Richie

March 29, 2007

Richie

I just got a visit from my old cellmate, young Richie. 

A number of days back now, he approached me and asked if I might help him fill out a request for a visit from his father. The rules of this place stipulate that you can’t receive a visit from anyone who has a record within the past six months. Richie’s dad has a drinking driving offence with which he’s currently under parole for. Richie’s familiarity with my penchant for writing led him to me for help. I simply asked him the details of his dad’s situation and quickly penned out the request. It certainly couldn’t hurt to try. Our complaint forms seem to get the attentions of the administrative end of this place so why not a well worded request? 

Well, sitting here in my room, Richie came to say that he was summoned into the bubble where alongside with the on-duty C.O., stood a white shirt. They proceeded to discuss with Richie the matter and while it isn’t a certainty as of yet, it appearss they’re going to look into it further and see what they can do. The chances for Richie to have a visit from his father, of whom he’s very close to, stand at 50/50 as of this writing. Which is to say better than zero. Better than could be expected given the rules this place so rigorously upholds. Richie is cautiously optimistic and so am I. I was flattered that he would come to me for help in this matter to begin with. To have it actually work out in his favour would please me all the more for him. Go Richie!

March 31, 2007

Richie came to me today to tell me the powers here have granted him permission to have a visit from his dad! He’s happy and this makes me happy. It still requires his father get permission from his parole officer but I imagine that shouldn’t be a problem. To my mind, the harder part of the equation was getting the heads here to make an exception to their own rul