I was talking to a young man in the common area of Unit “E” at the Newton Correctional Facility. He was from the Quad-Cities and 26 years of age. He was nervous about getting out of prison and “not” being a drug dealer. Our conversation went something like this:
ME: What are you most nervous about?
QUAD-CITIES: Well, I can’t deal drugs anymore.
ME: Yes, that’s right.
QUAD-CITIES: I don’t know what I’m going to do for money.
ME: What jobs have you had in the past?
QUAD-CITIES: Dealing drugs.
ME: Besides that.
QUAD-CITIES: That’s it. I’ve only ever just been a drug
dealer.
ME: You’re kidding.
QUAD-CITIES: Nope.
ME: Never had a paper route or worked fast-food or retail or
anything?
QUAD-CITIES: Never needed to.
ME: How long have you been dealing drugs?
QUAD-CITIES: Since Junior High.
ME: You sold drugs AT a Junior High or you were IN Junior
High when you started dealing?
QUAD-CITIES: Both. I was IN Junior High and I was AT a
Junior High.
ME: What did your Dad do for a living?
QUAD-CITIES: Drug Dealer.
ME: Grandpa?
QUAD-CITIES: Drug Dealer.
ME: Siblings?
QUAD-CITIES: Dealers.
ME: Neighbors?
QUAD-CITIES: Not all of them were Dealers.
ME:…
QUAD-CITIES: Some of them were Cooks.
ME: Meth Cooks?
QUAD-CITIES: Oh…yeah.
ME: Do you know anyone who is not a Drug Dealer?
QUAD-CITIES: You.
ME: Anyone else?
QUAD-CITIES:……………My IFI mentor?
Insert your own life lesson here:
________________________________________.
chris
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