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COOPS Weekly - Life from Kansas #37

Updated: Jan 11

Most Popular Holiday

What is the most popular holiday in a Men’s Federal prison camp? FATHERS DAY. HA...If you think about it...makes sense. All men...Most inmates have kids/families. I don’t even have kids and at least a dozen people wished me "Happy Father’s Day." So, it was a good day. Also, we finally got ice cream (2 flavors...Vanilla and some Chocolate vanilla nut flavor). We take the little victories.



Multiple families came to visit on Father’s Day. It was packed...I know about dozen friends’ families who came. Some traveled over 9 hours (Casey Jones....Jones Family, Tucker) ...Some paid for flights. Well, the visiting room guard that day just wasn’t having it. He kicked out almost all the families after a few hours despite there being plenty of room. He just walked up to the tables and said "Bye, you need to leave." No explanation...no discussion. It was brutal. People were furious. Can you imagine flying/driving hundreds of miles and then being forced to leave and to BE ABLE TO DO ABSOLUTELY nothing about it. Thats what people can’t wrap their heads around. I can think of no other situation like this where you have absolutely no power to do anything. People tried to complain but they couldn’t reach anyone. Try getting ahold some authority at a prison (the line will just ring). I truly wish more people could face what it’s like to deal with an institution that truly doesn’t care, and is accountable to no one. Experiencing this has been one of the strangest experiences of my life.


Does everyone remember my bunkmate who I have wrote about at the beginning of my journey? (Nice guy, but definitely struggling). He would talk to God in the middle of the night (wake everybody up) and he stood on his head next to the copy machine multiple times during the day (he eventually went the SHU for threatening a government institution over email). Well, we had an emergency count today because he went missing. He walked off the compound and nobody can find him. I just spoke to him the day before.... this place gets crazier every day.


Craziest thing I have seen or heard at the LPC the week


I was talking to some of the CO's/Guards I work with about RDAP.

The subject came up because the RDAP units keep getting searched far more than any other units...each time with the guard making some comment along the lines about how much he disliked RDAP. I wondered what other guards thought of RDAP. WOW....I wish I never asked that question. The guards/COs are definitely not fans of RDAP. Why you ask? Well, they hate the fact that we are in a drug program that doesn't drug test .... Hard to argue with that logic. We don't drug test. I have no idea why as it makes no sense. But I was stunned to hear how much they don’t like RDAP. They didn’t like that we get time off our sentence for completing RDAP. Most of the case managers/counselors here also do not like that we are getting First Step Act (FSA) credit for work and classes or any time off AT ALL..... They believe that at a camp an inmate should serve every day of their sentence



We just graduated 9 members in RDAP (the class started with over 18). Classes begin with cohorts of enrollees beginning at different times. So why only 9 graduates? Some went to the SHU as punishment, others signed out for various reasons or were held back. RDAP is no joke.


My class begin with 32 and we are down to 26 with 3 months left to go. I feel like everything about RDAP has been a downer lately but let me give some positive news. Our existing CORE Committee Chair, Mr. Gardner... graduated. CORE is our leadership committee in RDAP. I am one of 3 remaining people on the current CORE committee. I was voted in as Core Chair by the old/new CORE committee and then subsequently approved by the staff. That is as high as it gets in RDAP (Something like being president of a fraternity...Kinda). I am honored...and looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish.


I have mentioned before that there are multiple doctors/lawyers/dentists here.... just about every profession. Well, we even have chiropractors (at least they claim they are.... who knows) .... It was nice when I had the good Doc Randy here.... He could at least advise me on how to keep my back in good shape...Well with him leaving I had to turn to our resident chiropractor. To be honest, I thought he was a quack and the idea of him helping me was not appealing.... but when you are desperate...Ironically the guy knows what he is doing.... It was a godsend.... But as luck would have it, he is now off to the SHU for getting caught with Vapes and Drugs. We also lost quite a few of the kitchen staff as Slickback returned & he one if the guards you don't want to mess with (he will catch you on your phone).


Big week for getting caught with phones...Its amazing people have phones when Slickback is around. One of my favorite personalities in RDAP got caught with a phone and will be sent to the SHU when there is an opening (he signed out of RDAP, rather than face the punishment). The SHU is full because there was a huge fight up at the medium. A guy with bad paperwork (meaning he informed on somebody) got beat to the absolute extreme.... So, the SHU reads NO VACANCY.


I have been busy as ever these past few weeks. I have filed over a half a dozen motions with multiple inmates...not to mention writing numerous judges (receiving numerous responses). I have helped several inmates get home far earlier than they would have expected. Also, we had our first victory on a compassionate release (let me be clear, I just helped him complete it). Compassionate releases are ridiculously hard to get and they take forever. It’s amazing what a few good letters can do. Some recent changes in the law and how its interpretation has been a huge boost for inmates in here. I am really enjoying getting the chance to help as many people as possible. The system is so far past broke that it is a huge win when these things happen.


Everyone saw my formal warning. Well, I was beyond bummed about that. It is funny...I have been here for well over 240 days and after I got my formal warning that was only day, I was visibly MAD. People in here had never really never seen me mad (they saw me upset when Mesh/Andrea passed.... but I hid out during that time and avoided people). So, I had some strange reactions. Everyone was checking on me nonstop. Some of the people I helped with legal issues got together and got me a Black’s Law dictionary (also Civil, Tort, & Constitutional Law books), to try and cheer me up. But the guys in the kitchen did something that I will remember for the rest of my life. Mr. Sosa and a few others wrote me a funny poem (I know it sounds weird but you had to be there...I am including it at the bottom here) and presented it to me in the cafeteria (read it out loud). It was beyond cool. Mr. Sosa is one of a kind. He made my dad a crossword puzzle for his BDAY. Thats the kind of guy he is. Things are hopefully settling down...I am disputing my formal warning and we will see how it goes.




My Friend (Carp)


He came from the west, where the sun joins the ocean

Left behind his past, money, women, drugs, suntan lotion.


He landed in the wheatfields of Kansas, By no choice of his own.

Given a number like everyone before him, only kindness he has shown.


His early days were unbeknownst to me, may find that hard to believe.

I know a lot of people-places-things, oh, what a tangled web I do weave.


He is followed by various types, who follow his every syllable.

They ask him "Do many things," which they all are incapable


His following grows and time is short for there are only 24 hours in a day

Yet he continues to help the weak, those who don’t know the way


He doesn’t ask much from those ragged souls, though they all want

from him, his best.

If only he had seen this all coming, He would still be on the beach out west


I admire this man, whom I really don’t know, we are as different as can be

But there’s something about this cat, something only, I can see


It is what it is, my days here are numbered no sense in getting in deep

I sense I can take something from him whoa whoa I ain’t no creep


Before I give up, Karma takes place So maybe all is not a loss

For he joins me in the kitchen to work Finally, our paths do cross


In the kitchen I have my own place, For I am the head of Libation

Who do I see holding court, and he is at my workstation




Before I intersect and remind him, that a problem with me he does not want

Down from the heavens come these words, I was working for OutFront


That is the entrance, it’s all I need but to all it doesn’t hold water

I excuse myself and boldly proclaim "Hey so does my daughter."


Who would have thought this single word was the beginning of what we needed

Day after day we talked and talked, and to this I finally conceded


This man is so different, yet just like me does need some recognition

I say as of this day, as a dear friend he now holds that position


So, what you say I have many friends This is totally true

But the ones I have as a dear friend of those there are few


His heart is full & need if Refresh I soon can see he is in doubt

He holds himself to a high degree Only he knows all about


To live his life with all its strings I’m reminded that’s so close to mine

we live holding all this inside, and dare not whimper or whine


This many has but to say "let’s go to the moon," I’d reply outright "when do we go."

That is the faith & trust in my friend need I more to show


I can go on and on, but to most it would be all irrelevant

I will as a friend take this guy to my grave, I make this my final testament


Danny Sosa


About 10 weeks left and I am out of here. It is strange...I felt like I had a lifetime to go before getting out and now that it is getting closer, I am wondering where the time went. As always, I appreciate all the support & love. Be safe everyone.












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