I never thought that I would end up here, in a holding cell at age 23; all I did was not show up to court for some unpaid parking tickets. I don’t belong here. But, here I am, nothing I can do about it now, but look around at all the carvings on the walls. Memories of people in time calling out to say they had been here too. The bed I am sitting on is cold and made of stone; there is a toilet that is made out of metal that gives off a repulsing smell. I try not to think about it as I sit, waiting for something to happen, anything. The hours go by and nothing changes, I don’t have a window and no-one has been by in what seems like days. I am starting to feel dreary and decide to lie down on the hard stone bed. I lay on my back and it’s unbearable to sleep on, I turn to the side and use my hands as a pillow. Finally, some comfort as I start to drip away in to a somber sleep.
CLANK! My cell door opens, is this freedom? I race to get up and fix my clothing, but the guard just laughs at me. He tells me to sit back down and spits on the floor as he informs me that someone is going to be joining me. Even if I am not getting out I am relieved, at least now I will have some one to pass the time with. I wonder who this stranger will be, if they will be old, young, male/female, or if they are scary or not. Suddenly a man walks into the five by six cell slowly. As he sits down in the corner on the opposite side of the cell I notice the smell of something familiar, the sweet fragrance of men’s cologne. The guard leaves us alone and I watch my fellow partner in misery.
He has a receding medium-brown hairline and isn’t in the best shape of his life. He is wearing a blue and gray plaid shirt and some tan khaki’s, this outfit fits him well except for that you can tell he has been strained by some recent stress. I sit there and stare at him for what feels like an hour, until I finally get up the nerve to ask him his name. “Larry,” he says, “What’s yours?” “Lauren,” I say excitedly. Larry and I exchange stories of why we are both here. He got arrested for Battery against his brother-in-law, who happens to be a police officer. He explains to me that his brother-in-law has been beating his sister and so he went over to there house, when he got there they got into an argument and Larry hit him. Since his brother was an officer Larry got thrown into jail. I have a million questions for Larry, but before I can get the first one out, the cell opens for a second time.
In comes walking a business man, he is dressed in a black suit and tie. His nose seems like it could touch the sky he looks so conceded. He has a stench of arrogance and rich cologne. What could he possibly be doing here? He sits down on the bed and complains about how dirty it is and how a man of his statue has to share a cell, like it is the last thing on earth. Larry and I decide not to talk to him and let him wallow in his own self pity. As time passes, Larry and I get to know one another well, I tell him all about how I am in here for not showing up to court for parking tickets and we both laugh. I look at the business man and notice him looking at his hands; they look cut up and bruised. He would be clean-cut if it wasn’t for that imperfection. I would ask him what had happened, but I doubt he would answer me anyways, I am nothing to him.
Our meal comes; it is cheap cheese that is grilled on to a piece of bread folded over and a glass of apple juice. Along with our meal that I am thankful to receive, another cell-mate enters the now crowded block. He has long hair that hasn’t been brushed or washed in years with hour missing teeth. He reeks of body odor that mixes into the smell of urine and bad breath. Torn clothing, he is wearing rags and has no shoes. He is a homeless man that would probably enjoy this cell compared to the changing weather outside. It shows you how different people are; one man’s trash really is another’s treasure. The homeless man smiles as he announces that his name is Mardy and laughs as he tells us that all he did was use the bathroom. Larry and I laugh as the business man looks at Mardy in disgust. Mardy is interesting and sweet I decide to give him my food, he had been eyeing it since he walked in.
When Mardy and Larry finish eating I decide to go to bed, I use Larry as a pillow and drift into a deep sleep. Once again I am wakening to the sound of the cell door opening. This time I am scared at what I am looking at he looks deranged. Entering the cell he is chuckling and licks his lips. “Ya’ll look tasty, ha-ha” Frightened and scared I look up and see a guard walking towards my cell once again, he opens the door and says, “Lauren, you are free to go.”