Friday, last day of February 2025. No need to hurry waking up. I am feeling under the weather with a slight cold. I need to get better before Sunday’s visit with family.
7:15am, turning and sitting up on my bunk to fold my sheets and then hop down to the chair below. I’m walking to the restroom with my comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, and hair gel. I do what I need to do and go back to my room to ge dressed. Today there will be room inspections, so I need to make sure my area is in tip-top shape. My roommate went to work at 7:30, thankfully he left all his things organized like always, so it was simple for me.
First the officer from our unit made his rounds and checked the rooms, and later the lieutenant in charge of sanitation made his rounds, until finally the Warden, Associate Warden, and Captain made their rounds, greeting everyone as they came through and giving thumbs up to those who’s rooms were up to par or better.
As they leave our unit, we all get ready for them to call for lunch. The menu for today reads breaded fish, so let’s see. I prepare the wheelchair and find Mr. Rivero sitting near Mr. Campos, so I park the “Cadillac” next to Mr. Campos’ “Convertible”. HAHAHA, these older guys are too much.
Chow is called, and we are off! Out of the unit, towards and around the lake, over to the dining room, grab our trays and sit down to enjoy what was baked fish instead, with white rice, cole slaw, two slices of wheat bread and some apple sauce.
Heading back to the unit, no need to rush, stomache is full. Mr. Rivero is back at his room, wheelchair is folded away. I drink some cold water and prepare myself a cafecito, and wait for the 12’oclock move.
A Nation of Islam member waits with me as his service is at 1pm, and he likes to try and be there early, he is very disciplined and respectful. As soon as the move is called we head to the chapel, to find that no one is there. We stand by the lieutenant’s office until the move ends, and then head back to our unit before getting told we are “out of bounds”.
1:15pm, there is still no move called. I feel congested still so I head to my room and lay down. I fall asleep real quick, but wake up at nearly 2pm, where I find out something was going on in the special housing unit, so I change into comfortable clothes, and get under my sheets to try and take a deeper nap; there is definitely not going to be a move until after count.
I’m up at 4:11 for count, brush my teeth and notice my roommate had prepared a meal for the two of us while I slept. I can’t thank him anymore, he is truly a great guy. Once I eat, I washed the bowls and utensils we used, and return them to our room, grab what I need and take the move over to the chapel for the Jewish services.
The only chaplain tonight is our Muslim chaplain. I help him with whatever he needed, then headed over to my desk to file some papers for the classes he gives and organize the binder. Nearing the time to give out the bread and juice, I head into the office storage room with him, and he is preparing the amounts needed for each group. I take what is needed to each group seperately and wait for them to finish their prayers.
I ask him, “Chaplain, which chaplain will be here tomorrow morning?”
Chaplain: “No chaplain will be here, the lieutenants will open the chapel”.
Me: “Okay, then we will prepare the things like we always do”.
Chaplain: “Wait, wait, go, we do it after they all leave”.
As soon as all the guys leave the chapel and the chaplain closes up, I see him going back into the storage room and grabbing a dozen bread rolls, and five 8oz juice bottles and take them over to the Orthodox locker.
Me: “Chaplain, why don’t we put the bread and juice in my locker, and tomorrow I will give them what they need.”
Chaplain: “This is what I am going to give them, they can just take all of it.”
Me: “But that might not be enough, more guys come on Saturday, and it could be an issue if they don’t have the right amount.”
Chaplain: “Don’t tell me how to do my job.”
Me: “Chaplain I just think it would be better if I give them the right amounts tomorrow from my locker, and return what is left over as soon as a chaplain is here; this is the same thing we do everytime a chaplain is not available”
Chaplain: “Policy does not say I have to do this.”
Me: “I understand chaplain, I am only going by what we normally do, and policy is also giving them a four ounce cup because you are supposed to fill the cup to the rim, and if you give them the eight ounce cup with only four ounces of juice, it is against policy, and I am telling you this because it is what I have learned from the other chaplains.”
Chaplain: “Let’s go, I am tired of arguing with you”
I head back to my unit and it does not look like I may be going back to work for this man. Walking into the Glasshouse, I get to my room and grab what I need to shower. Once showered, I call home to check on everyone, and then sit down to watch television until count time.
10:15pm, count just came through, and the night is over for me. I am going to sleep in hopes of waking up tomorrow not feeling as sick from this cold as I am feeling right now.
Lord Father God, I want to see this obstacle through Your eyes, to trust that Your purposes are in it. Your Word says that the testing of my faith produces patience and that when I’m not sure what to do, I should ask you for wisdom and You will give it to me [James 1:2-5]. I want to jump in and fix this situation myself, but I admit that I don’t know enough right now to act. Show me how and when to get involved, and remind me to seek your purposes in this. Thank you Lord, and it is in your name Jesus I pray, Amen.
Eduardo Luis Valdes
02499-506
February 28, 2025
22:24
