Letter 7

Dear Renelle,

I’m so excited about getting to see you and my Mom tomorrow, I can hardly contain myself! It’s only as trying being here as is expected. At least nothing uncommon lately. Hopefully, the two of you have an uneventful drive up here—it just wouldn’t do for me to be the more alert of us while we visit, now would it?

The ways they try me here continue to grow as fast as I can list them! As it turned out (for me), quitting smoking when I did was a really good decision; they’re taking all tobacco out of prisons in ___. Don’t know what this will lead to or how successful it will be, as I found out only last night; and I wonder too at the constitutionality of the restriction, as no one will be able to have tobacco products while on the grounds of prison. Seems a little far-fetched to me, but what do I know?

I’m letting events coalesce in my mind right now, as I’m writing an unauthorized biographical account of my life so far. I realize the apparent mistake—unauthorized, but it would take many pages before I’d be able to make an explanation that would even come close to being O.K. with me, and I’ve made the choice not to, as it would take me too long. Think I’m getting a knack for titles? I call this version “Reverb’d.” What do you think?

Well, “lunch” just rolled in, so I’d better practice eating! At least I’ve got my wits still. Hopefully, the kitchen made a mistake and put some salt on/in with the “food.” Hey, it’s my fantasy—work with me.

There, now it wasn’t so awful bad as I made it out to be (I’m lying through what’s left of my teeth!). Keeps me alive for the visit, at any rate.

My main difficulty in writing now (aside from practical considerations), is maintaining continuity of content of what has already been written by me. I’m still at a stage where I’m trying different literary voices and searching for the one that works best for the Muse (all-powerful) I worship now. I find that putting aside what I’m writing for a moment (no longer, or I lose it) works often for me.It has limited success at times, though—as now.

I was drawn into a conversation with my celly, and that happens so seldom that I was that much easier side-tracked.

At any pace, it’s now about 15 hours from the visit and I need to put an end to this so it can be started on its way to you. Thousands of little tiny details are constantly going through my head, I don’t think I can sleep until afterwards. Anyway, ‘nuff out of me.

Your friend,

James

Additionally—my celly’s mystery-shrouded conversation, mostly, was about the facts—he’s a 51-year-old Cuban in prison for a crime he committed almost 3 decades ago! Since he doesn’t speak a lot of English, he’d like to know if he could be “put out there” on Facebook or Twitter, maybe. His name is ___, and he’d really appreciate it if he got advertised on a page as seeking a Hispanic pen pal. I really have to go now. Stop talking—please. . . .