“Good. Peace, brother.” Frank saluted, and I moved around the yard to converse with the other inmates.
As time passed and the guards let us back to our cells, I visualized my exit and how I planned to come back into society. Could I go back to the Outlaw Souls? Or would I have to straighten up and fly right? Maybe I would just work on the farm and leave the rest alone. As sleep called me, I floated off to think about the sensual social worker and what I had to look forward to.
In my dream, she entered the meeting room.
“Colt, I came to see you. When I saw you last time, I knew I had to come back. I find you to be irresistible. I have to be with you.” She ripped open her white collar shirt and revealed her ample breasts. She slid down her skirt and crawled across the desk to meet me, sitting in my lap.
I woke up sweaty, embarrassed, and hard from the fantasy.
Errol was brushing his teeth and spitting out the contents in the sink. I could smell the minty freshness of the toothpaste. Not many odors got away from my nose due to the coziness of the cell. I stretched my tight muscles and yawned.
“Hey, farmer. You better do what I’m doing. Aren’t you seeing that social worker soon?”
Dazed and confused from my slumber, I replied slowly. “Yeah. Ought to be. I don’t know what time, though. That prick Raymond wouldn’t tell me.”
“You better be up for shower time before she gets here. She doesn’t want to mix with a stinky farmhand,” Errol replied in amusement. He’d used some water and a little gel to slick back his hair and twirl the ends of his mustache. He was one of the stranger characters I’d met in the jail, but I was grateful I was in the cell with him and not some of these other freaks.
“Shut up. I’ll be ready,” I countered.
As soon as it was mentioned, Raymond’s click-clacking boots came down the corridor to our cell. “Colt. Shower time is now if you’re going to go. Be ready. Twenty minutes later, you have a meeting.”
His mustardy stained teeth made me flinch. Someone should have alerted him to his mouth hygiene. Raymond clicked the cell open and tapped his slick black baton as normal. A veiled threat. I eyed him closely and sloped away from him and out of the cell. My towel was hung over my shoulder as he walked behind me to the showers.
Every time I came to the showers, I cased the shower block, looking both ways like when crossing the road. In the shower was the time when prisoners got stabbed with homemade shanks designed to take one another out at their most vulnerable moments. My muscles were coiled like a cobra, ready to fight should I need to. Today, the showers were free, and no one was in them. I lathered up and let the hot water hit my skin. I opened my mouth and let the water trickle in. My bunched-up muscles relaxed a little but not much.
It took three minutes flat for me to wash from top to bottom and dress in the sandy brown uniforms of USP. I peered at myself in the mirror, clenching and unclenching my jaw at the small mirror sink. Pretty good for being in jail for close to five years. I decided to leave the light stubble on. Ladies liked a little two o‘clock shadow from what I knew. Amber’s sweet California smile made me suck in a breath as I thought about what type of man she might like.
“Hey, pretty boy. Are you keeping out of trouble?” I heard a teasing voice come from the left. I retracted my fingers to form a fist on each side. I turned to the voice, ready to take down whoever was speaking.
“Whoa, player. It’s not that serious. It’s just me,” Dante, an African American with dreads, pleaded, holding up his palms. Immediately, I released my hands as he hung his towel, ready to shower.
“You never know. You know how it is, Dante.”
“I sure do. I’m not wrangling with you, though. That’s for sure,” he claimed, giving me the once-over.
“How you holding up?” I asked him as I brushed my teeth.
“Man. I’m all right. Got my fill here. A day in jail is longer than anybody should be in here. I have six days to go, and then I’m out. I have to get a new hustle,” Dante responded in frustration.
“You and me both. I got six months of torture to go,” I replied.
“Okay. Good. No offense, but I hope I never see you again.” Like me, Dante took a quick shower and towel-dried fast.
I laughed. “Agreed. See you later, man,” I said and waited for the guard to return so I could head back to the cell.
Raymond gave me a look over as he returned, as promised, twenty minutes later.
“Okay. Time to go see your mistress.” Raymond sneered. “I tell you what, I wouldn’t mind knocking her down. She has a nice rack, huh?”
I felt every part of my body tense with the urge to crack this guy’s skull open. I wrangled with myself to keep my face neutral. “I guess if that’s what you like.”
I walked in front and towards the daylight of the prison meeting rooms.
Raymond replied, “Oh, what, do you like men? Do you like some of these boys in here? I can line you up with one if you like.” His hot, rancid breath hit the side of my neck. Again, I didn’t fold.
“Nope. I only like women.” I waited at the locked door for him to open it.
“Good to hear, prisoner. I wouldn’t want you to become a prison bitch,” he threatened.
