This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Mule Creek.
May 15, 2021
Hey there,
I hope I find you well and in God’s good graces. I am well. I spoke to you Thursday hence this letter. Anyways, I’d like to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to write you independently of the program you are working on.
Usually, men such as myself face stigmata because of our crime(s). We are often forgotten and or swept under the rug. I can tell you I am not my crime nor will I be defined by it. I have worked hard on myself and my rehabilitation. I no longer identify with what I used to be.
I will gladly share my life experience with you. No commitment, no pressure, no obligation. It’s just nice to correspond with someone from the free world. Someone who isn’t Mom, Sis, my brother or Dad.
I guess this can somehow be included in my COVID experience. So, I’ve gotten my GED, took a few college classes, I’ve learned two vocations and working on a third. I’m getting ready for when I get out. I can have some skills.
You’d be surprised about how many guys spend years incarcerated and leave with nothing. As far as marketable skills, and addictions, and they come back. Not me!
Well, for now I’ll end this with much love and respect. You take care and be safe. I truly hope to hear from you.
COVID experience in Mule Creek. It was worst experience I’ve gone through in all my time in prison. One day we get locked down, and overnight. (So it seemed) cases of COVID went from one to 100.
So, “they” the (administration) decide to put all who test positive in the gyms. They cram over 100 men and cots into gyms that do not have the facilities to deal or handle this situation. So, they put us in these gyms for 14 days, then we get cleared and the next bunch come in.
We weren’t given any type of sanitation solutions, one bathroom for over 100 men, and they did not have a plan. When I asked a nurse who is overseeing this operation, he told me, “It just depends on the time of day and who wants to do what.” I had gotten COVID in October and all this happen in December, January, and February.
Then you had the hard heads who refuse to take the COVID test cause they didn’t want to go to the gym, and that just made things worse. Because it prolonged the lockdown. This whole situation was more of an inconvenience than anything.
My family on the other hand was okay. My parents with underlying health conditions did not get COVID. They faced the same struggles that most Americans faced. My dad’s health did however, worsen and I may not see him again. I never thought that the last time I saw him was going or could be the last time I saw or would get to see him, only God knows.
During the lockdown I went from 6 foot 205 to 6 foot 218. The good thing is that we can now play sports again and within a week I lost six pounds.
Life in prison seems to be getting back to normal. I’m back in class working on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Some rehabilitation programs are now up and running. And I got a basketball game today.
So this ordeal was not as bad as it seemed. I usually go into things with realistic expectations and a clear understanding that only control myself.