1/28/12, visitation day with Marcus at the prison…
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
6:53 AM, well I’m here, but I’m late today. I am number nine in line to enter the prison parking lot at 8:00 AM. I just had to stop at the 7-Eleven to get a coffee and use the facilities due to none being available once you park. You are stuck in line or lose your place to visit by 8:45.
It’s the same routine each visitation weekend, but different cars are on the road ahead of me today. Now someone is also behind me. Maybe some inmates have gone home. I pray they did for their sake.
The guy behind me has his lights on and he looks like he’s eating his breakfast. His wife or significant other is putting on her make-up.
Car number eleven is pulling in now.
While sitting here awaiting visitation, I found a radio station that was so funny to listen to, 102.1. They talked with and about the “married man” (character on the show) and how McDonalds was making parents, grandparents, aunts, and especially uncles’ lives miserable by taking away the “Happy Meal” toy because the meals are not healthy. The married man said who cares if the meal is not healthy? It’s the greatest babysitter he has ever had.
Do parents have no say so what their children do or get anymore? Have you seen a “Happy Meal”? The portions are small. But people think getting the toy causes the child to demand the “Happy Meal” and taking away the toy will cause McDonalds to put healthier food in the box if they want to sell it. That doesn’t mean the kid will eat it. The “married man” says it will be an unhappy situation if this occurs especially for him.
The “married man” said it’s what the kids are being fed at home that’s causing obesity and the amounts not the Happy Meal itself. He said it was laziness on the part of the parents for not wanting to cook. He knew because that’s why he took his kids to get Happy Meals. The McDonald’s Happy Meal was not meant to be a child’s only staple.
It’s 7:17 and the sky is beginning to lighten.
I am excited. It has been over six weeks since I last saw Marcus. I miss him so. What changes will I see if any? Will he feel all the love I have in my heart for him today?
The couple behind me has gotten out of their car to smoke and discuss the morning. Other cars have started their engines to warm their cars, which I will be doing shortly. My car is getting cold too.
I hope Marcus doesn’t go out and wait for me in the cold because I won’t get in with the first group. They take groups in by sixes so today I probably be in the second or maybe even the third group depending how many members each family has in it.
I am sad, as I have nothing positive to tell Marcus today except that Katie will be with me when I visit on Sunday. I know that will make him happy. I know how much he misses his daughters.
7:21, car number 13 is here. The line is getting longer.
7:27, car number 14 is here and the sky is much lighter out now. 33 minutes left before we get into the parking lot. How many minutes until I get to hug my son? That I do not know.
The radio now has “married man” talking with the “college buddy”. It’s hilarious. Then they run into the evil “divorced man” and talk with him too. Married man, college buddy, and divorced man are the names of the men talking on the radio show and making satire comments about their world.
Car number 15 and 16 are here.
It will be a good day! It will be a wonderful day today! My heart just knows it.
Today has the biggest line of cars I have seen since I have been coming here. I wonder why? Are there new inmates or are they trying to place inmates closer to their homes so their families can visit them?
The sky’s colors are turning beautiful as the daylight emerges. The sky is pale blue and the clouds are a peachy color. It makes you wonder what causes this phenomenon as you sit here patiently waiting?
Now, I’m looking in my mirror putting my make-up on. Smokers are getting out of their cars to smoke their last cigarettes for possibly the whole day. Everyone is getting ready. The count down is on. 15 minutes to go to parking lot time. It must not be too cold. One guy standing outside smoking is just wearing a t-shirt. He’s definitely made of stronger stuff than I am because when I turn the car off it gets cold in here. I think it’s in the high 30’s. I have on socks, tights, slacks, insulated shirt, then another shirt, and a light jacket. I have another coat to wear when I go outside. The sun is not shining upon us today. This is winter not the 80s of Florida!
It appears that a silver car is parking at the parking lot at its entrance to try to get there first ahead of all of us. Do they know that none of us can afford to argue or fight with teach other for our spots in line to see our loved ones. How despicable? I laughed to myself. Are we all so desperate? Yes, I guess so.
Well it’s now 7:53. There must be over 20 cars here today. It’s almost time to go so I will write later. The motorcade will begin shortly. The engines will be starting and away we go. Humor is one of the ways I handle this incomprehensible situation.
Listening to a red neck station is not really my thing either, but it’s hilarious and I need some amusement and entertainment to prepare me for the day ahead of me that I can do nothing to change or make better.
8:09, I walked fast into the Visitor’s Building because I had my paperwork filled out. So instead of the dreaded number 9 buzzer, I got the “Outback” buzzer number 3. Thank you to whoever is looking out for me. Is it my lucky day or what?
I turned in my paperwork. The female guard, who is always very pleasant and official asked me about my folded over paperwork. I explained it was my medical paperwork that tells them I am made up of screws, plates, and rods if the scanner goes off telling them I have metal somewhere. It hasn’t gone off yet, but you never know. The guy and woman guard laughed with me about all the metal holding me together. Then with my precious “Outback” buzzer I returned to the car with a smile on my face. The anxiety has been relieved once again.
Sleepy children are being awakened to go into to see an uncle, a dad, a brother, or grandfather. The parking lot is pretty full. Soon our day will begin. Please God make it the best day for us all. I hope we don’t have to wait for everyone to be signed in today. Today there are a lot of people in line to sign in!
Today I see a car from Utah.
8:16, no one has gone in yet. It looks like we do have to wait until everyone has signed in. It doesn’t look cold but it definitely is. I can see the people in line are shivering. Where are their coats? I’ve got mine.
I feel this tremendous smile spreading all over my face and lightening my soul. Thank you God for this day! One more day I can be here for Marcus.
My buzzer keeps beeping. I wonder if it’s just the battery beeping? Or is someone calling me. I don’t want to miss my turn. Usually though, the whole buzzer starts blinking red and buzzing so I’ll just sit and wait.
I love you Marcus. Feel my presence. I am here for you today as you are here for me!
Only six people left in line to turn in their papers and IDs. Are we next, the ones already sitting in their cars cuddling their buzzers in their hands, the faithful waiting?
I saw the same parking lot guard today. He’s a welcome face along with the female guard. This is a tough situation and their friendliness reduces the anxiety we all feel.
8:30 AM, will I go in by then? Yes.
After being checked in as always just like at the airlines before you board your plane, we sign in. Then we wait. I am the chosen one for a random drug check today. Do I mind? Definitely not. No problem, I passed with flying colors as I knew I would.
Then we wait for the guard to accompany us to the Visitors’ Building.
As always the guards are very nice and professional. It makes this kind of situation more tolerable. There’s an inmate’s mom, a newbie, here and she is overwhelmed as I once was. You could see it in her eyes as they darted around wondering what was next. I reassured her it was okay and she would survive and told her what would happen next. With teary eyes, she said, “I know, I’ll be okay.” I warned her about the 10:00 AM count and not to worry as they always do it. She said “OK”.
Then we were all ushered to the Visitors’ Building. It was definitely cold outside and I could see Marcus waiting in the freezing cold to make sure that I had come. How long had he been waiting there? I waved to him, but he did not wave back. Maybe we aren’t supposed to be waving to each other.
Then we entered the nice warm building to await our inmate’s arrival. The guards in the Visitor’s Building are also nice and professional. They don’t talk much, because they are not here to make friends with us. They are here to do their job.
We all are brought up with the terrible misconceptions about all prison guards from TV. I am sure there are some somewhere that have their moments. But in this case they are just doing their jobs and they try to keep things on an even keel.
As I watch the interaction with the families, friends, and inmates, it appears to be a wonderful day for all. The smiles, the animated talking, the children playing, and the babies being held as they sleep are all comforting. Except for the uniforms, both guards and inmates, you would not know that this is a prison visitation room.
The vending machines are emptied as people buy everything they would never buy at any other time. Marcus usually eats two Angus charbroiled cheeseburgers, which really aren’t too bad. I had to just taste one to check. Then he usually has three Dr. Peppers and a package of Reese’s Sticks. I asked him if he wanted a slice of pizza for a change and he said no. He doesn’t have breakfast before we come and I usually stay until 1:30 PM.
We talked and we laughed. I’m so thankful I can bring a smile to his face and make him laugh. We laugh because between the two of us if we don’t speak our minds immediately when an important thought comes to our minds neither of us can remember it seconds later. Then when we try to remember what we were talking about before the interruption of the important thought, we can’t remember that either. We are quite a pair sometimes. Marcus with his head injury and me with mine.
All in all it was a great day and everyone was very pleasant. Marcus had tears in eyes when I left, but I knew he was excited about tomorrow because his daughter, Katie was going to visit him and she was his life along with his daughter Madison.
Hope, Health, and Happiness,
Vickie
