in memory of Katrina...

To my dearest Daisy:

Well how are you doing these days? So you talked to Jay I hear, I’m glad of that, I’ve bragged him up to you and I’ve bragged you up to him, so you guys should know I have high opinions of you both. They’re already started to school down there, I guess that’s because there is so many people. He tells me that the two oldest are gymist. He’s got a real good job and he just loves it, says getting away from Maryland was the best thing he ever did, the last time he sent pictures of him and Lisa as kids pretty cool. So I guess I had to go to prison to get my kids back, pretty funny wouldn’t you say. I can’t tell just how many letters have actually gotten to you,

I didn’t get any mail for 36 days, so I’m thinking it may be the same going out as it is coming in, who knows, this lock down just gives them another opportunity to be lazier then they already are.
It’s a sin and shame that these people are people of this caliber, taking the tax payers money to do nothing, just sad. Oh well, so much for our government, hey? But we already know all of this. I’ve been enjoying watching the Olympics quite a lot.

Jay pretty much has got my mothers number , I’ve got to admit it surprised me some, especially after all she has said to them about me, and to me about them, I think maybe it getting her turn to face the music.

So I guess summer is coming to a close, I always liked the island in the fall. Even with all the shit that goes on there, I was always able to find peace with the seasonal beauty, and enjoy my time and space there. Do you ever go by the gravesite to see Katrina? She’ll always be that young girl I watched hitch hike out of the u-turn on that Sunday afternoon. It really hurt my feelings when she left us. I always did like your friend, Daisy.

It has finally evened out at about 95-100 degrees here, don’t matter to us, we’re all locked down anyway. I’ve gone through all my stuff and narrowed it way down, don’t have much at all, it’s a lot easier this way, especially when it comes to cleaning up and when they come in to search the cell, if they see you don’t have anything they just don’t bother you. Now Aaron McKinney, he has the first thing he ever got when he came to prison, he’s a fucking little pack rat. He’s still supposed to be on ABC in October or November. I don’t know what date around the beginning of the month. We will see if they really film it.

I got a card from Annie, I always enjoy reading her letters she’s is forth coming and just talks like we were sitting in the kitchen together. Have you kept in contact with the old aunts down in Florida, I’ve always asked but never got an answer.

Well they have updated us to having 2 hours a day out on the block, half of us at a time. There are 81 of us. So that’s about 40 at a time. There is no screaming on this block, no c-bonics or rap music even though there is one white guy that thinks he’s black.

We have about 10 Spanish or Indians that all came down here with us, so they are ok too! We have a clean rather respectful block of fellows, which is hard to find in a prison. This probably the best bunch of convicts anyone has ever seen. Mostly because of our age on average and the color of our skin.

So the lobster season is about to get underway good luck to you guys this season, I hope this letter finds you happy and well, tell the girls I said hello, and tell Faye I’ll write soon.
Keep on writing; try to contract your poems as perfect as they can possibly be. Not that they aren’t already, you understand. Don’t give up, keep your eyes open. Wide shut.

“Life is like, a mountain railway
With an engineer, that’s true and brave
Keep your hand upon the throttle and you eyes upon the rail
From the cradle to the grave.”

That’s not exactly probably how it goes, but you get my drift, I’m sure. Well I do miss you very very much and love you the same amount. Write soon.

Love Always
Dale H. your Dad