There is a man in jail right now who is going to sue us all. He is going to own the county, and he will fire us all. There is a woman who is from the Central Intelligence Agency, and is eagerly awaiting a visit from the President. There is a man living with AIDS who, by all statistical rights, should not be alive. There is a man who is on trial for his 3rd strike, fighting for his freedom. There is a man sobering up to the DUI charge he received the night prior. There is a woman writing a letter to her children trying to explain why she is in jail “this time”. There is a man wondering if his family is going to show up at visiting time. There is a man thinking of ways to get out of jail. There is a man thinking of ways to score more dope when he leaves.
Then there’s me.
Sometimes I think that the only thing that separates me from most of them, is one or two really dumb decisions. We both feel, we both bleed, we both have wants and needs. There are many things that we have in common, but the only one that counts for now, is the fact that we are both in jail. I am on my side, and they are on theirs.
I think I like this side better.
April 23, 2007 at 9:46 pm
I have often thought the same thing…one or two stupid decisions and I’d be one of my clients rather than the psychologist. Addictions run in my family, what if I “experimented” in high school or college? I could be one of those women writing to explain why they are in jail “this time.” Or I could be one of the parents that come into my office who are over taxed with too many kids and not enough training or education to make ends meet and on and on. It helps me not be judgemental, thats for sure!
Also, the type of individuals in jail (i.e., delusional) certainly says some very powerful things about our mental health system, as in it sucks and people who should be in the mental health system are actually in the prison system!