So, it’s January 29th around 6am and I’m getting ready as my friend who is driving me is expected by 7am. I had my last shower as a free man and was thankful my wife had gone out and gotten me a bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll (with salt, peper, and ketchup). I wanted to at least have eaten before getting on the long drive to Otisville.
Now it’s 7am, and all of the Core 6 are mulling around the dining room to say their “see you laters”. No good-byes, but see you laters. Now this was the worst feeling and moment in my life. Having to hug and kiss my loved ones, my kids, and wife one last time was gut wrenching. My eyes had welled up with tears as I hugged and kissed them all, but what kept me going was the thought, “I gotta get this started. I have to start my time away, so that I can get back home”. It was that simple. I knew if I delayed this any more, my trip home would only be further delayed and I didn’t want that. Plus, I had to get inside as soon as possible, so I can be approved for a furlough to attend the wedding. This was all I was thinking. I will do whatever I need to do to get to my daughter’s wedding. I plan to do at least one mitzvah every day.
I will continue to write about the full journey, but for now I will outline my first day below:
– Drove to Otisville with friend after putting the Post Office in the GPS
– Receive texts from the family the whole trip
– Oscar did his best to keep me distracted
– Stopped at Otisville Post Office first. Mailed 2 packages to Otisville
– Took the wrong turn, and went to State Prison and was told it’s the other way. Thankfully it was the wrong prison. State had all barbed wires and bars and cells
– Final drop off to A1 building at Otisville
– The Deacon said hello to me
– Guard reviewed my bag of personal belongings
– Went through the metal detector
As I went through the metal detector, the guard asked me, “Got any drugs or contraband in there?”…. and I said “no”, and then he asked me as we were done with the metal detector and back in the next room, “So why are you here so early? It says February 28th as your surrender date” and I reply “I have my daughter’s wedding in July” and he replied “Good man”
– Changed clothing
– Strip search
– Took my prison photo
– Guard handed me a pencil and asked me to initial and sign at the bottom
– Took my fingerprints
– Put me in prison cell #1 (waiting for medical)
– Medical arrives and does TB test
– Put me in prison cell #2, waiting for Nurse
– Nurse assesses my drug prescriptions, and glasses
– Nurse walks me to another part of the building. She didn’t tell me to wait for her so I followed. The guard says, “hold on there partner”
– Put me in prison cell #3 – wait approximately 45 minutes
– Nurse walks by the cell and asks “why the sneakers?” I say I have plantar fasciitis” and she says ok
– Guard comes into the cell and gives me my sneakers
– They give me a windbreaker and bunk bedding and tell me to walk up the hill to the left
– It’s 40 degrees and I am walking on my own and with my hands full
– At a fork in the road, I ask a guy on a small john deer vehicle which way to go and he points
– I approach a camp and a camper walks me to the camp counselor and he say to get a mattress
– We get the mattress and I go with the camper into the camp and take a low bunk with a friendly fellow
– We then go to the warehouse and I meet the camper who helps me get fitted for all of my clothing.
– I went back inside, and my bunk was moved to a top bunk. This is truly a BLESSING! More on that to come
– I meet approximately 25-30 campers. I forgot to eat lunch as I ended up talking my way all the way to dinner
– One awesome camper made me feel at ease about the showers telling me he is in charge of them and he keeps them clean and in tip top shape, so I have nothing to be worried about. This ends up being a huge BLESSING! More on that to come
– At night, one awesome camper tells me about a potential job at the camper. Another blessing
Anyway, that was my first day. Stay tuned for more”
