Read Online Heaven: A Prison Diary by Jeffrey Archer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeffrey Archer
Ads: Link
I
raise this subject is because Potts, who’s had a bad week, absconded yesterday
following his suicide attempt. It turns out that the final straw concerned the
custody of his children – the subject he was going to raise with his solicitor.
8.15 am
After the
frantic rush of events following the arrival of fifteen new prisoners
yesterday, today is comparatively quiet.
Allen
(cannabis, six years) drops in to tell me that his weekend leave forms still haven’t
been processed, and it’s this weekend. The duty officer Mr Hayes deals with it.
Thomas (in charge of a gun that discharged) says his town visit form has not
been authorized and asks how much longer he will have to wait to find out if he
will be allowed out. Mr Hayes deals with it. Merry (embezzlement) arrives with
still no word as to when Group 4 will be transporting him to Sudbury so that he
can be nearer his family. Mr Hayes deals with it.
Mr Hayes is an
unusual officer. He’s not frightened of making decisions and standing by them.
He also makes his own tea. When I asked him why, he simply replied, ‘You’re not
here to serve me, but to complete your sentence. I don’t need to be waited on.’
10.00 am
Mr Hocking and
I agree it would be better for the press to take a photograph and then go away,
leaving his little band of security officers to get on with their job.
I walk out of
the SMU building and deliberately stop to chat to Peter (lifer, arson), who is
sweeping leaves from the path. He keeps his back to the cameras. Three minutes
later I return to the building and, true to form, the photographers all
disappear.
12 noon
Major Willis
comes to SMU to hand back his red induction folder. He tells me that he’s sixty-four,
first offence, GBH, sentence one year, and that he’ll be released in March. He
was a major in the army, and after retiring, fell in love with a young Nigerian
girl (a prostitute), whom he later married. She soon began to bully him, and to
spend what little money he had. One day he could take no more, blew his top and
stuck a kitchen knife in her. She reported him to the police. He will end up
doing ten months (if he gets his tag), six of them at NSC.
He’s puzzled as
to why I got four years.
2.30 pm
A quiet afternoon. A fleeting visit from Mr Berlyn to check
that I’m wearing a prison shirt as the press keep reporting that mine isn’t
regulation issue. He checks the blue and white HMP label, and leaves,
satisfied.
9.00 pm
Fall asleep in
front of the TV. Doug says I snore. I’m writing five hours a day, on top of a
thirty-four-hour week, and I’m not even going to the gym.
DAY 108 - SATURDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2001
I’ve written
several times about the boredom of weekends, but something takes place today
that turns the normal torpor into frantic activity.
8.50 am
The
photographers have returned. They either missed getting a good shot yesterday,
or work for the Sundays who want a ‘today pic’. I agree with the deputy
governor, Mr Berlyn, to do another walk on, walk off, in order to get rid of
them once and for all. He seems grateful.
2.00 pm
I’m expecting a
visit from my son James.
When I enter
the visitors’ room I can’t see him, but then spot someone waving at me. It
turns out to be my son. He’s grown a beard. I hate it, and tell him so, which
is a bit rough, as he’s just travelled 120 miles to see me.
James tells me
that my legal team are concentrating their efforts on
my appeal. Mr and Mrs Barker have confirmed that they heard the judge discussing
me at a dinner party over a year before I was arrested. This could change my
appeal.
5.00 pm
Doug and I are
having tea in the hospital when Clive strolls in to announce that he’s moving
to another room ..
‘Why?’ I ask, when he has the largest space in the prison.
‘Because they’re fitting electrics into all the other rooms.’ I can’t believe he’d give up his large abode in exchange for a TV. ‘If you want
to move in, Jeffrey, you’d better come over to
raise this subject is because Potts, who’s had a bad week, absconded yesterday
following his suicide attempt. It turns out that the final straw concerned the
custody of his children – the subject he was going to raise with his solicitor.
8.15 am
After the
frantic rush of events following the arrival of fifteen new prisoners
yesterday, today is comparatively quiet.
Allen
(cannabis, six years) drops in to tell me that his weekend leave forms still haven’t
been processed, and it’s this weekend. The duty officer Mr Hayes deals with it.
Thomas (in charge of a gun that discharged) says his town visit form has not
been authorized and asks how much longer he will have to wait to find out if he
will be allowed out. Mr Hayes deals with it. Merry (embezzlement) arrives with
still no word as to when Group 4 will be transporting him to Sudbury so that he
can be nearer his family. Mr Hayes deals with it.
Mr Hayes is an
unusual officer. He’s not frightened of making decisions and standing by them.
He also makes his own tea. When I asked him why, he simply replied, ‘You’re not
here to serve me, but to complete your sentence. I don’t need to be waited on.’
10.00 am
Mr Hocking and
I agree it would be better for the press to take a photograph and then go away,
leaving his little band of security officers to get on with their job.
I walk out of
the SMU building and deliberately stop to chat to Peter (lifer, arson), who is
sweeping leaves from the path. He keeps his back to the cameras. Three minutes
later I return to the building and, true to form, the photographers all
disappear.
12 noon
Major Willis
comes to SMU to hand back his red induction folder. He tells me that he’s sixty-four,
first offence, GBH, sentence one year, and that he’ll be released in March. He
was a major in the army, and after retiring, fell in love with a young Nigerian
girl (a prostitute), whom he later married. She soon began to bully him, and to
spend what little money he had. One day he could take no more, blew his top and
stuck a kitchen knife in her. She reported him to the police. He will end up
doing ten months (if he gets his tag), six of them at NSC.
He’s puzzled as
to why I got four years.
2.30 pm
A quiet afternoon. A fleeting visit from Mr Berlyn to check
that I’m wearing a prison shirt as the press keep reporting that mine isn’t
regulation issue. He checks the blue and white HMP label, and leaves,
satisfied.
9.00 pm
Fall asleep in
front of the TV. Doug says I snore. I’m writing five hours a day, on top of a
thirty-four-hour week, and I’m not even going to the gym.
DAY 108 - SATURDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2001
I’ve written
several times about the boredom of weekends, but something takes place today
that turns the normal torpor into frantic activity.
8.50 am
The
photographers have returned. They either missed getting a good shot yesterday,
or work for the Sundays who want a ‘today pic’. I agree with the deputy
governor, Mr Berlyn, to do another walk on, walk off, in order to get rid of
them once and for all. He seems grateful.
2.00 pm
I’m expecting a
visit from my son James.
When I enter
the visitors’ room I can’t see him, but then spot someone waving at me. It
turns out to be my son. He’s grown a beard. I hate it, and tell him so, which
is a bit rough, as he’s just travelled 120 miles to see me.
James tells me
that my legal team are concentrating their efforts on
my appeal. Mr and Mrs Barker have confirmed that they heard the judge discussing
me at a dinner party over a year before I was arrested. This could change my
appeal.
5.00 pm
Doug and I are
having tea in the hospital when Clive strolls in to announce that he’s moving
to another room ..
‘Why?’ I ask, when he has the largest space in the prison.
‘Because they’re fitting electrics into all the other rooms.’ I can’t believe he’d give up his large abode in exchange for a TV. ‘If you want
to move in, Jeffrey, you’d better come over to
Similar Books
