Our meeting with the Warden was interesting. He knew more about me than my boss did. He informed me that I was known by the Regional Administrator(his boss) when I worked as an Executive with the medical center. She had conducted the Public Health inspections at the medical center and I was the government liaison by default. All the other dandies (medical center executives) where too busy looking good in their Brooks Brother suits to be bothered with such trivial matters as inspections by Public Health. I was the go to guy. The warden also knew I left that teaching hospital for another urban University Medical Center in a different state. I was impressed. The long arm of Corrections. I new they checked references but I did not know to what extent. They had many contacts. My Public Administration degree was now for the first time beginning to help me here.
The warden decided that he wanted a Horticulture program to be developed by the School and he wanted only me to run it. He was in the process of getting a greenhouse approved for this facility. In the mean time, I was to tour the main prison in another part of the state and speak with the Horticulture Instructor on how to set up a Horticulture program inside a “secured perimeter.” At the time, I did not know what the hell he was talking about. I kept looking at my boss who looked to be asleep. I informed the warden that my school principal said he was all for it. Once he wakes up, I will confirm this with him, and then make the necessary arrangements to visit the Horticulture Instructor at the main prison. The warden thanked me and wanted me to call him once I had completed that task. He also informed me that if the approval came through quickly from his bosses he would begin to break ground for the Greenhouse.
My boss got up first. He shook the warden’s hand and told him “this man can make it happen.” I smiled. I didn’t think he heard the discussion. We said our goodbyes. On the way back to the school my boss informed me that it would be quite sometime before I see the Greenhouse being built. “This is the State and things just don’t get done that fast.” Also, he thought I would have my hands full because of the tools that will need to be used for the program, (security concerns) the inherent racism in the prison between prison groups, and getting custody administration’s support on what ever I planned to do with making gardens, but I had his and the warden’s support. I would have to put in writing what I think I needed to make it a successful program. I told him I would go visit the main prison Horticulture Instructor, and after that visit I would let him know what I thought could be done here. I still had no clue on what I just signed up for, but believed by the grace of God good things could come of our efforts. My heart and mind were in the right place. I believed with the current administrative support I could make this happen. The arrangements for my visit were finalized. I headed west for my meeting like a fool on the horizon.
MJ-Way 