Category Archives: Story

Story

A Barber Story

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By John Mercer

It was a warm summer afternoon, and I decided to get a haircut right after work.

I left my office just after five and started to walk the short distance to my regular barbershop. Along the way, I saw a new barbershop I hadn’t seen before. It had a sign on the pavement out in front, which read:

“Haircuts £10. Hot towel shave £15. Full treatment £20.”

I thought, what the hell. I may as well try a new place- at that price it’s hard to refuse.

I opened the door and stepped inside. Immediately my senses were awash with the sounds and scents of barbering- the aroma of lemon cologne, the faint hint of barbicide, the buzz of clippers and the clicking of scissors.

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Story

Probation – Part 03

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By Johnny Utah

Ryan and I were on our fourth day inside. It didn’t take long to settle into our kitchen duty routine. Get up, go to work, go to sleep. We didn’t have a lot of contact with the other inmate volunteers.

At that morning’s headcount things changed. After the guards counted us all present, one guard strutted down to me and Ryan.  “Both of you are going up to the Sergeant’s Disciplinary Office. Get up against the wall,” he ordered. We were frisked right there in the pod, the other inmates looking on. We had a leather belt with a metal loop tied around our waists. Handcuffs went through the loop.

“Click,” the handcuffs went on. “Down on yer knees!” Leg shackles with a connector chain to our handcuffs. We shuffled out the pod door to the Sergean’’s office across the hallway. We were just outside the closed door to the office when the guard said in a whisper, “Just go along and deny everything, you’ll like it.”

The guard gave one loud knock on the door and bellowed, “Two inmates for a disciplinary hearing!”

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Story

Probation – Part 02

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By Johnny Utah

We parked in front of the Probation Office. My stomach churned. I double checked that the car was locked. We walked over and rang the bell. Trooper Shaw was in the office, he was not in uniform. He strutted up to the door and unlocked it. “I wasn’t sure if you two had the balls to show,” he said. “OK, get in here.”

“Did you both take a piss before you got here?”

“Yes Sir,” we said at the same time.

“OK, just remember it’s a long trip, if you even think you have to go, do it before you leave here. Come on into the back office.”

We went into the back office.

“Empty your pockets. I’m gonna put all your stuff in these two envelopes. All I had was my car keys and driver’s license. Make sure the inventory is right then sign on the bottom line. Belts off too. The transport guard will frisk you before they put you in the back.”

“Time to get you chained up.”

I had butterflies in my stomach.

“You first,” he said to Ryan. He had Ryan put his right-hand palm down and then his left hand palm facing up over his stomach, then put on the handcuffs. Then Trooper Shaw took out a plastic box and put it over the cuffs making them a solid unit. The chain went around Ryan’s waist and then connected the box to the waist chain and the to the leg shackles.

I got exactly the same treatment.

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Story

Probation – Part 01

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By Johnny Utah

I’ve been through that intersection about a million times. Out on Maddox Road there are two stop signs about 30 feet from each other. If you’re going straight ahead, no one stops for the second one. No one. I should have stopped. I didn’t see the Maryland State Police SUV until he hit his lights. He was right on top of me in a second, right on my ass. I managed to pull over to the side of the road on a wide strip of gravel next to a drainage ditch. Early on a Sunday morning, no other traffic around so I’m not worried about anybody I know seeing me. I looked at my rear-view mirror and then my wing mirror and out struts a uniformed stud.

The first thing that hit me was just the mass of him, the space he took up. His chest was big, and his shoulders sloped up to his neck. He had a tight-fitting shirt with an obvious bullet resistant vest underneath. A walking column of muscle. He had a red, white, and black State of Maryland flag patch at his left shoulder. His biceps bulged out of the tight short sleeves, halfway down each short sleeve were three gold stripes of a sergeant.

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Story

Twenty-First Century Slavery – Part 04

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By convict 975468

One day Ted and Blake were ordered to a large area in the center of the new camp.  They saw other prisoners naked and washing while guards sprayed them with water from hoses.

They were told to strip and throw their clothes in the trash barrels provided.  Again their hair and beard were cut, as they had regularly been.  Soon their turn came they were sprayed with cold water and given soap to wash.  After that they were sprayed with an insecticide and washed again.  It was humiliating being naked in a group being sprayed with water.  The water was very cold – but in the end they were glad to be clean at last.

After they finished washing, they were then led naked over to the paved area, where there were trucks parked and tents erected.  The trucks were backed up to the tents and prisoners were being issued new uniforms.

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Story

Twenty-First Century Slavery – Part 03

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By convict 975468

Seated at the table in a tent at the center of the open area were the camp superintendent and several of the higher ranking guards.  They were talking with the military doctor assigned to the camp on a part time basis.  He was supposed to see to the medical needs of the guards and the prisoners, and advise the superintendent with regard to sanitation.

The doctor was expressing his concerns about the lack of bathing facilities for the prisoners.  He was not concerned about the plans for disposing of human waste on a temporary basis, but emphasized the need for washing.  The superintendent explained that the program and the camp had been established by executive order of the president, and that Congress had not yet approved the enabling legislation nor appropriated the funds.  Under these circumstances, there was not enough money to provide everything needed.

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Story

Twenty-First Century Slavery – Part 02

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By convict 975468

On the third or the fourth day—it was hard to keep track of time–the 12 civilian prisoners were allowed to dress in their own clothes.  Then they were chained up and moved by truck to the airfield, where they were taken into a military plane and locked to benches running along the side.  After a flight of several hours, they landed at another military base.  MP’s boarded the plane and unchained them from the benches.  They were led off the plane to an army truck, placed in the back, and secured.

Upon arriving at the base stockade, they were removed from the vehicle and led inside.  They went through two barred doors into a room with barred doors leading in several directions.  Their handcuffs and leg irons were removed and they were told to strip and put their clothes in the plastic bag given to each of them.  They were taken through the barred door to their right into what turned out to be a shower area.  They were sprayed with a foul smelling chemical and after a few minutes were allowed to shower it off.  They were issued olive-drab towels.  When they were dry, they were returned to the first room. The bags containing their clothes were gone, replaced by two stacks of skivvies and tee shirts.  One of the MPs said, “Civilians are not allowed to wear a uniform, so you’ll have to make do with these.”

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Story

Twenty-First Century Slavery – Part 01

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By convict 975468

Ted was summoned to appear before the local Citizens Council, with a warning to report or be arrested.  He wasn’t particularly concerned, but figured he might be confronted about some of his postings online. The worst he expected was perhaps to be harassed and instructed not to continue to post.  He decided to show up dressed casually.  He wore a nice pair of jeans, a polo shirt, and a light jacket.

As he approached the council office in the courthouse, he was stopped by a man in an intimidating black uniform with silver buttons and a silver insignia on his collar.  The officer ordered Ted to stop and demanded his driver’s license.  He examined the license and consulted a list attached to a clipboard. He then clipped Ted’s license to the board and told Ted to stand facing the wall with his toes touching it and his hands clasped behind his head.  When Ted objected, three other officers dressed in the same uniform appeared – each wielding a nightstick.  Ted was told to be silent and face the wall as ordered.  Realizing he didn’t have much choice, he did what he was told.  Ted didn’t realize that this was but the first of many humiliations he would suffer.

Ted, 35, at 6 feet and 185 pounds, black hair, brown eyes, was still buffed and in great shape.  He had had to struggle most of his adult life. Even though many jobs were being shipped overseas, Ted was lucky and at 18 got a good job at a cabinet factory.  He married his high school sweetheart, April.  They were able to buy a nice house, and in time had two kids.  Things were going great till the cabinet plant shut down.

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