Page 38
May 26 2012
Day 20
Subject: Jailhouse Heroes
Scott works as a chef in the kitchen at Cheshire County House of Corrections. He is the most underpaid employee in the entire building (except for his inmate assistants who receive no pay). I haven’t been called to work in the kitchen more than maybe a handful of times, but when I have, Scott has been there at 5:30am to greet my inmate cohorts with fresh coffee and something to nosh on: egg and cheese omelets, fresh blueberry muffins, etc.
The best gift he brings is invisible: his good-humored, positive attitude. Being in jail is tough enough. Being awoken at 5am by a disembodied voice commanding you to work in a kitchen for nine hours without pay on top of being in jail could make a person miserable. To be greeted with consistent kindness, humor, and respect upon entering the kitchen makes it not just bearable, but for some, the part of the day to which they look forward to the most.
I get the impression it’s not just me. On days that I deliver meals to the various cell blocks, I can peer into the kitchen and see an efficient assembly line giggling, making voices, dancing to the music, then loading up their own trays with their favorite selections. It’s clear that while the job is work for everyone, it is fun.
I learned that to become the jail chef he is today, Scott took a 50% pay cut. That may be common these days for those who have lost their jobs, but for Scott it was a conscious life decision to do what makes him happiest. Consequently, he is making life happier for all of the inmates who have the pleasure to work with him. What a valuable lesson in spending life’s limited days well rather than in endless pursuit of bigger salaries.
Scott used to be a DJ in Connecticut, and he plays music for the kitchen workers. For some inmates, this is the only time they will hear music for months.
Among the many blessings I have counted during my stay in the Keene Spiritual Retreat, I can count my consistent interactions with Scott to be among the top of the list. Here’s a picture Beau drew of Scott as “Captain Cliche”.
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