These diary entries cover Reggie’s final two weeks in maximum security before his move to minimum. During this period he was trying to arrange education, treatment and parole while dealing with the boredom and frustrations of everyday jail life. His entries also show some of the contradictions that ran through this period—planning for life after jail while still looking for drugs inside it.

January 17 – “Reg learns Japanese”

We had a minor squabble in our unit today.  One of the guards, rookie, told me to clean up my room or he would charge me.  All the guys were offended and said if I was going to the hole they’de be going to!  So, Lorrie intervened and we did clean up the mess.  Funny, I would rather have a messy room than a clean one.

No visitors again today, but none were really expected, except possibly Art or Anne.  Sent out a few more letters this evening, now I wait and see what happens.

No drugs around here today which is both good and bad.  I just had a piss test a couple of days ago so I should be safe for a month, but you never know…

… I spent an hour or so today copying Japanese words and phrases and their translation out of “Shogun”.  I’m learning some Japanese just from reading that book.

I’m interested in learning other languages, perhaps Polish, Japanese, and, well, I’m not sure what else.  It’s not very practical around here (except Japanese) but in a bigger city it would be.

I’m not really looking forward to tomorrow.  I have to meet with [Supervisor] and [Guard1] and somehow avoid their plans to move me to minimum.  I like it here in max and would prefer to stay here for a few more weeks.

January 18

Still haven’t been allowed to make a call to Holland College.  This is pissing me off.  I’m apprehensive about taking a correspondence course if it is going to be difficult to correspond.  I think they’re playing with my head.  No word about moving today.  [nurse1] was out too, in a meeting.  That’s what Jennifer said.  She’d make a much better nurse than [nurse1].  I was kind of annoyed during our poker game today.  I thought they were taking it just a bit too serious.  I’m wondering if I’m getting a bit depressed.  I just don’t feel normal.

I hope they will stop fucking around with my medication.  There is no need of this bullshit.  This is something I should talk to Doctor AK about.  I’m looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.

January 19

All I had to look forward to today was a visit from [our family doctor] but he didn’t come.  I was disappointed.  As it turns out, [the Supervisor] didn’t call him to confirm the visit until this afternoon and by then it was too late.  Now I’m pissed off.  Never heard anything today about being moved.  I’m wondering what’s up with that.

Finally, I was able to make some phone calls to schools.  I got three answering machines.  One of them returned my call.  They’re fussy here about long distance calls so I hope the others call tomorrow. It would be nice to get something started.  I’m getting a wee bit bored; a bit tired of playing games.  I need some sort of challenge for my brain.  I crave knowledge and information.  Tomorrow, I see the doctor about my pills again.  Tomorrows just another day.

January 20

Got some advice from one of the staff today suggesting I check to see if my letter to the medical society got out.  As I had expected, things just aren’t right around here.  I think I have my medication back to normal after seeing the doctor here today.  Jennifer filled in as the nurse today, so I didn’t have to see the bitch ([nurse1]).  She’ll be sorry for the way she treated me, all of us.

We put in a request for Greg today to see the nurse about hemorrhoids and got a good laugh out of it.

I won a bunch of cigarettes playing poker which I traded for a meal and a piece of cheesecake, and Greg has to carry my tray back after breakfast.

I received mail from Durham College today about the creative writing course.  Now I must decide whether to take it or not.  The problem is that it may require research material which is hard to get from in here.

I’m thinking that I may plan, in my parole application, to attend Holland College and go to Talbot House.  I think this plan would get me out sooner and then (in the meantime) I could work on other plans.  I think that would be the fastest route out of here, although that will still take three months.