November 18th. I just reached Talladega County Jail. The feeling is overwhelming; it’s a brand new place and my first time in jail. I expected the day to be tough. I was placed in protective custody and locked up for three hours. It hit me hard when I realized solitary confinement would be difficult, so I requested release into the general population.
I was released and moved into cell 3107. I spent the day getting to know myself and completing my five daily prayers. It was a day to settle in. Can you tell me the story about the person who said, “Come out, come out”? I was overwhelmed with anxiety about whether to trust the people in my pod, and I was also overcome with grief at the thought of being alone for 23 hours a day. I felt stuck at a crossroads when inmates came to me and called out from behind the officer, asking if I wanted to come out.
With a bright face, they said, “Come on, it’ll be okay, come on out of protective custody.” Even though I had made a commitment not to trust anyone, the face of Lou was so bright and inviting that I found myself grabbing my things and moving to the population.
While in my first cell in protective custody, I realized there were murals and wall drawings all over the cell, which I didn’t anticipate since I thought you weren’t allowed to draw on the walls. The drawings ranged from violent to pornographic, and many were filled with profanity. Yes, I rested my head on the first day and began my journey.
