DannyBoyinExile

As I walk up and down the halls of the Wynne Unit each day, I often encounter “special” inmates of various types. I don’t mean the guy in the wheelchair, who I generally stop to help. I mean inmates who are easily identifiable by the special cards or lanyards they are issued, often in specific colors which makes them recognizable to the staff.
There are, for example, the Life Coaches, with their bright orange cards. I don’t know exactly what their job consists of – but it’s clearly important, because they’re always in the hall, on their way somewhere. Then there are the Peer Educators, with their green cards (no pun intended!) who hold classes and teach other inmates about various topics. And don’t forget the Field Ministers with yellow cards and lanyards. These guys have completed a four-year seminary program and received a Bachelor’s degree. Needless to say, many of them assist the Chaplain or teach classes in the chapel, so they’re frequently seen in the hallway as well.
Last but not least are the SSIs (janitors) and Utility Squad workers. They don’t get lanyards or special cards to flash – but they do wear fluorescent orange vests, which distinguishes them. (Rather like the people who work at a car wash, in the free world!)
Many of the special inmates listed above also receive new sets of clothes (“whites”). Some of them even get pressed clothes every day, which further makes them stand out from the average inmate population.
Then, of course, there’s DannyBoy. =-) I don’t currently have a job that furnishes me with a special card or lanyard (the folding table in the laundry is nothing fancy, for sure) – so it’s up to me to make myself special.
In the past, I’ve had jobs such as pressing officers’ clothes, working in the hallway, or working directly for a Captain or Major, so looking nice is nothing new to me. I STILL keep my clothes bleached white, tailored, and pressed – and I tend to stand out as much as any of the special guys. Maybe even more so, since I do it on my own.
Not to be outdone (and with a healthy dose of sarcasm), I had a card printed with the word SPECIAL, which I keep visible in my ID holder and flash at every opportunity. It never fails to get a laugh, though a few COs have replied (with some sarcasm of their own), “What makes YOU special?”
Of course, the only response to that is, “I make me special!” The card is absolutely meaningless, officially, but it gets quite a few smiles, laughs, or eyerolls – and that’s exactly the point. A few of the TRULY special inmates don’t find it amusing (because they know I’m referring to THEIR special cards), but I find that all the more amusing. One morning I flashed my special badge to the African CO on my wing, as I was trying to get out for work. He said, “What is this?”
Deadpan, I said, “I need to get to work! It’s an emergency.” So he takes my card and shows it to the CO in the hallway who is carrying the keys and letting people on and off the wings. (The “turnkey”, to be exact.)
“I have one of these, who needs to get out.” She looked at it, and immediately busted out laughing. “That’s nothing!” (She was right, of course, but I still needed to get to work!)
The point is, you don’t have to be issued anything special, or given permission, to stand out. You can wear white pants and shirts, just like everybody else, and still look different. The way you carry yourself, groom yourself, and take care of yourself will always make you look different from people who don’t worry about such things.
I’m proud that after over thirty years in TDCJ, I’ve still managed to retain a sense of my individuality. I’m not institutionalized. I may not be free, but I’m free to be ME, wherever I find myself.
I regret missing out on all the things I could be accomplishing if I weren’t in prison. But it’s up to me to accomplish what I still can – and to CREATE opportunities where they don’t already exist. I’ve never given up. And there’s no reason for any of you to do so, either.
So says DannyBoy.