Pricey Reader,
As I write this letter to you it’s January nineteenth, 2026. I’ve been within the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for 31 days. One full month. I determine that could be a milestone worthy of penning one other letter to you. The time has concurrently crawled at a snail’s tempo and raced by faster than I can perceive. From everyday time strikes unbearably slowly. The day crawls by, I really feel as if I’m strolling by way of quicksand, each step an unlimited effort. A minute looks like an hour, and hour looks like a day. However on the similar time it feels as if simply yesterday I used to be surrendering myself to FPC Morgantown.
The one month milestone has been in a position to creep on me surprisingly rapidly whereas I used to be involved with how sluggish time has been passing. I used to be sentenced by Decide Dusty Coat, excuse me, Decide Denise Cote for a interval of 60 months of incarceration. One month down, 59 extra to go.
Jail is a very alien setting. The whole lot is seemingly backwards and designed to frustrate you. As many prisoners have stated to me, “BOP stands for Backwards On Goal”, they usually actually aren’t incorrect.
Here’s a fast instance, as a result of the US taxpayer is now answerable for my well being and nicely being I’ve been positioned on the ready record for a dental examine, cleansing, and any fundamental work that may be wanted (filling, extraction, and many others…). Being a logical particular person I concluded that the wait wouldn’t be too lengthy contemplating the inhabitants of FPC Morgantown is so low (round 160 inmates when nicely over 800 will be held right here) it wouldn’t take too lengthy for my identify to achieve the ‘prime of the record’.
I used to be then knowledgeable that the ready record consists of all inmates throughout the whole BOP at each facility. So regardless that our dentist right here solely has 160 folks to see, I have to wait for somebody in Oklahoma who’s larger than me on the record to obtain therapy earlier than I will be seen. Backwards on Goal. Nothing works logically or as anticipated.
On my twenty eighth day right here I acquired my A&O – Admission and Orientation – which is generally a field checking operation as we now have all been oriented by the opposite inmates within the 28 days we now have been right here.
In any case, we had been informed that being right here shouldn’t be a punishment. The punishment is the sentence the choose fingers down, the time away from household, being right here on the Federal jail is simply our house for a short while. They let you know this with a straight face whereas counting you 5 occasions a day, forcing you to work for slave wages, and limiting the variety of folks you possibly can talk with monthly. Not a punishment.
There are vaguely motivational posters positioned across the inside the housing unit. Most are so saccharine they make me queasy, I may do with out the ‘HR-ization’ of jail thanks very a lot. They’re all clearly printed from the web with out permission as they’re all pixelated to hell, however there’s one that’s my favourite. I get chuckle at any time when I stroll by it or give it some thought. There’s a vignette of a iron barred cell door with the phrases “You’re solely incarcerated by the partitions you construct your self”.
What a hilarious factor to place in a jail. I’d like to think about a CO or administrator placing that up as a result of they discovered it humorous, however I do know it’s extra possible somebody put it up as a result of they discovered it inspiring and insightful, which I suppose makes it even funnier.
Over the month I’ve been right here I’ve considerably succeeded to find a routine – one thing many individuals who’ve been to jail have informed me is important – and sticking to it. I get up on daily basis at 4:00 AM. This fits me tremendously as a result of I’m the one one awake at the moment and getting any kind of alone time in jail is surprisingly tough (at the least if you are normally inhabitants. In case you are in Solitary Confinement, it is rather simple).
Upon waking up I make myself what I’ve taken to calling a “jail latte” which is a mug of scorching milk created from powdered milk with two heaping scoops of Folgers prompt espresso added in. I accumulate my pen, pocket book, and my jail latte and discover a nicely lit space. The place that space finally ends up being tends to alter by the day, there isn’t a rhyme or motive as to which overhead lights the COs activate all through the week.
Often I find yourself within the frequent room or the pc room, which ever one has lights on or sufficient mild bleeding in from the hallway lights. I sit and write for the subsequent hour. I write these letters to you, a day by day journal, or responses to any mail I’ve acquired. I return to my bunk to await the 5:00 AM rely. At 12:00AM, 3:00AM, 5:00AM, 4:00PM, and 9:00PM (and 10:00AM on weekends) we have to be at our bunks as two guards come by our beds and rely us to verify we’re all nonetheless there.
I await the rely by starting my full physique stretching routine. I learnt this routine a few years in the past – throughout martial arts coaching – which focuses on stretching each main muscle group from neck to toe. It has change into a vital a part of my day since I get up so sore and stiff from the paper skinny mattress on the sheet steel bunk. Stretching makes me really feel considerably regular.
The 5:00 AM rely normally takes place round 5:20. Two guards stroll briskly by, their chains and keys jingling with their gait, they usually presumably rely you by shining a brilliant flashlight in your face – to be honest, just one specific CO does that, the others appear to be a bit extra courteous and conscious that individuals are nonetheless making an attempt to sleep.
Whereas stretching I hearken to my AM/FM radio. This radio is my prized possession, it connects me to the skin world in contrast to the rest in right here. At 5:00AM I tune to the native public radio station 90.5 which performs the BBC World Service information and documentaries. I look ahead to these day by day applications tremendously.
At 6:00AM the telephones and computer systems activate. I examine my jail e mail first. The computer systems aren’t like regular computer systems, think about as an alternative a 1990’s PC terminal with extraordinarily restricted performance and designed particularly to be as irritating as potential.
It prices $0.06/minute to learn, reply, and compose emails. So I attempt to be as fast as potential when studying and responding to any emails I obtain from my authorized contacts. Proper after checking e mail I name my spouse Lauren.
There are 8 payphone fashion telephones within the housing unit, however solely 2 of them work earlier than 5:00 PM. There isn’t a actual motive for this restriction. BOP, backwards on objective. The phone line is normally fairly unhealthy. You typically need to yell to be heard and a computerized girl interrupts you typically to announce a reminder that that is certainly a name from a Federal Jail, as if we weren’t conscious.
Regardless of the frustrations of the telephone system I stay for that 6:00AM name. You solely are allotted 510 minutes monthly, and probably the most you possibly can spend on the telephone in a single session is quarter-hour. You then want to attend half-hour earlier than you should use the telephone once more.
Nevertheless, 510 minutes means you possibly can solely make a single 15 minute telephone name per day and be left with three 15 minute telephone calls additional for the month. So, I name Lauren as soon as per day for quarter-hour and place one 15 minute name to my mom, my father, and my grandmother monthly.
Rationing the telephone minutes is annoying, ensuring I’ve sufficient minutes left to make the calls I need to make is one thing I examine and double examine each week. However to not fear, being right here shouldn’t be a punishment, rationing my connection to the skin world have to be a type of partitions I in-built my thoughts.
After my 15 minute name concludes I alter into athletic clothes and head in the direction of the recreation constructing which normally opens round 6:30 to 7:00 AM most days. I’ve made a good friend in right here and we play handball collectively most mornings for about an hour. It’s good train and a enjoyable sport to play. A pleasant option to kill and hour. If we don’t play handball I attempt to spend a while doing cardio or energy coaching within the health club, relying on the day.
By 8:00 AM I’m again within the housing unit on the point of make breakfast. I normally make oatmeal with dried fruit and honey, however typically will go for a vanilla protein shake. I buy all this stuff from the commissary weekly. I select to make each my protein shake and my oatmeal with powdered milk as an alternative of water, for additional protein and since it tastes higher and creamier than simply utilizing water.
Since I not go to breakfast within the chow corridor at 6:00AM I do not need entry to any milk cartons. I as an alternative purchase the powdered milk and both add scorching water to it for oatmeal or chilly water for the vanilla shake.
I choose to prepare dinner for myself at any time when I can now. By this time I’ve turned off the general public radio station, the BBC world service is off air and has been changed by NPR, which is so self vital and out of contact that I can not stand to hearken to it. I change to 101.9 FM WVAQ the place a enjoyable and informal “drivetime” radio present is airing. “Josh and Nikki within the morning” provides an off-the-cuff and humorous morning present that’s simple to hearken to. They play regardless of the hits of the day are, which I don’t acknowledge in any respect, however most of what they play is kind of catchy.
There’s one track carried out by a feminine singer happening and on about “Ophelia”. I’m not 100% sure however I believe it might be Taylor Swift. I benefit from the track which I assume makes me a Swiftie? Possibly somebody will write me a letter telling me who sings that.
After my breakfast, at round 9:00 AM I like to begin my job. I even have two jail jobs, however one is just on weekends. The one I do day by day at 9:00 AM is “Lavatory Orderly”. Orderly is a flowery phrase for janitor.
At 9:00 AM I shut the B-Wing toilet and start the grueling and albeit disgusting means of cleansing up after 80 males who seemingly are incapable of cleansing up after themselves. I’m offered two rags, a sprig bottle of disinfectant, a straw broom, and a musty mop. I’ve provide you with a system that appears to be environment friendly and probably the most sanitary.
I sweep the complete toilet and bathe room first, making an attempt to get all of the pubic hair and mud into piles I can sweep into the dustbin. Afterwards I spray and wipe down the shelf and sinks utilizing one of many allotted rags. I wipe away any hair or cleaning soap scum left within the sinks and guarantee they’re spotless.
I then transfer on to the showers, spraying the shelf, bench, and tap deal with and wiping them down. Once more, I’m aiming to take away errant hairs and mud. Typically there are different issues I have to wipe up that’s not match to debate on this letter, however you should use your creativeness.
As soon as the showers are full, I wash out the rag and transfer on to the urinals. I wipe the highest (how on the earth does pubic hair get onto the highest of a urinal. Please expensive reader, I can not determine it out) and sides, and most significantly the rim. It isn’t very good, however it doesn’t take too lengthy and it’s satisfying when it’s performed.
As soon as the urinals are performed I transfer onto the bogs. Spraying the bowl, the rim, the seat, the flush deal with I wipe the underside of the seat and the rim down. I exploit a bathroom brush to clean contained in the bowl. Lastly I take the one unused rag and first wipe the handles of the flusher after which the highest aspect of every rest room seat. As soon as all that’s full I mop the complete flooring together with the showers and every toilet stall.
It normally takes about 45 minutes to an hour. I work up fairly a sweat however I attempt to do job as I additionally use that rest room and I choose my toilet to be clear. As soon as completed I take a bathe. One of many solely perks of the job of loo orderly is that I get to make use of the toilet whereas it’s freshly ‘clear’, earlier than anybody else has the chance to desecrate it.
By 10:30 I’m performed with the bathe and and the remainder of my day is free. I’m nonetheless engaged on fill this a part of my day into my routine. Proper now I largely learn and nap, after which learn and nap some extra.
I hope to change into extra productive with my time quickly. Possibly I’ll take some courses when some change into out there to assist fill the time. I attempt to keep away from the a number of TV rooms because it appears largely stuffed with individuals who do nothing else however watch TV and get fairly territorial in regards to the distant. Many occasions every of the TV rooms can be enjoying the identical soccer sport, which I’ve no real interest in watching. So, TV shouldn’t be a dependable or desired option to go the time.
I can not consider it has been one month already. It typically looks like I’m caught in a foul dream I can not wake from. An never-ending nightmare that me and lots of others right here with me reside. Probably the most we are able to do is work out a option to make the time go by as rapidly as potential so we are able to get again to our households and our lives. One month down, 59 left to go.
Thanks for studying,
Keonne Rodriguez
Write to Keonne:
Keonne Rodriguez
11404-511
FPC Morgantown
FEDERAL PRISON CAMP
P.O. BOX 1000
MORGANTOWN, WV 26507
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This can be a visitor submit by Keonne Rodriguez. Opinions expressed are completely their very own and don’t essentially mirror these of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Journal.