The Day Before My Release

I get up at 5 to do Pilates and meditate as usual. After I get to work the release department confirms that I will be released from state prison custody tomorrow. Because I have an immigration hold, the Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents under Homeland Security will take me into federal custody.

My supervisor unassigns me from my job position. He gives me a ducat that notifies my parole. That is a ducat every prisoner wants to have. I receive a book From Ike to Mao, a memoir by Bob Avakian. Dolly Veale sent it to me. I don't know whether I'll be able to read it.

The seven hours at work fly by.

My friends plan to cook some food so we can celebrate my release. However, about 2:30 in the afternoon, a riot jumps off on the higher security part of the prison. Rumor is that 200 Blacks and Northern Mexicans get into a melee. The prison is on lockdown briefly. It ruins our plans to celebrate.

My bunky Marc cooks Chinese sausage, curry mackerel fish, and spicy mackerel fish for dinner. The meal is delicious.

I clean out my property. I make sure that I have paper, pens, stamps, envelopes, cosmetic items, and the necessary paperwork to take with me. Of course, I have to have my phonebook.

I leave all my books to Marc so he can read them and share them with others.

After I shower, I go around each dorm to say goodbye to everyone I know. Everyone I talk to is happy for me. Some of the life prisoners tell me that I give them hope. They express that they feel like they are going home. Some ask me not to forget those I will have left behind. I promise them that I will get in touch after I'm settled. It takes me an hour and fifteen minutes to finish saying goodbye.

I write a few letters to people to let them know it is my last day in prison.

The last thing I do before I go to sleep is write in my journal.