I've only been behind bars twice, both times on piano related business. Once in the Harris County jail, and again today in Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana.
I did some checking earlier this week, as the name rang a bell, but didn't really know anything about it. Turns out it is a giant place that has been in existence for 150 years. Many of those years known for brutality and prisoner on prisoner violence. I expected the worst.
As it turned out, my time there (about 2 and a half hours) was pleasant. Well, it was hot waiting for my escort to show up at the front gate, but in all not bad for a prison. It's hard to tell the inmates are convicts, the ones I saw just wore street clothes. You would not mistake them for the guards, they were all in dark uniform.
Just going through the entry and exit procedures were enough to give one pause. My vehicle was really patted down by guys who wore t-shirt proclaiming them the "shakedown crew". Then I was sent into a building to stand in the "dog booth". I thought I had mis-heard. But sure enough, I stood in a booth while a fan forced my air into the face of a drug dog (next to the booth). Since he didn't bark or go nuts, I was allowed in. I suspect you would not want to get in there right after burning a doobie.
My tools were held for obvious reasons, the saw, files, etc. I was told if I were to bring in a screw driver and it got lifted, they would likely have to retrieve it from someone's back...
The grounds were beautiful, the convicts I met were nice guys, that I enjoyed meeting and talking with. The show is tomorrow night, I will go back at around 10pm to pull the piano, so I'll see the place day and night. Let you know what that's like...
It's bad when I'm the only one commenting on my blog. I still have the subject of people not doing there jobs well. They run the justice system. How many convictions were over-turned due to faulty lab results?
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