foto by smith
explanation of following journal excerpt – i’d served almost 10 of my 11.5 month jail sentence for armed robbery when the warden and the guards went to the judge and convinced him to let me out 36 days early.
(i apologize for using bigot words back then. i don’t anymore)
2 december 1969
Nicknames here: Squirrely, Tiny, Mule, Mole, Captain Marvel, Ferd Burfel, Quicksdraw, Cloth, Adam 12, Granny, Cockey-Suck, Sarge, Slim, Ringo, Fats, Slick, Blackie, Elf Ears, Mighty Mouth, Gnat, Water Rat, Snake, Hack, Nutsy, Corn Flake, Fish Cake… then there’s Dale Becker’s nicknames, Rat, Dale Evans, Becky, Rebecca of Sunny Brook Farm, Suzy Creamcheese, Faggot… and so on.
11:15 pm – well, did I blow it? Hope not – don’t think so. Long story: Tyrone and I started running Becker about 10:00 so he got up grabbed a newspaper and accidentally brushed Tyrone’s face… Tyrone pushed him some more and then Becky gets up and turns off his TV – says we can’t watch his TV anymore… then Whitacre pushes Becker for awhile then I get up and turn TV on again Becker unplugs it I plug it in he unplugs it tries to push by me I make him go around me and post… more verbal abuse from us all to Becker he takes TV up – later I come down and push him more verbally call him a faggot etc. he saying nothing I say can bother him says (or rather hints) that he’ll go down to baltimore and hurt my wife – then I say his wife is a lesbian and he jumps up orders me to shut up I call his wife lezzie again he picks up wooden chair I walk over to card table and tell group better not call Becky’s wife a lesbian cause he doesn’t like it then he throws the chair at me (he’s seven feet away) but misses me and breaks chair against post he picks up broken pieces and I walk over and grab the pieces he has in both hands but he won’t let go so I jerk the rung out of his right hand and smash it across his left hand and broke the rung and he drops the chair but picks up a jagged L-piece and I began wondering if he would beat my head in walked back to him and took this piece away also – thought about hitting him but aware of having only 20 days left so I turned around and took the piece upstairs and told Ed and Dolly and Mike what happened and that basically is it. I have witnesses and guards on my side and all – but maybe who knows – they took Becky out to the hospital to X-ray his hand for a possible broken finger. Damn, I can’t stand the thought of losing my 36 days I’m not getting out for Christmas. Nom myoho renge kyo. Find out one of these days. It will be all right – it must.
Thursday third december 11:10 pm – Becker’s finger is broken but the whole affair is being officially ignored. I went to hospital today had part of my ingrown toenail removed – wanted to put me in hospital for a day but I wouldn’t go for it… so my toenail may grow back. Was in much pain tonight and Becker gave me one of his pain pills – the pills he was given to take care of the pain from his finger that I broke… he’s odd.
foto by smith