The Big Switch
There is never a dull day at Atwood. I guess with over 200 women locked in one building you would expect that there would be a little drama here and there. However, it seems like the drama is non-stop here. When I leave in the mornings I never know what I am going to return to.
My floor, the 3rd floor, has been my home since I have gotten here. Most of the people on my floor were already here when I arrived. Periodically we would get some new people, but for the most part it has been the same old crew since the beginning. The girls on my floor are also pretty close. Several of them reported together so they always hang out. Our floor has also become what I call the "card house" aka a casino. Spades games last into the wee hours of the morning. Along with the cards comes conversations and laughter, which is natural and to be expected. However, this can disturb those who have to work early mornings.
A couple of days ago the unit manager came to our floor and gave us a warning. She stated that she had received numerous complaints about the noise on our floor. She told us that if it continued she was going to move our entire floor to the bus stop. The bus stop is not a real room. It is an open space that houses over 20 inmates. It is wide open and in the middle of the building. It’s called the bus stop because it was never designed to be a permanent space, only a stop until new inmates receive their permanent rooms. Basically, it is the worse place to live in the building. No doors. No privacy. No peace.
There was a little bit of noise in the hall the next night; the same thing as usual, card playing. The next day, however, there was a big argument between two inmates about everything that was going on. It was a real mess. Later, a guard came to us and said that he had been instructed to immediately send anyone to the SHU (Special Housing Unit) if he saw anything "funny" happening. He stated that there had been reports of drugs, alcohol, and sex on our floor. What? Who in the world is doing all of this? At night my bunkie and I go to sleep right after count so we had no idea what he was referring to.
The very next day the big switch happened. My bunkie and I were sitting in my room and I heard the voice of an officer. Every time I hear his voice on our hall I know the deal. He is either moving someone or bringing someone new. He is the officer in charge of bed assignments and moves. He then says, "everyone pack up." Although he says this, he is standing in the door of one room, not mine. I replied, "us too?" His response? "No, not for now. You are good."
Apparently the individuals "suspected" of all the noise, card play, drugs, and alcohol were singled out and being moved; ten individuals to be exact. They were all sent to the bus stop. Within hours, our entire floor was changed. A whole new group invaded ‘the penthouse’ (what we have nicknamed our floor). My bunkie and I instantly became strangers on our own block.
Last night, the floor was eerily quiet. You could hear a pin drop. No cards, no laughter, no visits to our room; just peace. A bittersweet peace to be honest. I miss seeing the familiar faces I had grown accustomed to on the third floor. But, I welcome the sweet sound of silence at night.
