On The Regulation Line

“I thought I kept it in the drawer here but it isn't here”

“ try checking in the books, maybe you put it inside one of them”

“I have gone through the books there and it isn't there”

“search your personal compartment or check your cell locker”

 Kenny the inmates librarian( if you call him that) talking to his friend kurusiano in the foreign district library of Qinso prison. The list of excess books that has no space to store them in the library he came out with the idea of sending them up to the district first floor instead of how he saw his predecessor handle such problems of lack of space once. he decided after observing the importance of books to the inmates and probably reason his predecessor did what he did once to the books by playing into the hands of scrupulous officers that are waiting for any slightest chance to reap where they never sow. That year, two years plus ago, the ex-inmate that handed the job over to him, a Spanish guy don't understand English well and don't like reading English books only Spanish ones. He had packed the excess novels and other interesting books and sent them to the store up there in the factory. Kenny being new had believed it was tradition. It was about six months later he realized that whatever has money value that ended up in that factory stores never see the light of the day again as far as inmates needs are concerned. The officers sell everything that they found there.

Those books had been all English books. When the inmate went home, officers had appointed him or rather he was pointed to them by his predecessor a month before he went home. From the way the guy organizes that place, he knew he is everything but librarian. He never asked him personal questions for he doesn’t like people poking into his own personal affairs. He himself, an accountant by training but he has small knowledge of how the library should be organized to look better than the way it was under his predecessor. Not as if keeping the place clean is an easy work but not most difficult one also. He had not wasted time in shuffling things when he assumed the care of that place.

Only about twenty percent of the inmates he noticed read books and those twenty are serious minded ones that if normal distribution is done, their zeal well spread will raise that percent to sixty percent.

All the books in the library there were all bought by the inmates through their families and since you are not allowed to leave with any, building up library had been easy. What those books are doing in seeing the inmates through in one piece mentally and physically, he noticed from simple observations is enormous. He had requested to the officer that he needs about three medium size cartons to pack excess books inmates families are sending to them that many are complaining of where to dump them after reading. It’s occupying spaces in their cell and provision lockers. Some will just walk into the library and dump them there on top of the shelves and went their way. He never told the education officer that he want to send them to the first floor for he knew he will not agree. He will went them like he have hinted sent to the factory store room.

Officer Marcos had been tarrying in providing the carton he knew he will fine easily if he wanted to do so. So, he contacted kitchen department inmates and asked them to talk to their officer and provide four cartons for them. Two days later, they handed them over four cartons and the list of books he made to take upstairs to the store room that is half empty, to be brought down after a year and half and exchanged places with old ones or rather the ones down stairs.

Officer Marcos he thought wasn't on duty appeared from no way when he and kurusiano was packing the excess books into the cartons. He stood at the door with expression that is difficult to read observing them before his shadow fell on them to attract their attention to the door. The man is man Kenny don’t even know reason he was made an education officer in the first place. He can speak English alright somehow better than most officer in this Portuguese Chinese Macau. But the man seems not to have the interest of inmates as far as their mental health and psychological well being is concerned at heart. He had told him initially when he noticed the excess books that when enough, it should be shifted to the factory store room. Only heaven knows how much they make from selling those second hands books. Last time he snooped around, he heard that they are not even selling the books to the second hand dealer stores but selling a lot of them in an local auction at big money. Even at that, Kenny wonders how much would go twenty-one officers around at substantial amount to warrant that nonsense. He was the one that came out with the idea of given each inmate a space in the shelf to store their books. Whether such move is from his positive heart or ploy to make sure that spaces for books in the library is limited. “ is officer Miguel around?” he asked.

Officer Miguel is the officer in charge of labour and in charge of factory keys.

“ No officer, but officer Christo asked us to remind him by press intercom button when we are ready”

“ Officer Christo?”

“Yes officer”

He stormed out and went back into their office again and as the door banged behind him, Kenny and Kurusiano eyed each order. “I told you his intention. Now, have you agreed or you still doubting?”

After about ten or more minutes, he rushed out again frowning and pouting like a kid. “What was that I said to you last week or thereabouts?”

“Officer, I heard from the inmates doing their morning duties upstairs three days ago that that two stores are almost empty upstairs and I decided it is better to be stored there than going to the factory and carrying it back again when needed. Here made more sense” 

Still pouting, he was eyeing Kenny with unmistakable annoyance and disdain for about three minutes before turning his gaze, expression unchanged towards Kurusiano. “In Japan, don't your prisons run in rules and regulations?”  the guy was eyeing him with annoyance and Kurusiano decided to play it safe. “Of course officer they do” “Do the officers interfere with another officer’s duty, encroach into his territory without being invited?”

“ Ha, I am not sure of that arena officer. I have never been to prison in my country as inmate, only as visitor sir”

“When you paid that visit there, do you witnessed anything of such nature?”

“ I was not paying attention well to such areas sir”

“ Well, over here, we mind our businesses, it is disrespectful to jump into another’s territory uninvited and more still disrespecting your boss in favor of another is sign of being tired with whatever it is you do and courting unnecessary enmity. Understand?”

“ Now, each time I come here, I always see you here even when other inmates are in their rooms taking their siesta. From today, I don’t want to see you here when others are inside following regulations. Do I made myself clear?”

“ yes officer”

“Now, follow regulations.” He shifted to one side of the door and Kurusiano faded with head bow low”

“Now, you Kenny, I want you to write a letter and address it to me retracting your stand that you are still interested in this work you are assigned. I want it today before 6pm”

“ Yes officer”

“finished up what you are doing before afternoon work, and keep the cartons there”

“Yes officer”

That after, inmates supposed to wake up by 2:00 and he pressed the signal around twenty pass one. With annoyance still boiling inside him and still pouting, he asked the inmate to assemble inside the cultural room for brief announcement. When they have gathered, he begun:

 “ I want you to queue up according to your rooms first” the inmate reorganized according to the instruction while confusion were still well written all over their faces. He told one of the four officers to take the first room into the library. It was noise coming from there that the inmates deducted what was happening.

 Search, checking is on. Everyone are asked to open his personal space assigned to him. The officer whether through observing cameras or informants that have become common way of serving sentence. He must have found out that some inmates are using the space assigned to them for storing provisions instead of books or prison writing materials hence the surprise search. After seizing almost two cartons full of provisions, running boots and other eatery items, they all assembled again in the cultural rooms.

 “ We have seen that we are doing our jobs badly. Some of you not only don't know your regulations, you are overfeeding too and that is reasons you are suffering me this afternoon when I supposed be resting. Reasons you not your left from right. This weekend, you will be tested on your knowledge of prisons rules and regulation,, 38 articles and that will serve as your source of educational points this makes. Do I made myself clear?”

Every one was eyeing h20 percent out of 20 percent murmured yes sir. “you will know if you have the right to not answer when an officer is addressing you, or even to use sir or officer when you do”

After the speech and when the officers have gone over to their side, the inmates began murmuring t,o themselves, and many knowing that the informants among them will still send info across seized the opportunity to indirectly threaten the man.

“ He forgot that officers have regulations too. I have never gone through one but selling inmates books for personal gains without their permission is against the law” one chipped in, “not only regulations of the prison but of state”

They were still murmuring printable things to themselves when must their duty to take them to the factory came.