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“Hey man, fancy seeing you here!” Roger exclaims as he helps Caleb set up his bunk. “The first night is always a little rough and we have court bright and early so get some rest.” Roger and Caleb both settle in for the evening but because they were booked in so late it was already time for them to make their journey to court.

“Inmates, put your hands on the walls and spread your feet apart,” demanded a guard.

“What time is it? I just barely got down here,” whined Caleb.

“Its 0500 hours and it's time for court.” The guard came in and patted down Roger first.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” Roger taunted.

“SHUT UP!” The guard hastily pushed Roger against the wall and secured a waist chain around his body. The guard then secured Roger’s wrists with the cuffs attached to the waist.

 “Man that’s too fucking tight!”

“Well maybe next time you will keep your fucking mouth shut!” The guard then secured leg irons over roger white socked ankles. Barely able to move, Roger is then escorted out of the cell by another guard. “Alright inmate your turn,” the guard turned to Caleb and began the pat down.

“Is this all necessary? I mean I didn’t do anything crazy and I am not going to run anywhere?” Caleb still had no idea how any of this worked.

“This is standard procedure, all inmates are cuffed and shackled anytime they leave the detention facility, and because your aren’t classified yet it will be anytime you leave your cell until we are able to trust you in minimum security,” explained the guard as he draped the chain around Caleb’s waist. Then the officer secured the leg irons on Caleb’s ankles and led them both to a holding cell to await other inmates that were going to court that day.

“Am I going to have to be like this in public?” Caleb asked Roger.

“Yeah man, it’s called a perp walk and humiliation is all part of the game,” explained Roger. “Just keep your head low and hope no one you know is watching.” They sat in silence while 10 other inmates shuffled in slowly. Time was moving very slow and what seemed to be 2-3 hours was actually only about 45 minutes.

“Alright gentlemen let’s roll out,” the guard demanded as he opened the cell door and marched the inmates out in a single file line. Caleb had never walked in shackles before and found it difficult not to trip over himself. The other inmates seemed to have no issues at all, this was not their first time at the rodeo. They loaded a plain white van with no windows on the sides. Caleb trying to squeeze his way to the back tripped and face planted Roger’s lap.

“Hey man, save that for later,” Roger said semi jokingly. The van pulled out of the detention center and headed for district court.

Upon arrival the men piled out of the van and shuffled their way to a holding cell. “Roger, what do I do when I get called up?”

“Stand there and let the defender do all of the talking,” Roger expertly told Caleb.

Another hour went by and a guard came up to the cell. “Roger Maxwell, 12440, you’re up!” Roger shuffled his way out of the cell and was off to court. When Roger got to the courtroom he was officially charged with one count of possession of a dangerous drug and one count of probation violation. Being that Roger didn’t have any money and family had already discounted him he plead guilty. Also, being as this was not his first offense, the judge sentenced him to 300 days in the county jail plus 60 days for the probation violation.

Roger looking pissed finally came back to the cell, “this is fucking bullshit, 1 year in jail over a little cocaine, well good luck to you that judge is an ass!”

“Caleb Johnson, 12445, lets go,” a guard ushered Caleb into the courtroom.

“Mr. Johnson you are being charged with aggravated DUI, fleeing the scene of an accident, and vehicular manslaughter, how do you plea?”

“Vehicular manslaughter?!? What are you talking about?” Caleb was now feeling weak on his feet, his face began to flush, and sweat began to pour.

“Mr. Johnson, one more outburst and I will hold you in contempt.”

The public defender present at the courtroom entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. Next, the state attorney made his case to show cause for the charges and argue for no bail. “Your honor Mr. Johnson was pulled over and took a field sobriety test which he failed. His car was impounded and there was a report of a man deceased on the side of the road. Once the car was in impound they saw blood on the bumper and it matched the victim on the side of the road. We argue that Mr. Johnson be held over until trial.”

“Mr. Johnson do you have an attorney or the means to procure one yourself,” asked the judge.

The events of last night began to come back to Caleb vaguely, he knew he had hit something with his car but did not know what. Then he started to remember that he had just been fired, “uh, I am not sure your honor.”

“The court will temporarily appoint a public defender, there is no bail set pending a preliminary hearing, NEXT!” 

Caleb could not even begin to believe what was happening, none of it was making any sense. He was ushered back to the holding cell with the inability to even speak due to the shock of what had just happened. There sat Roger, his new roommate for the unforeseeable future.

They pull up to the county jail after a drive that seemed like it took hours to take. “Step out of the car,” Officer Daniels guided Caleb to the door. After ringing the buzzer the door opened and Caleb was escorted to a counter. “This is Caleb Johnson charged with aggravated DWI.”

The corrections officer pats Caleb down really quick and begins to take inventory of his belongings. “Alright Mr. Johnson, I am going to need your clothes as well. Step into this shower stall and strip down,” the corrections officer begins to uncuff Caleb.

Now Caleb is much more sober as he strips off his nice dress shirt, pants, and shoes. “Don’t I get to make a phone call?”

“Not just yet, first you need to get dressed out so we can take you through the booking process, you will get to make a call in a little while, now stop stalling and take your socks and underwear off.” Caleb takes off the underwear and his black socks, it would be the last time he would wear black socks for a very long time. “Alright, in order to prevent pests that enter on a person’s body I need you to shower off. ”There was no curtain as the officer watched him shower off. “Now lift up your sack and spread your cheeks apart.”

“What?!”

“Listen asshole I don’t like this anymore than you do, lift up your balls, spread your butt cheeks apart and cough!” After being thoroughly examined Caleb’s clothes are bagged up and placed with the rest of his property. “Here put these on,” he is handed a pair of white briefs, white tube socks, a white t-shirt, and an orange jumpsuit that has “county jail inmate” painted on the back. “What size of shoe are you?”

“A 13 sir,” Caleb said sheepishly.

“Well unfortunately I don’t have a 13 in the canvas you will have to wear the shower slides instead.” Caleb slipped on the shower shoes, “alright, all inmates on the first floor must be restrained at all times so I need you to kneel down on this bench and put your hands up on the wall.” The officer applies leg irons on Caleb’s ankles first.

“Is this really necessary?” Caleb asks. The officer says nothing as he fastens the first leg iron to Caleb’s right socked ankle. “That’s way too tight! How am I supposed to walk!” The second leg iron goes on over the left socked ankle.

“That’s the whole point dumbass, now keep quiet!” The officer now applies a chain around his waist and cuffs his hands to the front of them. “Let’s go” Caleb shuffles down the hallway until they get to a few cells with bars on them. It was a busy night each holding cell had at least 10 to 15 men in them. Caleb sits on the bench quietly in shame.

“Hey man, what are you in for?” another inmate asks.

“Uh, DWI.”

“Ah fuck man, I am in for drugs, this is not my first time but it looks like it might be yours! The name is Roger, just keep your head low and you will be alright.”

“I am hoping to get out of here as soon as possible,” Caleb explains.

“Courts are closed until morning man, you will have to wait until bail is set but I’ll keep you company.” After a few hours another CO comes in “Johnson, your turn.” Caleb stands up and shuffles out of the holding cell. The CO undoes his hands for a moment “just let me do all the work here,” he takes Caleb’s fingers and rolls them over the fingerprinting machine. “Alright, look straight at the camera, now turn to your side. You get one phone call make it quick.”

Caleb calls out to his parent’s but no one picks up the phone. “They didn’t answer can I try again?”

“Nope that was your one phone call now hold your hands out to cuff back up.”

“But no one knows I am in here,” Caleb complained. “That’s none of my business now hurry up.” The officer cuffs Caleb’s hands back to the waist chain and he is escorted to the elevator. “You will be in housing unit 5A, that’s maximum security until your background check comes back. It’s 23 hour lock down and you are cuffed anytime you exit your cell, do you understand?” Caleb stares at the wall thinking ‘is this really happening?’

“I SAID DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND?” The officer elbows Caleb in the gut.

“Yes”

“That’s yes sir to you.” They enter the unit, guys cat-calling from their cells. The CO takes off Caleb’s restraints. The door to Caleb’s new home opens up, “We will come get you for court in a couple of hours, Close cell 5!” The heavy steel door slams shut behind Caleb, there sat his new cellmate Roger from booking.

Caleb was 34, a tall 6'2" man with a nicely trimmed goatee. He had been working as an accountant for a large company making six figures a year. One day, he went into work expecting it to be an ordinary day, however, it would prove to be anything but ordinary. Caleb who was used to wearing nice business suits would soon be accustomed to a new uniform and a restrictive environment. 

When Caleb got to work that Monday morning nothing unusual was going on.  He discussed with a colleague about the epic weekend he just had partying and went back to his office. As he was checking his emails he got a call to come to the board room immediately. The in the board room was a few security guards and all of the executives. Caleb was handed a pink slip and escorted back to his office to pack his things. 

Caleb was reasonably upset and had no idea what he was going to do next. On his way home he decided to stop at his favorite bar and knock a few back. Hours went by and so did Caleb's troubles. It was finally closing time and Caleb was lit! Being the confident guy he was, Caleb got into his car and drove home, a huge mistake that would effect the lives of so many. 

On his drive home he had gotten a text message from his friends Ralph, taking about a party that he was at, and that Caleb should come. While he was looking at his messages he feels a thump and pulls over to check it out. He had ran over a homeless man! 

Panicked he gets back in his car and drives away. A few moments later a cop notices him swerving and pulls him over. Officer Daniel's walls over to his car and traps on the window, "license and registration."

Caleb was shaking with fear,  how did anyone see him hit that guy,  there was no way! He hands the officer the paperwork and asks trying to stay cool "is there a problem officer?"

"You were driving 60 in a 45 and was going over the line, have you gassed anything to drink?" Caleb immediately denies drinking. "You smell like a bar step out of the car!"

"Sir I don't know what you mean," caleb pleaded. 

"Well then, just blow in to this and if it comes up 0 you can go home." Caleb was screwed, ".21, that's aggravated DWI, put your hands on the hood and spread your feet apart." Officer Daniels pats him down, "slowly put your hands on your head.  *Click* the right cuff goes on followed by the left. Caleb is taken by the arm and walked back to the squad car. "Watch your step," Caleb is stuffed into the back of the car and they drive away.