My one and only beloved sister gets married today and I need to attend to the Jewish community in the chapel. Up and about at 6:30am, I am ready to go. Small “Cafecito” in hand, and the move is called, on my way to the chapel.
Chaplain Hostler is in early. As I approach the chapel I could see through the large windows that the lights are on and the “Chapel Is Open” sign is facing out towards me. The door is unlocked, and I head in to say good morning to the chaplain and prepare for a busy morning.
I keep myself busy trying to not think too much about my sister getting married and not being able to be there, “This is all part of God’s plan”, I tell myself, and I begin organizing the rest of the books that were returned, in the library section of the chapel.
Service is over, its 9:15am and I am head back to my unit to prepare myself a small sandwich for lunch. I heat up a spam, get some pepperoni’s ready, and prepare the bread with gouda cheese spread, mayo, some olive oil and honey. Then I top the spam and pepperoni with some Nacho Cheese Dorito’s, and crunch it down with the bread-top. I wash that down with some water, and prepare another little cup of coffee before the officers come around for count.
Count clears, I take the “Rec move” and head to the chapel, Mr. Escudero is following me to go see movies in the chapel televisions. I set him up with the movie, “Fireproof” and then ask Chaplain Hostler to allow me to grab the garden hose, and give me access through the side door so I could clean the outside of the windows which face the Warden’s office building. With my small radio in my pocket, listening to K-Love 89.7FM, I begin to hose down the windows, and use the squeegee on a stick to begin cleaning. Using a small bucket with soap and water, I dip the squeegee and detail the windows.
I clean up everything I am using, and head inside to put it all away. Then I grab our binder full of worship song lyrics and step into the chaplain’s office. “What songs do you have in mind for service tomorrow?”, I ask him. We go through the binder and choose one song from before, and he selects a new song from the chapel MP3 player. I set out the 30 sheets of lyrics for each song with the sign-in sheet on a clipboard in the center of the two, on the small altar by the main entrance. It’s almost 2pm, and Mr. Escudero is ready to go back to the unit; we put the DVD away, and prepare to head back. I am done for the day, I say goodbye to Chaplain Hostler, and walk towards my unit. As much as I want to call my family today, I know they are busy getting ready for the wedding, so I may call later. I hope they took a enough pictures and are able to send them to me so I can see how beautiful everything was.
I head to my room, but am stopped by Mr. Campos so that I could help a new arrival with typing an e-request on the computer to medical. As I finish that one, a buddy of mine, Mr. Salas-Paredes comes over and asks if I could help him with one also. To me it is no big deal, and I am glad to do this for them, it takes me no more than 5 minutes. Back over to the Glasshouse, I get to my room with no interruptions, and find my roommate, Mr. Aquino preparing our early dinner. He has a small trash bag full of rice, mixed with two sliced-up sausages, seasonings including vegetable flakes and onions. In three small bowls he has made a base out of smashed wet plantain chips and in each one he put a pack of shredded beef and in mine added some jalapenos. The base was big enough to then fold over the meat, and compact it into a little “cake” looking thing, and that is what they consider here, a “Mofongo” (If spelled correctly, it is a Latin American dish).
Nearing count time, the food is done heating and is ready to eat. Now for the three of us included, Mr. Aquino uses a large spoon to equally separate the rice into our large bowls. Now time for the “Mofongo”. Each small bowl has one; he flips my small bowl over my large bowl and allows the “Mofongo” to drop onto the rice. Apparently now that it is flipped I could see he also put shredded cheese on the bottom, which is now the top layer. Oh this must be good, time to eat!
Too much to take down at once, so I leave half for later, drink the Pepsi that was gifted to me, and lay down for a little while. No work for me this evening, I was able to catch a quick nap before I decided to just get up because there was so much noise in the Glasshouse. Not much going on, I grab my radio and sit down to watch some television.
My sister is no longer Miss Valdes by this time. I hope she is having a great time. I am so happy for her. She seems to be on the right path to a beautiful future with an excellent guy and a cute puppy, until the day a fourth heartbeat joins her little family.
7:45pm, I just ate the other half of my food, and time to go wash the “dishes”. I’m thinking of eating a Snickers bar later on, we’ll see how I feel. I put all the bowls in the room and grab my stuff to shower. Mrs. Congeniality is playing tonight on Telemundo, so I would like to sit and watch it, even if it is in Spanish. After my shower, I will call the family, then end my night in front of the T.V., next to Mr. Aquino, with my Snickers bar.
Father God, today my sister begins a new journey in her life. She has taken all her steps in life according to what we may feel is the proper steps to take. She is doing so much good in her life, and now I can guarantee the medical field has new doctor who is and will always be honest, and caring for her patients. Standing at under 5 feet tall, I know she has the strength to lift anyone’s spirits and I know she will always be there for others. Please guide her, and remain in her heart Dear Lord, so that she may never change the way she is, and that she remain humble throughout the rest of her life. Dear God, bless my sister and her husband, oh yea, and Maggie, and let them forever live a love-filled life. Thank you Father God for everything you show us each and every day. Only good things from here on out my God, I pray and ask continuously for your love and guidance each and every day. Amen.
Eduardo Luis Valdes
02499-506
FCI Miami
November 9, 2024
20:50
