budget so I have tried to cut you more slack than anybody. Anyway, Trinetta’s home phone was disconnected the last time I tried to call and I found out the hard way that you can’t call a cell phone collect. How is she, by the way? When you see her next, tell her if she’s wondering where Luther’s daddy’s been hiding, he’s in here. He just got transferred from Folsom. Armed robbery. He’s a giant, at least 6'4" so he shouldn’t have any problems in here. He was always ridiculously stupid. It’s a shame, but there are at least four dudes in here I used to go to high school with. Do you remember Scotty Blanchard, who lived six doors down? We used to play together until they moved to the Jungle. He’s in here for Murder One. I don’t know what’s happening out there in the real world but black men are swelling up these prison walls.
Which brings me to the other reason for this letter (I mentioned earlier), which I’m trying to keep short, but some things I just have to say because you can only say so much in a 15-minute phone call. It’s about my parole hearing. I know we’ve been through this process a number of times already, but I have to keep trying and it’s my responsibility to remind you of the formalities just in case. So here goes. When I go before the board in three months, I’m going to have to be able to demonstrate (prove) that I have family and/or community support in order to get paroled. I need to have in writing that I will have someplace to stay, that I may have a job waiting for me (I’ll need your help on this one), I’ll have a few funds available to me in a bank account, as well as transportation home. It would help a great deal for me to get as many letters of support as possible from family members, friends, and acquaintances, people who knew me before I found myself in here, e.g., like Miss Tammy across the street. (She didn’t write one last time I went before the board, but I always thought she liked me. Would you ask her for me before I bother sending another letter?) I don’t have very many legitimate people I can ask and even though I know Aunt Venetia and Aunt Arlene have issues with me, as Christians, I hope they are at least willing to forgive me for my sins and show some faith in me when I write them again. Please put in a few good words about my progress. Quentin pretends like I’m not even his brother, which is unfortunate, but blood is blood. One day he’ll realize that. Anyway, I’m enclosing a sample copy of various things they can say about the positive aspects of my character and why they believe I’ll not be a threat to society. I’ve added and embellished some things which are handwritten in the margins to help them. Please have photocopies made and distribute them and once they’re returned to me I will deliver them to my Case Manager and he will then provide them to the Parole Committee. Time is of the essence, but you know the drill. I’ve read my complete file (except for the things they black out) and this time my psychological evaluations are up to par and my counselor’s reports are stellar because I haven’t had any run-ins with anybody. I have stayed out of trouble and done nothing except read law books, the thesaurus, encyclopedias, and books that inspire me and stimulate my mind—again, like the ones I mentioned at the beginning of this letter. If all goes well, and they accept my plan, I could be out of here in three to six months.
I hope you will let me live with you and Daddy until I get on my feet (it has to be a minimum of 180 days), because I don’t have anywhere else to go. I’m going to have to find a job, which is often one of the hardest things to do when you’re a felon, but my parole officer might be able to help me. They don’t trust us around money, that’s for sure, and we can’t be bonded. But please keep in mind, Ma, that I feel like I am rehabilitated. This institution hasn’t contributed to it one drop. I have had
Which brings me to the other reason for this letter (I mentioned earlier), which I’m trying to keep short, but some things I just have to say because you can only say so much in a 15-minute phone call. It’s about my parole hearing. I know we’ve been through this process a number of times already, but I have to keep trying and it’s my responsibility to remind you of the formalities just in case. So here goes. When I go before the board in three months, I’m going to have to be able to demonstrate (prove) that I have family and/or community support in order to get paroled. I need to have in writing that I will have someplace to stay, that I may have a job waiting for me (I’ll need your help on this one), I’ll have a few funds available to me in a bank account, as well as transportation home. It would help a great deal for me to get as many letters of support as possible from family members, friends, and acquaintances, people who knew me before I found myself in here, e.g., like Miss Tammy across the street. (She didn’t write one last time I went before the board, but I always thought she liked me. Would you ask her for me before I bother sending another letter?) I don’t have very many legitimate people I can ask and even though I know Aunt Venetia and Aunt Arlene have issues with me, as Christians, I hope they are at least willing to forgive me for my sins and show some faith in me when I write them again. Please put in a few good words about my progress. Quentin pretends like I’m not even his brother, which is unfortunate, but blood is blood. One day he’ll realize that. Anyway, I’m enclosing a sample copy of various things they can say about the positive aspects of my character and why they believe I’ll not be a threat to society. I’ve added and embellished some things which are handwritten in the margins to help them. Please have photocopies made and distribute them and once they’re returned to me I will deliver them to my Case Manager and he will then provide them to the Parole Committee. Time is of the essence, but you know the drill. I’ve read my complete file (except for the things they black out) and this time my psychological evaluations are up to par and my counselor’s reports are stellar because I haven’t had any run-ins with anybody. I have stayed out of trouble and done nothing except read law books, the thesaurus, encyclopedias, and books that inspire me and stimulate my mind—again, like the ones I mentioned at the beginning of this letter. If all goes well, and they accept my plan, I could be out of here in three to six months.
I hope you will let me live with you and Daddy until I get on my feet (it has to be a minimum of 180 days), because I don’t have anywhere else to go. I’m going to have to find a job, which is often one of the hardest things to do when you’re a felon, but my parole officer might be able to help me. They don’t trust us around money, that’s for sure, and we can’t be bonded. But please keep in mind, Ma, that I feel like I am rehabilitated. This institution hasn’t contributed to it one drop. I have had
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