Walking Around in Public

So today I had a nice long full day of outings out into the real world! As I mentioned in an earlier entry I have impacted wisdom teeth that I am having removed for free while I am here. To do so requires me to be taken to the Western Medical Center in either Santa Ana or Anaheim to see an oral surgeon.

So today I was called to the west compound and loaded on a bus with people going to court and taken to the Main Jail in Santa Ana where I waited to be taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Well, apparently the whole world was on emergency alert due to an earthquake or something, so I was taken over there in handcuffs and leg shackles around 11 a.m. and turned away. I was told to come back after 1 p.m. after the emergency drill. So back to the main jail to wait for a few more hours.

Then a deputy tells me I am not even having the procedure done today, just having x-rays taken so that they can set an appointment to have them taken out. So around 1:20 p.m. the handcuffs and leg shackles go back on and I am taken back over to the hospital to get my x-rays. I don't know if you've ever been out somewhere, and seen an inmate all restrained being escorted by a deputy in a public place, but that was me. Shuffling around in leg shackles and full jail issue while mothers pull their children in closer to them as you pass by...not as fun as you might think. I just kept my head up and smiled politely at anyone who looked at me. And I hoped and prayed that I wouldn't run into anyone I knew.

But then after the x-rays were successfully taken I was returned to main jail where I waited until I could take a bus back to the farm with other inmates coming back from court. I made it back in time for chow, returned to the tent before the work crews did and got a shower in and shaved before the bathroom filled up. Not a bad day at all I must say. I got out of work for a day, and I left the jails twice and walked around in public with other people. Twice.

And even though I didn't get the procedure done today, it's all good because it means I get to do it all again at a later date. So yeah, right on!