VINCE

I just got the most important letter of my life from Katie today. Because of my testimony and the fact that I took prison over probation she pled guilty to a 5^th Degree Possession and received a sentence of time served! Because she had that Department of Corrections hold I wrote about in a previous post, she will still be locked up for six more months, but I am free. My soul is free. I’m crying I am so happy. I hope you people never know the burden I’ve had on me. But it’s over! When I read her letter the first time, I felt as if my heart had beat for the first time since December. OK, now I’m focused on boot camp! Fuck I feel great. I mean, you know as great as I can feel in prison. But I finally feel that I’m here for the right reason, I mean the just reason.

Today is Day 2 of my rigorous training program. Yesterday I did like 40 pushups. Not bad for an out-of-shape 35 year old man who weighs 210 pounds. Progress, not perfection. I made what I estimate to be a 15-pound weight by filling a 3-gallon garbage bag half full of water, tying it up, and putting that in several more bags to protect from leaks. And then put that in a laundry bag so I can do curls. It doesn’t weigh all that much but if I do enough of them…it hurts.

On Sunday I went to the chapel for a Christian Ministry service thing because the chapel has air conditioning and comfy seats. I figured I could get in a good nap. Negative. Apparently the pastor is half deaf and the AC must have been fucking with his hearing aid so he was yelling over nothing and kept telling what I could only assume were jokes about a resurrection, zombie Jesus, ghosts, and god—oh my!

I was the only one laughing. I don’t think I’ll go back. But I don’t need to. Here’s the best part. I said some prayers during his routine that he asked us to repeat along with him. Now my soul is saved and absolved and—don’t go around telling people this because I feel a little bashful—but I have a reservation in heaven!

If I write the judge that sentenced me do you think that she will let me go since J.C. already did my time? Or do you think maybe it’s all just a sham and won’t actually apply in the real world? A lot of good questions….

I’m not one for organized religion, never have been. My official religion here is N/A.

Speaking of that other N.A., I have been attending weekly AA/NA meetings and for the first time last week, I was there for something other than the air con. I went for me. The meeting lasted two hours and when it was over I felt that feeling I used to get when I left meetings years ago. And although I couldn’t go anywhere afterwards for late night coffee, I still felt better than I had in a while.

[ANNE: A reader asked, after reading this post, if Vince was being released.  No,  When he says he is “free” he is only referring to his guilt being relieved because his plea agreement meant less time for Katie.  His sentence remains the same.]