November 22, 104
Lately I've been struggling to deal with living day to day with my new, temporary cell mate. Surprisingly I'm able to handle it better than with my past cell mates, maybe it's because I know our stay together will end soon, maybe it's because my experience with so many other annoying cellys in the past has given me a little more patience and tolerance, or maybe it's a little of both. For the most part I bite my tongue, speaking up when I feel too annoyed or disrespected, drawing a proverbial line in the sand. I also try to remind myself that this kid is only two years older than my daughter; he's just a twenty year old kid, still learning life and the need to respect other people's personal space. I try to remember myself at his age and I realize that I might have had more annoying habits than him at the time, completely unaware of my shortcomings. The kid stays up all hours of the night, trying to be quiet, but still noisy none the less, he spends all day singing rap music out loud, making it very difficult to concentrate on anything, he's always jumping down of his rack to stare out of the dayroom window, bouncing around the cell like a spider monkey, jacked up on Mt. Dew. The kid also has questionable hygiene and that's where I draw the line. I brought the importance of washing and being clean in relation to the possibilities of getting sick easier, coupled with having to smell each other being in such close quarters to one another. His shoes and feat smell terrible, so I gave him a trash bag, kindly asking him to wrap up his shoes when each time he takes them off, pointing out how showering each day can minimizes the smell. Of course I always do my best not to be mean or disrespectful, but stern, making sure I get my point across. Like many difficulties in prison, I can see the benefits of having to tolerate such things. Difficulties with things like having to deal with so many people and personalities has taught me how to be more patient and tolerant, speaking up when necessary, going through struggles in life without having to think I need drugs or substances to cope, thus preparing myself for the struggles I'll be facing in the real world.
Steven Dybvad
