Friends cont.

Posted by Cathy Jourdan at 2/14/2009 8:43 AM
Categories: Entertainment
“Sure baby, anything.” “What is it, son?” Tim hesitated. “Well, there’s this guy...my cellmate. His name is McWilliams and he’s been locked up a long time and he’s never had a visit. I was thinking, maybe next time you come, one of you could sign up to visit me and the other could sign up to visit him. I think you’ll like him.” “No one’s ever visited him?” Pauline asked curiously. Tim shook his head. “No one, his family’s dead.” “He didn’t kill them, did he?” David inquired with real concern. Tim rolled his eyes. “Of course not! He’s in on a drug abuse charge...he just couldn’t handle their deaths. David and Pauline looked at each other and then shrugged. “I guess we could do that.” his mom answered softly. Tim smiled to himself. He really had good parents. Hell, a lot of guys he knew didn’t ever get visits. McWilliams’ case really wasn’t that unique, except for the fact that his parents were dead. Actually, that had to be a consolation for McWilliams. It had to be way worse to have family out there who just didn’t want anything to do with you. Cheryl Figgins eyed Tim curiously. “So, did you have a nice visit?” she asked. “You’ve had quite a few lately.” Tim smiled and nodded at the middle-aged woman. Sometimes inmates made fun of her because she would try to act cool, but most of them felt that she sincerely cared about them and that’s something everyone learned to appreciate in prison. “Listen, I heard that your parents are visiting McWilliams also, is this true?” “Yeah, that’s right. They felt sorry for him because he doesn’t get any visits and I think...I am probably his only friend.” Cheryl raised her eyebrows and smiled. “That’s a very nice gesture.” “They’re nice people.” Cheryl leaned forward propping her elbows on her desk. “Remember what I told you guys in group, Morgan. You have acquaintances in prison who are sharing an experience with you, but I don’t think that developing deep friendships with other convicts is in the best interest of your rehabilitative program.” “I understand that, Ms. Figgins, but he’s been doing so much better since the visits.” Cheryl nodded. “Yes, he does seem to be in better spirits lately...just be careful.” Tim left her office feeling proud of himself and of his parents. He remembered what she had said in group, but he felt she was a bit dramatic. But, maybe that comes with the job. Plus, who knows, maybe she had a bad experience sometime in her many years in the prison system. He respected her, but sometimes he had to take what she said with a grain of salt. The sound of a football game on TV echoed loudly through the dayroom of the cellblock. Tim turned his back to the rowdy bunch of inmates perched on the bench in front of the television. One hand over his one ear, Tim pressed the telephone receiver tightly against his other ear.

 

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