Gerry, Me and Henry make 3

As the days went by Henry came to be a person I trusted and my trust was not easy to gain. He always knew what to say and defended me even if it came to blows with other residents. Today was no exception. Stormy weather made for lockdown conditions and a tense atmosphere among Chast's ward's. 8am I awoke to the sight of a bare-chested Gerry pacing back and forth our room muttering something about his ex-wife and alimony. The thought that he was this worked up this early made me think about my own safety for the first time since I have been here. 9am came and the weather was slowly getting worse, tornado warnings and hail were being reported all around Central Louisiana and I couldn't help but think of where I'd be if I weren't here.

11am: Therapy time. Henry led things off he told the rest of the group the same stories he told me the day before, but today he added detailed information that made my stomach churn. " I beat by wife so bad she got 38 stiches in the cheek and I broke her arm just to prove I could," he started, "she was in the hospital 10 days and every day I made sure to go down there and yell at her for not being home, taking care of her 'wifely' duties." "Thank you Henry," Dr. Garrison began, "Now Benjamin, would you like to share your story?" This was the moment I feared... my time to open up, my time to show emotion, something I did not know how to do. I declined and I could hear the disappointment in Dr. Garrison's voice as she moved on. Lunch came and today it was a rather unappealing lump of meat that resembled something you would serve to a dog rather a human, inhumane though we may be. I took my tray and found Henry sitting with Gerry. I wondered if Henry knew Gerry's story, but then again he didn't know mine when he came to me. I joined them sitting on the side opposite Gerry and I listened in amazement as they compared notes as it were, see who, if any had bragging rights. I then chimed in with my two cents and Gerry flew at me in a fit of rage. It took two workers and Henry to hold him down and be sedated. Henry later told me Gerry had little respect for youth since a 15 year old gang-banger killed his daughter in cold blood for no reason. I then knew the Gerry was my next project. I wanted to show him that even though I was here for a violent crime people can change and while I was far from fixed I had at least begun my trek and for that wanted his respect.

The rest of the day flew by as Henry and I played cards with other residents and they allowed us to watch some "safe" tv since we were unable to go outside all day long. I laughed at the notion of "safe" tv. What were they trying to shelter us from? We were after all violent offenders all 104 of us in my ward. Dinner came and there was Henry, but no Gerry. I joined Henry at his table and to my suprise Gerry joined us. He and Henry discussed the events of earlier that day and how Gerry should not compare me to that deliquent who murdered his daughter. Gerry just kept eating. I knew that Gerry had issues with me and I don't blame him. Were I in his shoes I probably would have gone at me too. Night fell and we were ordered to our rooms and as we layed there in the dark I hear "kid, Henry told me to apologize." "Ok." I replied. It wasn't heartfelt, but it was a start.