First, hopefully this reaches you hale and hearty, as is said. I'm okay, though a bit shaken by the colossal upheaval today precipitated by the storm that blew through earlier. I didn't think breakfast was going to be in any one's reality here. They finally brought out a poor substitute for a rotten choice at 10:15 a.m. My celly, jewel that he is, has gotten between me and consequences about 9,000 times already...most of the time while it was still dark outside. If not for him, I would likely have fallen "up" the steps for awhile. The 12-8 shift went home early, I guess they needed to batten down the hatches or whatever, leaving the complaining multitudes for the 8-4 shift who were called in early.
The schedule was gone, no one knew anything, but I didn't get wet. Someone got a bright idea to turn on the T.V. and it may even have worked if not for the system the prison is on here being a satellite system which works only in the absence of all wind or global spin. So, we were trapped here. Every time there was a power surge the doors all opened and I won't describe what a joy that was!
When the worst of the storm finally blew through, after what seemed like a month, all was restored. We asked ourselves if the storm was an affliction sent from a displeased deity. All of this happened before 11 a.m. Things settled down grudgingly, getting back to the regular swing in here. This was helped by the fact that our breakfast and lunch were so close together. I don't have a view of the outside from our cell but I guess people were looking for someone to build an ark!
Just got your letter from April 1st from the Sgt. so I'll divert the letter I was going to write to respond to your letter. This place is such a zoo. I have to listen to everyone downstairs screaming over the T.V., which is working now, so the T.V. gets turned up, etc., ad nauseam.
Yes, my celly speaks enough English to be understood by me. Truth is often stranger than fiction. He maintains he is incarcerated for an offense committed while he was a younger man in Cuba. I see nothing to gain by pointing out the illegality of it. Although picking up another language is desirable (I speak a little Thai), I don't feel we have the teacher-pupil thing down just yet. I don't know if they have any multi-lingual books or self-helps in this library yet, although it is likely that they do have something. I will have to check it out.
It is well that I received the second wave of books you sent me. I was contemplating a criminal act to support my reading habit. I got them about 4:30-5:00 p.m. and I am already into Chapter III of "Oliver Twist."
I'm really glad you mailed the stamps to Happy. He does a lot of writing, though I never agreed to mail any stamps or envelopes to him no matter how much he says he needs or deserves them. I almost regret having him for a friend. Also, I'm glad you got my letter to Dad out. I feel it is important to remain accessible, if nothing else. Oddly enough, I also got a letter from him last week.
I won't keep you reading my boring existence long. Just wanted to drop you a line. When you visit, please try to get in as early as possible to get some food while the canteen guy is there. More later,
Love,
James
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