When I drive the big food service truck over to the west unit, I always get a raise.
West houses the baddest of the bad. The boys who are not aloud with the general population. But the men in west need food too and sometimes it is my job to drive the delivery truck and bring them the carts that hold their meals. I do not go into that building. Eight of the best of the worst offenders are escorted out by guards to push the heavy metal holding carts into their unit. It is my job to transport and operated lift gate on the back of the truck. The correctional officers do not want the men to talk to me. It is disruptive and could incite trouble. Basically it is the only time these men are outside. The only time they see a woman.
A couple bad boys, when I first started, tried to chat me up as I stood running the device that lifts their carts onto the truck, but they were ushered rapidly back inside and their privileges taken from them. The west men soon learned not to start anything with me. They became as scared of me as I them.
But then, they started leaving me secret messages. Messages on the sides of the carts the guards cannot see as the inmates push the heavy wheeled carts back to my truck. They use their condiment packages to communicate with me. My first reaction to their attempt startled them.
Every day I get a new mosaic made from ketchup, mustard and salad dressing.
Every day I get a new drawing of an erect penis.
Every day I laugh out loud. The guards know not why.