O Give Me A Home (Near A Decent Jail)

Met a man with a British accent, next to a newspaper dispensary. He saw my book of American Sign Language and inquired. I said I'd also like to learn Spanish and he said the best way was immersion. I agreed, and said I wondered if immersion for someone learning sign language is best without the sense of hearing. He said I should go to Mexico City for immersion after I said I would be a little worried about living in Mexico as a single mother. I said I had heard bad things about the jails, "Not that..." and smiled. He mentioned Spain and I said, "I wonder what their jails are like." He looked at me. I laughed and he laughed, and I said, "Well, you never know...I'm not planning on doing something to land me in jail, but... (knowing what I've already been through, I was thinking, it is something to consider!). I said, "I know, I'm basing decisions on the kind of jail system I'd be near." He said, "In that case, move to Los Angeles!" (laughter)

"Yeah! they have nice jails."

He was done. He sort of smiled, sort of left perplexed, his crystal sharp blue eyes imprinted in my memory even now.

Seriously, knowing the price I've already paid for free speech, I can't imagine what could be next. I have to consider the entire structure of the system these days. Jail, for me, is a possibility elsewhere if it was possible in the U.S. and Canada, when I've never done anything criminal, but only been defamed, and then talked too much without first exposing the defamation, and made the wrong people mad.

After speaking with the first gentleman, I walked to a computer lab and noticed this other guy sitting behind a bench who evidentally had been listening in. BIG smile on his face.

I imagine he thought it was amusing to see a petite and feminine woman wearing a snappy orange trench coat, carrying a diaper bag, a book on ASL, and questioning which country was both suitable for language immersion and not too drafty in jail.