Old Captain Jim Harper

Freya, Nov. 10 2004


Well Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I bet you all are going to have a real nice meal. I love to be there to indulge. I figured the restaurant is closed by now, and drained down and ready to go another year. How did everything go this summer? Do you ever hear from the Aunt’s in Florida?
I miss plumbing; I do draw considerable plans, from day to day. Some are very simple and others are elaborate to unusual. I still think masonry is the way to go.

Well the other day I went for my yearly check up that’d be 2yrs. In reality. I’m ok I guess. I’m 69’ tall I weigh 160lbs. my B.P. 60/100 and my P.R. was 66. It doesn’t seem like my 60th birthday is close but it is. My hair is turning all gray and I still have a mustache.



Well right now I’ve been doing a lot of abstract I seem to enjoy it more than anything and some other artists have told me that I’m good at it. Who knows about all that, I love it. I’ve been in a slump in my writing but I have produced some other good stuff. Jay loves my writing aint that somethin’? Ashley has taken a liking to me, she is a very interesting and writing me and likes photography, she has a boyfriend and a car .She says that her mom’s new husband treats them all real nice. Amber is 10 years old and a very outgoing child, and she wrote to me and was quite open and has nice handwriting. Jay has sent me some older photos, it’s pretty cool. He and Rhonda are expecting their six child. That’s what I wanted was six kids. I got five good ones and six counting you.

So, Nevada has worn off pretty much .I do not like their system and I can’t even begin to tell you of their short comings; the worst is the food, followed by the true ignorance of the personnel, and not to mention the medical or a lack of, and I haven’t seen a dentist yet. For months now we have had nothing but green bologna sandwiches for lunch. I don’t eat them anyway, but it’s just the idea that nothing is being done to improve their conditions here. Well enough of that.



Aaron McKinney is supposed to be on television on the 20/20 show. You should try to watch it on ABC and I’m still his cellmate. I’m twice his age, plus six years. We get along like a father and son, he’s a good kid. He takes those double life sentences okay. His partner, Russell Henderson, is about three doors down. He also seems ok person, and pretty good friends with those boys. Being were all here lost to the Albany Colorado Boys Club. We’ve been looking into getting transferred someplace else, haven’t heard back yet. They sent two of these Nevada blacks up to Thompson, Maine and wished I could get out there, that of course would need some communication from you and it would be nice to have some visitations with my children, and I don’t expect that. So I’ll go another route and getting close to the age where I can claim a hardship on that alone, so I’ll just out wait them.

Jay is in touch with that college program from Washington, DC about assistance for parole for older prisoners. He really is a great son, all the kids send a me cards ever so often, they are all beautiful kids and so great to their pop-pop and I told Annie, when Rhonda Has this baby she will be in an Aunt eight times over, and I understand he got a hold of Daisy, he really is a good man, and I’m real glad to see its pass through the blood, he cusses like a sailor, old Captain Jim Harper, would be proud of him. “I sailed the Horn, from the Gulf of Mexico. I went top side to fennel, the sails in a blow, I fell to my death, on the deck down below.” I will send you one of these abstracts, you can say it’s a Thanksgiving card it’s for you.

There have been a lot of employees stealing the inmate’s money when it arrives. So when ever anyone sends money make sure it’s sent to the office, in Las Vegas. Make sure you save the receipt from the postal money order. If you’re lucky you can feed you self out of canteen for about the past six months. That’s if I don’t want to get sick ,and we can’t even get any decent clothing from these people, and that’s one thing about Wyoming, they made sure you had good warm boots and food to eat.

I’m sending some more of those money things you can pass them around don’t forget they don’t send any letters, that might be attached to the money from that office and if you want to let me know you sent one you’ll have to have that letters sent separately that way I’ll know to expect it and if something goes funny, I can rant and rave at them. Don’t forget to follow up on all of this. I told that story about when I got sick and they didn’t care. They finally gave me those same pills. I got for when I had chicken pox.

So tell the girls I’ve contacted and tell them that I love them and miss them very much. Thank them for all to things they’ve done in this time of need for me, and their letters are always wonderful, and I love receiving them. Thank them for the cash they’ve sent also, take it easy. try to do some art this winter may be write a poem or song, it really always amazes me how good I feel, after I’ve have done these things.
Love, Dale