Minda 6

Next time I'm on DRO, it's with Indira, the newest arrival. I plan on a snoozy day, but she has other plans. "I understand you're on the Improvement Committee."
"Ye-es."
"I further understand it is the most prestigious one here. I've heard dark mutterings there's people would push a shiv in you, to get your spot."
"Indira, what you heard was sarcasm, irony, a joke."
She blushes, "oh sorry. Still, I have a complaint, this Day Room is beyond diss-gusting."
"In what fashion?"
"How come that TV only gets CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp)? And it does look pretty old."
I sigh, "the prison has no budget for that. It came as a donation, when a bar upgraded. And no money for cable."
"And why are those mags so old and tattered?"
"Again, no money. What you see are donations from a ladies church group. Every few months, they send several cardboard boxes."
She pulls a face, "don't you get smart ass with me! Mosta those church ladies have husbands, right? Or at very least, brothers. Why doesn't that wonderful committee ask them to pack a little more variety into the boxes?"
"That would be because we and they haven't talked in years. It would be pointless for us to send any letter. Still, boxes keep coming, so they must feel at least a little guilty about us."
"So how'd it happen?"
"Was way before my time. This group was gung ho, going to show up, have entertainment. It went southwards and real fast, so say the old timers."
"Why??"
"Indira, stop, take a deep breath. Now I ask you, what do you see in the mirror?"
It starts to dawn. She blushes, "yeah, I hear you. Not like anyone stuck a gun in our backs, forced us into the time machine. If you are a lifer anyhow, why not go for the advantages? Pristine health, none of the aging diseases for the rest of your natural time span. Just one glitch, only one calibration will actually work. You occupy a body that's ten years old biologically for the resta your life."
"So you see Indira, in here everyone is equal. We treat each other like adults, not the kids we appear to be. Same with staff. Warden is real hard nose on that. Any staff show disrespect and they're on the carpet in her office, hearing the Riot Act."
She smiles awkwardly, "I get your drift Minda. Whereas the outside world, like those church ladies, get all freaky because they don't understand. Tell me, many suicides or murders in here?"
"One suicide, no killings in the last entire decade. No one carries homemade weapons or even owns any. Not even any fistfights. Verbal nasty, oh yeah, and often. But that's as far as it goes."
She laughs, "a stunning achievement compared to the rest of the corrections system. I suppose they'll give Warden an award for that. But no more budget money of course."
We both laugh.