Week Three, Episode 5 THE ROBBERY

     When I first was transferred to Arn-2 maximum security unit, I did not like Dino.

She was a bully, always using her size and weight to intimidate other inmates.  I have

always been for the underdog.  Dino had followers, and she ruled by fear.  Her

demeanor was similar to the OZ character, Adabece.  The norm was to do what she

said, or get quietly roughed up. 

     I did not believe that robberies existed in prison.  There were no pistols, so how

would an inmate rob you?  It did not make since until I witnessed a robbery in progress.

    Dino ran the 2 for 1 store.  Many women from general population were her customers.

Coffee and pre-embossed envelopes were hot items.  Envelopes were like money. 

New admits were housed in Hale unit.  They were considered admissions inmates coming

Automatically, inmates were stripped of everything coming in.  They were issued state

uniforms and a $5.00 starter baggie of cheap cosmetics.  The starter baggie had a small

black comb, a small sample tube of generic toothpaste, a toothbrush that was no more

than four inches long, and a few deodorant packs.  There was also a small motel sized

bar of soap, and a small package of shampoo that was sample size.  The wait was anywhere

from one week to three weeks before an admissions inmate could shop.  When the counties

dropped women off, the money that was in their county account did not follow.  Some

counties were quicker than others.  If your family tried to by pass the wait, and forward

money to the prison so that you can shop, that still took time.  In state prison, the person

sending money had to be an approved visitor, and it took time to get visitors approved.

    If a newbie came in and knew someone from home, they would look out and buy

shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soap, toothpaste, a real toothbrush, a writing tablet,

and pre-embossed envelopes.  This care package was very important for survival in

admissions.  Even knowing someone willing to supply necessities on loan was appreciated.

Because so many women were there from Cleveland that knew me from home, I received

large care packages all day, every day.  That enabled me to hook up a lot of the women

in admissions with me that did not have anything. 

     "Who is she?"  They would ask about me.

     Some of the givers were genuine, but much of the gifts was a part of the unspoken

bribery norm. 

     'I look out for you now, and then you owe me a favor later', was how it worked.

  I guess the streets worked the same way, just not as obvious. 

      My enemies would also attempt to give me more gifts than friends.

    "Thanks, but I am good."  I said often, returning whatever they sent.

    Many people in prison live by a philosophy that dictates to keep your enemies close.

Not me.  I have been burnt too many times in life for that.  I keep my enemies as far away

from me as I can.  People give off energy.  Enemies host negative energy.  They thrive on

your mishaps and pray serious prayers to destroy you, and bring you down. 

    Who needs all that negative energy close to them?  Not me.

      My immediate circle has always been small and tight.  Because I am an introvert, I love

living my life alone, caught up and driven by my own thoughts and passions.

         Newbies could not write home to notify their families of their whereabouts or anything

without pre-embossed envelopes, therefore Dino had a thriving customer base from the

new women coming in. 

    Some of the women did try to play her, or simply could not pay up.

    "I didn't get my money yet.  My Mom said she sent it, but didn't.  I will pay you when I can."

The newbie would say.

     "Alright.  It's cool."  Dino answered.

     Once the women moved into general population, out of admissions, Dino would rob her.

     "I need to know where she works at, and when she leaves her room."  Dino told her flunkies.

    When she found out the times that the inmate was out of her room, she'd go pick the

combination lock.  In the back of each lock, there was an indent that allowed officers to open

any lock with one master key, without having the combination numbers.

    With a flunky on standby with a garbage bag handy, Dino would open the lock, fill filling

garbage bag, and have the patsy carry the bag across the yard to her unit door. 

     Many inmates keep everything of value in their locker.  Their personal pictures, expensive

sneakers, and clothing items were locked up at all times.  Dino always locked the lock back

and made sure to leave the room and area undisturbed.  As a result of her regular robberies,

Dino supplemented her two-for-one store without having to spend any cash.

     "Hey Turpin, I have a full bag of stuff for sale.  It has a pair of used sneakers that might

fit you also.  I will give you a deal- put 100 bucks on my books and you can have the whole

bag."  She proffered.

   "No.  I am good, but thanks anyway."  Was always my reply.

    I did not trust Dino, and I did not like her style.

   She preyed on other inmates, and was always waiting to catch them slipping.

   Essie was also a professional robber.  The difference between Essie and Dino was Essie would

only hit a lick for survival or if she had beef with someone.

    Because I had Lisa and Phala on my payroll for laundry and ironing monthly, I was exempt

and protected from all robberies.

   Lisa and Phala always shared money or canteen I gave them with Essie.  I was a good, regular

customer, and paid by the first of each month.  I also gave bonuses.  Many women scrub their

tennis shoes because they could not afford to buy new ones.  Being a tennis shoe scrubber

was also a hustle.  Many women knew how to make your own sneakers look like new. 

We were allowed sundry boxes every three months, and to order sneakers from Eastbay

sports catalog.  I loved fresh sneakers, and nice shoes.  I have always had a shoe fetish.

Although I could not feed it like I did at home with regular shopping sprees for shoes all

over the country, I did have the best selection of shoes in prison.  Every three months, when

I received new shoes, I gave my shoes to Essie.  We wore the same size, and I liked her.

Because of the realness I showed her, she guarded me like a pit bull. 

    "What are you doing by her room!"  or, "Get away from her!"  She would yell to everyone.

    Of course she was looking out for her own interest.  She was over 6 feet tall, and a heavy

weight, and did not mind putting in work.  She loved to fight on the streets, and it showed

each time she had to rough someone up.  Essie was my self-appointed goon.  Being robbed

was no longer an option for me.  I would have thrown the old shoes away anyway, as I'd

done when in main population, so it was a very cheap price to pay for loyalty. 

     Some women figured out what happened to their items, and others didn't, to this day.

Many of the officers called them liars.

    "You could not have had anything in your locker, or you passed your combination out.

This is prison.  Get over it."  The officers always replied.

      Phala and Lisa were happy to be on Essie's team.  As I stated previously, homosexual

activity is very different in a female prison than in a male.  Some of the females literally

will fight you for talking to their girlfriends, and the turn outs are the worse as far as

jealousy.  Nobody jumps anyone's bones.  Nobody forces an inmate to be in a gay relationship.

As a matter of fact, gay girls are in very high demand in female prisons, and keep an

entourage of women around them, weighing on them, hand and feet.    Its all based on

supply and demand.  There is never enough boy-girls in prison to go around. 

     The same issues that women suffer from on the streets follow them to prison.  If they

were stalkers of men, guess what?  The same behavior transfers inside prison walls, and

they stalk level four women.  Codependency is a big problem in prison.  Many women

are not comfortable being alone, sitting by themselves and doing their time.  They

displayed the same needy behavior when they were not in prison.   

      Sexual acts are labeled a 205.  They are not allowed, and are against the prison

rules, yet women take chances daily.  Prison life promotes homosexuality on many levels.

      If you have a friend or someone close to you that is facing prison time, the best

advice that you can give them is not to look for friends in prison, and to learn to sit

alone and be alone in this environment.  Inmates have many hours, days, and months

to contemplate their release and focus on making their lives better.  It is hard to

do, but a woman should make it mandatory while serving time- I love being alone,

and silence is really golden, because we do not get a lot of it inside the walls.

Rhonda Turpin

worldbookspublishing@gmail.com

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