I was told the bushes had to be removed. Now!!! When I had received that kind of an order, and the way it was delivered to me, I always asked the wrong question. I could tell it was the wrong question by the expression on the face of the person delivering the order. They seemed perplexed. Their faces aglow in something I can only venture to explain as “emotional constipation.” I learned as a young 25 year old executive that my hearing needed to be mechanically enhanced. The doctors conducting my executive physical informed me that the scars on my eardrums were probably caused by ear infections as a child. Unconsciously compensating for the loss, I had learned to read expressions on peoples faces real well, and I also learned to read lips. The doctors told me that was natural for someone who had been gradually losing their hearing. But I still couldn’t understand that “emotional constipation look,” I saw on some of my colleagues faces.
It seemed to only occur when I asked the order givers, “why?” In the case for the bushes, I only asked, “where and not why?” A good question I thought because my class landscaped the prison grounds with well over 100 bushes. It took three years to do it. Removing the bushes would take me a lot longer than “now.” That still got me a dumb founded grunt from the order giver, and some gesturing. The hand gesturing made me believe the order giver understood I was somewhat hard of hearing and they reverted to signing. Very thoughtful. Unfortunately, the gesturing was only to wave the yard sergeant over to speak with me. So to my chagrin, the whole process of his explaining, and my questioning, got me that same befuddled look, “emotional constipation.” However, I was told this time by the bewildered yard sergeant to go see the school principal.
Now we are talking I thought. He’s having me follow my chain of command. The chain of command was an interesting concept in the Department of Corrections. It was never followed by the Corrections Administration who believed they could give orders to anyone below their inflated pay grade. When I wanted to be understood by the administration, all I had to do was invoke the rule of all rules: “you are not in my chain of command.” When I looked at the face of the order giver, after invoking the rules of all rules, a couple of things would happen. An angry scowl would appear on their faces, and they would have me repeat what I just said. Once I clarified the “chain of command “statement, some would employ a technique of spitting on the ground. Spitting on the ground was meant to intimidate me. Being all about the science I made sure to comment on any blood I saw in their sputum. Seeing blood, I informed them they may need to see a Doctor. That always got me a friendly comment about my medical concerns of their over all health. Which in most cases wasn’t always apparently the greatest.
After invoking the “rule of all rules” I would assuredly get called to the principals office where he would be waiting for me. Our principal was very intelligent. He was a graduate of DePaul University and North Western University. He looked like an older version of Barney Rebel from the Flintstones . He had experience. As a younger man he worked at the famed Joliette Prison in Illinois. He informed me that the bushes were going to be removed from the visiting area court yard but that I could still landscape the area with annuals and perennials. The warden is requesting the new plants stay under 12” maximum height. The maintenance grounds keeper would remove the bushes. I asked why and was informed that a visitor decided to have a conjugal rendezvous with her inmate boyfriend. She apparently thought that the bushes were providing cover for the encounter. She didn’t realize (or care, maybe) that there were cameras everywhere. She ended up being removed and banned from the prison. This meant she would no longer be able to visit her boyfriend. He was now bush less.
Our school principal was very non judgmental, and made no further comment on the subject. He asked if I had enough plants in the greenhouse to landscape the area again, and I informed him I did. He got on the phone and informed the warden to have the bushes removed. The Horticulture students will replace them with low growing plants. I had my marching orders, finally. It only took four hours to get that clarification. It was kind of funny in a way. I never had a problem hearing our school principal. He definitely was a baritone, and that decibel level I could hear very well. Go figure. I think it had to do with something called the chain of command., the base in his voice, clarification and direction. Something only a good prison school principal could accomplish. He was every bit of that and more. He never failed to amaze me. His antics in his handling of the prison administration, and the education administration I found enlightening. He retired and passed away shortly there after. That is a story in itself for another time. Rest in Peace Jesse Vail. You were a great mentor. Thank you for hiring me.
..Prison Stories To Be Continued.. ”””””””””””””””””””””””””””Matthew 1: 18-25”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””’
MJ-Way 