From the Outside Looking Back: A True Story from Prison

The gray and tan of El-Reno Prison.

But still at times the unsound of a guard not making his rounds will wake me.

It took time to adjust. I still must have the door closed to sleep.

In El-Reno safety came only after lock-down.

There are so many lies about prison, so many suppositions and theories.

There was only one killing while I was there. It happened across the run from my cell, in a TV Room. A Mexican was beat to death with a horse shoe as he watched TV. I never knew that it happened until I woke up at 7:15 am to find my cell door still locked and sheets covering the windows to the TV Room.

The guards went from cell to cell comparing our photos to our faces. The man in the TV room was difficult to identify.

The investigation must have been thorough, people came from outside to investigate. I watched from my 18 x 6 inch window as people came and went from the sheet covered TV room across the way. His body was not moved until after 2pm. I figure he laid in his own waste for at least 7 hours.

It seemed strange to me when they delivered our sack lunches for breakfast and lunch while he lay there. But not so strange that I didn't eat my peanut butter sandwich when it was delivered and drink my cherry Kool-Aid from the square clear plastic bag it was delivered in.

Mail was hand delivered.

Someone at the yard filled in the horseshoe pits.

It was surreal. No one cared. No one wept. He worked in the same welding shop as I did. I liberated the tip off of his welder. I knew he wouldn't be needing it anymore. Mine was bent and warped from the heat. His was fairly new. Someone else took his welding hood.

This was four days later. The prison was locked down for 4 days during the investigation. We were taken from our cells one at a time and questioned.

Did you see anything ?

No sir.

Would you tell us if you did ?

No sir.

Do you know what happened ?

Yes Sir.

Do you know who did it ?

No Sir.

Do you feel like you are in any danger?

Not as long as we wrap this meeting up quickly.

Do you have any questions?

Yes Sir... How long will the lock-down last ?

Once the investigation is complete we will resume normal operations.

Will we be allowed to shower ?

They will unlock the cells one at a time this evening..

The lock-down let up before I ran out of library books, or tobacco. I had extra batteries for my radio.

We all knew the danger would be back when the cell doors were open.

I guess I'm rehabilitated.

I don't rob banks.
I don't sleep with my door open, or my house unlocked.
When I hold a horseshoe in my hand I feel a little like vomiting.

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