i_killed_my_friend

Yes, actually they were there when I needed them most. They wrote a letter to my judge and asked for me to be forgiven and to spend as little time locked up as possible. I still email with her mom occasionally and share updates on my life. They are great people and I am very fortunate that they reacted the way they did. My personal emotional outcome wouldn't be what it is now without their support.

Her parents I'm assuming. Yes, it wouldn't be easy but I owe it to them, for the way they handled the situation. They had every right to hate me entirely and ask I go to prison for 15 years, instead they wrote an amazing letter asking for leniency. I still keep in contact with my friends, they've been happily married 3 years and have a beautiful baby girl.

Thank you, I just used this, don' think I could have said it better.

It wasn't all that bad, the real killer is being away from real world stimulus. County jail is a joke, I was bounced around to 3-4 of them on the way to the prison. We would travel one day to a different jail, spend the night there and pick up more inmates then go on transport the next day. I spent 4 weeks at a prison before we got to the camp, I was equipped with two jump suits, two pairs of bad socks, two pairs of briefs, and an old pair of flip flops. That wouldn't be so bad except it was December and snowed almost everyday, we had to walk to the chow hall, counselling, doctor, etc. Wet feet and sick people everywhere, no heating anywhere.

At the prison camp there were child molesters mixed in with us. So we spent many weeks traveling to different jails, then to the prison where other inmates would join, then finally to the prison camp where they were segregated. Many of your "friends" would suddenly be in a different group from you, then the truth would come out. At the camp there were different barracks, the molesters had their own floor in one of the barracks. I was moved onto that floor, randomly, with two of my friends. At first we were livid but the dorm was very calm, the sexual offenders are always on the verge of getting beat, stabbed, spit on, and are also treated as a "protected species" by the guards. Any act against someone convicted of those crimes could receive an extra charge for a hate crime. I got into a disagreement with one of them during a card game and he never paid me the debts he owed me, we played pinochle for money and he owed me 4 soups. I made it known, as was common, that he didn't pay his debts so then nobody else would allow him on a table until he paid me. One day my locker had been opened but not by me, I had a 'trap' set to tell, my toothbrush had been taken and scraped on something, probably the bathroom floor which is sharp to prevent slipping. I called out the entire floor, I was ready to get another charge, messing with someones hygiene is off limits unless you want a fight. Luckily nothing happened, I went to the Commanding Officer and asked to be moved, I told him I had no sexual offense charge and about my toothbrush. I was moved, along with my two friends, within 20 minutes. Upside was many more pinochle players.

I also was a math teacher/tutor at the prison camp. If you didn't have a GED it was required to get one. This passed the most of my time.

edit: made the content a little clearer. The comment about County Jail being a joke is in reference to the way people/kids acted. Lots of 'tough guys' the guys who had been to prison before liked routine and wanted things calm as much as possible, if there was a difference between two people you either fought it out, talked it out, or avoided each other. The kids loved to shout and have drama all the time. When I first went in I was in a neck brace and completely new to jail, a few old timers helped me out. Gave me a table to eat at, taught me pinochle, introduced me to the people I needed to know, the information I gained from them made my stay much smoother.

I haven't ridden since and actually have only sat on 5 motorcycles (while not running) since the accident. I got my license back after two years and driving for the first time was kind of nerve racking but actually helped to calm me down. Those two years as a passenger I spent most of the time playing music and focused on what song to play next. Watching traffic scared me shitless. I constantly remind people they are not traveling 20 mph in a safe bubble, it takes very little to take a life.

No offense at all, you wrote it perfectly. Thank you from America!