but the best part . . . I got out!

Was able to visit AV today at the pretrial facility. We had a nice talk – I do feel a bit bad because I had no clue that the prisoners are only allowed two visits – TWO – each week. She will now be unable to have visitors, outside of attorney visits, until next Thursday! Ack! That was NOTon the message phone – nor was it on the website. I understand that it was just recently changed.

Gah! Now she won’t even be able to have a Christmas visit!

But – as I said – we had a nice talk and got some things out and fleshed out and we are on good terms. For that I am thankful.

Please do continue to lift her up – it’s going to be a long road ahead of her.

But, MaryLou left a comment on my original entry about this. She mentioned something about how they (the ever so infamous “they”) treat the visitors like the enemy. Oh, so very true.

I walked up and pushed the button at the gate – and then waited and waited for someone to answer. The wind was cutting right through me! Finally when they did answer I jumped several feet inches because even though I was expecting it, I wasn’t expecting it, you know?

Then I had to wait awhile longer while they checked to make sure I could come in to visit.

When I was admitted to the building I came into a waiting area – nobody was there to greet me, tell me what to do, where to go, or anything. So I took a seat and waited. Another person came in – someone who works there – someone who I recognized from the “outside” and I asked if I was just supposed to wait there. He said yes, and was buzzed inside.

Another person came in – another visitor and she and I chatted for a bit. Finally a young officer came out to greet us and take our id to record the visit – then went back inside, I guess to check on our ids and to make sure we weren’t wanted or something.

A bit later he came out, escorted the previous visitors out, and waited until our people were inside their little cages before he let us enter.

Listen, folks, this is what I would like all of you to know. Even though I have never been incarcerated – even though this was my first time inside a facility such as this – even though I was only visiting . . . tell your kids (and yourself) the same thing I am telling myself – you do NOT want to be there. Blergh! Nasty place.

They are overfull at the moment so my friend is sleeping in the gym! The gym, people! And, they won’t let her do any work. She can read and write, and does both, but she’d like to be able to work off some energy by, oh say, painting the walls or something. She’s been told that the male prisoners are doing that.

Anyway – let’s all stay on the right side of the law – and out of such places.

And, while I am empathetic over her being there, I know that the circumstances are such that she needs to be there for now.