Riot

Female Visitors Items Not Allowed: Tank tops Halter tops Shirts/tops which bare the midriff Low cut, sleeveless, or cutout shirts Shirts, blouses or dresses which expose undergarments, cleavage or back Culottes, skirts, dresses shorter than one inch above the top ofthe kneecap Wrap around type skirts, shirts or dresses withfull length openings Dresses or skirts too tight to allow pat search ofinner leg Clothing with holes Spandex, lycra, or other rubberized or elasticized garments Garments made ofsheer or transparentfabric Bib style attire Swimsuits I ask myself on the drive west out of Spokane, the empty road cutting through wasted snow, snow no longer smooth after weeks of dry cold. I ask myself because others ask me. Why not the high school, the nursing home? Why a prison? A men's prison, medium security. My students could be murderers or rapists, drug dealers, sent to this eastern Washington facility for the rest oftheir terms. But these men need help also, I remind those others. It's easy to talk of the cathartic benefits of writing classes—it's an expressive outlet. I can explain myself and be admired for my courage and altruism. The truth is I don't expect to make much of a difference. I've volunteered because I'm getting something out of it. These men are the forgot153 154Fourth Genre ten, the outsiders. I want to get close to their dark territory, to get to close the edge of whatever shadow it is. The thought unnerves me and I turn up the radio. In the distance the prison is lit up, a stadium for the faUen, and aU around it is dark. The first night of class, I'm hidden in a black tunic of a sweater, the neck choking me. Wool tights confine my legs under a dark skirt. As advised, I wear flat shoes that I can run in. Over the weeks, FU shed clothes the way some women shed inhibitions, carefuUy and one at a time. On the night of the fight, I'U be wearing a T-shirt and black, narrow pants. I look up and Mike, who's here for drug running, is staring at me. "You're so inteUigent," he says. He says it like he wants to say something else. Certain personal comments are ok: Are you a writer? You are a good teacher. But other comments are offUnfits: You're in good shape—do you work out? His hair is glossy, caught in a long ponytail. He is not handsome, but there is something. The volunteer coordinator had warned us many times that the men are manipulative. Do not bring them stamps or newspapers. TeU them nothing personal. They wiU use it against you. Mike has a son with cerebral palsy he has not seen in three years, and one day he passes me a note: "Can you help me find my boy?" Offender Manipulation 1.Be aware ofthe verbal and non-verbal messages you send, watch body language. 2.Know your personal and professional goals. Understand your value system. 3.Learn to be assertive and use the word "NO" appropriately. 4.Do not do anything you would be ashamed to share with your peers or supervisor. After class I drive the streets of Spokane, the sprawl of the city surrounded by dark prairie. I've been here two years and stiU feel Uke a stranger. No one's waiting for me; my husband is not at home. He's bought a business that is losing money faster than he can make it. He comes home rarely and when he does, he sometimes walks through the house and stares out the window or sits and looks at his hands. One day, he will watch as I leave. When I do see him it is like having a stranger in the home, though this is reaUy his home; I was brought into it like a mafl-order bride, the place already fiflly furnished and stocked. In the middle of the night I go to the Joëlle Fraser155 other bedroom, where the sheets are as cool as damp cloths against fevered skin. I stretch my arms and legs. Later...