Inspection day today.
I am awake early, dressed and ready to go before 7am.
Counselor Cornavaca is in early, so I head up to his office and ask if there is anything I could help with, before heading back to the Glasshouse and helping clean up.
I grab my spray bottle and I ask “Tier” for a rag. In my pocket I have an old toothbrush to get into those small tight spots, and a larger brush just in case. I wipe down all the railings, window sills on the main windows of the Glasshouse, dust off the steps and much more to get this place spic and span before inspection. These are things we need to do throughout the week, which I plan to do, but I recently was assigned as an orderly here in the unit by my counselor as he asked I help him out until I get assigned to another work detail.
Time flew by cleaning up, it’s almost lunch time. Today being Thursday it should be chicken on the bone. I notice Mr. Rivero is ready to go, I clean up and put my uniform on and sit by him to wait for the call. At the call of chow, we were not the first out the doors but we were first getting around the lake and over to the dining room. I grab one tray and hand it down to Mr. Rivero, then the other tray and wheel him over to the tables. Mr. Rivero places both trays on the table, and slowly stands from the chair to sit at the table; I fold the wheelchair and put it aside. I head to the ice/water machine, grab two small cups and fill them up for the two of us, then head back to the table. These do not look like they came from a chicken, they are so big compared to the size of what a real chicken would be. I begin to eat mine, and Mr. Rivero tells me it is too much for him and gives me the thigh portion of his chicken. Once we finish, Mr. Rivero gets back into his wheelchair and as I push him with one hand, I carry our two trays with the other hand over to the dish room, drop them at the window and continue out the door where we come up to several officers waiting to do a pat search on us making sure we did not try to sneak anything out of the dining room.
We continue on around the lake and back to our unit. After folding the wheelchair away, I head to my room and grab a cafecito. I am told once lunch is completed they will be coming around for the inspection, so we sit and wait. There is so much noise in the Glasshouse, but my eyes are shutting, so I lay down for a little while. Not even an hour of rest, I can’t stay laying here with all this noise, there is no way I will sleep. I get up out of my bunk and look around the Glasshouse to see what I could clean up. I head to the stairs in the rear, grab a small broom and dustpan, and sweep the stairs and rails completely. It is unbelievable how much dust/dirt there was. I will need to take some time one day, grab a deck brush with some disinfectant, soap and water and scrub those steps, but not today.
Almost count time, going to put my chairs out on our spots on the flat to watch television later. As we wait for count to come through, I put my shoes on as well as my cap to go to dinner. I grab my daily devotionals and read through them. From the “Jesus First for Men 365 Devotions to Start Your day”, the title is “In Return”.
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”
[Luke 6:37]
In this place, if you are not careful, you could spend your day judging others and what they do. At times I do tend to judge, but other times I am the one who stops someone else from judging. Which now makes me bring to mind, if this country was brought up as, “One Nation Under God”, why do we (inmates), get judged so poorly without truly knowing who we are, or what type of life we have lived, yet we are put through a system that allows us to learn new things which help us reduce our risk of recidivism, yet when a request to drop a sentence length or ask for a second chance, we are denied saying we are a risk to society. So I do my best, keep my hopes up, and continue doing as God wants me to do, and leave everything else to Him. Even when most judge me for how hard I work, how detailed I am in the things I do, even here in prison where no one seems to care as much as I do, I will continue to work, doing my best, and only “doing what I do for God, not for mankind” [Colossians 3:23]
Tonight they are serving what is supposed to be chicken alfredo. The officers come through and head out, I wait until the phone service turns on and I try calling dad. As soon as they call for chow, I head out of the unit without Mr. Rivero, as he stayed behind to eat something he prepared with Mr. Campos. Once in the dining room, I grab my tray and sit with my roommate. My noodles were not cooked completely, but it at least gave the meal a little crunch. Man I miss Olive Garden.
I head back to the unit where I try calling dad again. I hope he is doing okay, there is no answer so I send him an email. I think he told me he would be flying somewhere, but I must have forgotten the schedule. On to my room I go, and grab my lyrics folder and my tablet, prepare for the 6pm move to recreation.
On the move, I walk out with my roommate, as we are going to the band room to practice our songs for Sunday Christian Service.
We spend a good two hours practicing; time really flies when you are having a good time. Finally at 7:45pm we begin picking everything up, and say a prayer before heading out.
Walking around the lake passing each unit, and listening to the sounds of nature, it is truly a peaceful evening. As I get to my unit and walk in, I go directly to my room and drop off my things, then straight to the phone to call mom, we talk for a few minutes, and I ask her to tell my sister I will be calling her later, then I go take a shower.
After putting my shower things away, I rush to the phone to call my sister before the phones get shut off, and we flew through the full fifteen minute call. Now it’s time for some “Gutfeld” on Fox News, wait for count, then goodnight.
Father God, thank you for this day and all that has come with it. Thank you for guiding me and protecting me. As it reads in the devotional book, “Dear Jesus, I know I am not worthy of your forgiveness; please teach me to share it with others willingly. Teach me to be a blessing to those around me today.” I ask Father God for a peaceful night sleep and a great day tomorrow, if it is according to Your will. Amen.
Eduardo Luis Valdes
02499-506
March 20, 2025
22:24
