UCI: Yeah. Wow.
Caller: Yeah. So, you know, it’s, like I said, it’s very weird to think, you know, people are doing stuff to your cell, and a lot of times, it’s not just prison that this happens, but other places. It’s a thing where, you know, cops sometimes do stuff like that. So it’s not, it’s not that far fetched for some of us to go way out with it like that.
But I feel like others feel like that that’s how it started, you know, one cop searching and apparently I think he tested positive. And we’re all wondering, why are they allowing this person to still do cell searches? You know what I mean?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: And then, so nothing really happened for a while, and then it just started to take off like wildfire. And then before you know it, there was no real, you know, we had like these little fabric masks that weren’t what they call the K, the K 1290s or whatever.
UCI: Uh-huh.
Caller: You know, the masks, you know the ones I’m talking about?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: So it’s like, well, how much real protection is that if you’re supposed to be giving out these other ones that have the real protection from it. So for a while there, we were just stuck with those. And then, you know, it probably, it’s probably hidden our building. In one by one, we’ve just seen people drop off. First off, people are getting pissed off, because it was, it was stopping our program.
You know, we’re, we’re getting visits or hopefully trying to get packages, we’re hungry, we’re starving, you know, they’re feeding us. But a lot of us depend on our food that we buy from the store. So it stops store and it stopped packages, which where we really get our food from.
So it just, it made us mad when somebody we thought would test they wouldn’t test positive at first. But people would just, “Oh, you know, the hypochondriacs in here,” like, “Oh yeah, we got it” and it’s like, “Quit lying” or, you know, people would get mad, and they threaten them. And then you know, then things would move on, and then another scare and then another scare.
And then finally it hit and people are like, “Oh, wow, this is real.” And now you start getting, you know, worried is this stuff really as deadly as they say it is, you know? And ironically, the person I that moved into my cell where he just left, the guy was one of the first people to test for corona.
And then I start getting scared. And, you know, “Hey, if you if you’re coughing and sniffling, don’t pretend like you don’t got it. Don’t let your pride get in your way. Take it serious, because if it’s really that life threatening, you know, please, you know, try to try to take into consideration that, you know, I’m not the healthiest person so please, cover your mouth, put a mask on or whatever.”
And for a while there we did. But we ended up both getting it. And once we did, it wasn’t really that bad. Wasn’t as bad as they made it out to be.
UCI: Oh, well, that’s good that you didn’t get it that bad.
Caller: No, it was more like a, you know, like a sore throat and a runny nose and a little cough. But when we, when you did get it, it burnt your nostrils like like you’re breathing fire.
UCI: Wow.
Caller: For a while there. Did you ever end up getting it or?
UCI: I did not. Luckily.
Caller: You’re lucky.
UCI: Have they started-
Caller: Are you in college right-
Caller: Go on.
UCI: Oh, I was gonna ask if they started giving the vaccines out where you are.
Caller: Oh, yeah, we’ve all finally, it’s pretty much gone through the course of getting the vaccine. Now I just recently got my second one. And man, that thing tuckered me out and made me feel like I just worked out, my arm’s sore. And I just, I slept all day and had like a butterfly feeling in my stomach for like two days. Took a work day off of work.
UCI: Yeah, that. I felt it too.
Caller: Oh, you felt like that too?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: Are, are you in college right now?
UCI: Yeah, that’s what like the project that I’m a part of is a college project.
Caller: Oh that’s cool. Yeah college is fun. I miss those days.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: Has it changed? Do you mind if I ask you some questions?
UCI: Yeah, that’s fine.
Caller: Okay, so are you like a socialite out there? Do you have a lot of fun? Do you? Do you kind of party? I mean?
UCI: I’m, I’m pretty boring. I just stick to the books.
Caller: I highly doubt you’re that boring. But I’m just saying from when I was in college, I I lived it up and it was good times. And from it, I’m a natural DJ on the street. So that’s why I asked.
UCI: That’s cool.
Caller: Yeah, it was, made pretty good money. You know? So you don’t do anything out there for fun?
UCI: Before COVID yeah, but it’s been hard with-
Caller: Okay so like, like what then?
UCI: Like working out and that kind of stuff.
Caller: Oh, pilates and yoga stuff or what?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: Okay. All I ask is I haven’t been out there for a while. It’s been about 10 years. And that’s the only reason I try to live a little bit vicariously to see, you know, what life is like.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: It’s been a minute.
UCI: So, like, what’s the biggest difference like in the last year and a half at your facility? Sorry, what?
Caller: I’d say for me it’s like the loneliness, missing our families. We haven’t had any real visits, my family has to travel like, two hours and a half, just to get here. It’s not even worth them for the little video and little time set-up slots that they have.
For us as you know, it’s not worth it. Now, it just opened up a little bit. Go on.
UCI: Is it a video call, but they still have to be there?
Caller: No, they can do it from home. But the way my mom, my mom and my family, they all work. Like she works 12 hours. She’s my main person that would come see me, it’s my mother. So she works 12 hours a day. And during that timeframe, it’s usually during our daytime, she works nights.
So it’s, it’s kind of rough to get ahold of her these days, even with her schedule, so I don’t really have much support.
UCI: Oh.
Caller: As far as to talk to them.
UCI: That’s unfortunate.
Caller: Yeah, it happens. But you know, I got some cool people in here that make it nice and easy on me. You know, also relatable, to have fun with. Also I’m an artist, so you know it takes a lot of my time.
UCI: That’s very cool.
Caller: It can be, it can be. Do you like art?
UCI: I like it. I’m not good at it.
Caller: So you can draw a stick figure like no other.
UCI: Yes. That’s about it.
Caller: What type of? Yeah? What is your favorite type of art, would you say?
UCI: Musicals. That, that sense of art.
Caller: Oh, you mean like actual making music?
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: Or, oh okay. I used to make beats and music out there, and that was fun. I definitely had my own little music studio going on. That was fun. Mainly club music. But what would you say to music you’re talking about?
UCI: All different kinds.
Caller: Well, like classical? Some hip-hop?
UCI: Yeah, hip-hop, country.
Caller: Okay. Country? Okay, I started liking country, it wasn’t bad. But you know what? Just to get a little more back on track.
Now that things are, I guess everyone is all vaccinated. It’s, we’re all got, now we are allowed to not wear a mask as long as we have proof that we have tooken the vaccine. But it’s also how that whole you asked me, what did you ask me about the whole year thing? Again? You said, how did it affect me? Right?
UCI: Like if you could come or, yeah, like this year compared to your other years in the facility.
Caller: Just the whole lack of a physical contact with family, mainly. And then the food situation was pretty terrible there for a while we had, we had to wait for them to bring us our food that we had money for. And then, you know, other, the food here sucks. Let me tell you, I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. It really, it really sucks.
And other than that, we were just, you know, some of us were losing weight and because of the lack of food sometimes. I wouldn’t say it was, it was like they treated us terribly or anything like that.
UCI: So I’m curious about the, you mentioned, if you’re vaccinated you don’t have to wear a mask? Are people like honest about that? Or is there like actual proof to like to, to like show that you’ve actually been vaccinated?
Caller: Like me, I wear mine around my neck.
UCI: Oh.
Caller: You know, just so I don’t have to deal with these cops and have to bullshit with them about anything. You know, other people, you know, they leave it at their house and then they have to argue with a cop about it. Some people got write-ups for not wearing their mask and having the proof on them.
Well, I got to tell you, it’s been fun. You know, going over this with you. I’ll probably call you guys back again. I’m pretty sure you’re not going to be the one that answers the phone. Are you?
UCI: Yeah, it always rotates.
Caller: Okay. But yeah, I’ll be down to, me and my, me and my celly we’re gonna put the word out for you guys and have some people try to volunteer and do that for you guys.
UCI: Thank you. We appreciate it.
Caller: No, we appreciate you.
UCI: Well, that’s good.
Caller: Well, hope you have a good day and stay healthy and have fun.
UCI: Thank you.
Caller: Live a little.
USI: Thank you. Get out there and do something super fun. Like go to a rave.
UCI: Will do.
Caller: All right, bye..
UCI: Thanks. Bye
