he was in for life
this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2025
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chapotraphouse
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I don't know why this specific person chose to own a plant. But, having been to prison, I know exactly how he got it.
We learn to love ourselves by learning to love others. An intentional progression often starts with a plant, then a fish, a cat, a dog, and then other humans.
Prisoners often suck at love for self and others. In the US, the best of Christians often fight for them to have rehabilitative programs to overcome substance abuse and learn to love. They also understand that most prisoners have tremendous value for any comfort or convenience not usually found in prison.
So, they get approval, give away plants to whomever wants them, and then teach their thing to whomever wants to show up.
Replying to my own post with my experience loving a plant.
The air in prison is cool and dry. We don't have access to larger pots. We only get partial sun for a few hours through our little cell window.
Keeping a plant alive means improvising materials to fix the cheap pot, curating every stem and leaf like a bonsai tree to keep it small, and replacing soil.
Replacing soil isn't allowed. We'd be searched before we went outside, then again more thoroughly before coming back inside. But, a few inmates ran a "store". It's like Red from Shawshank, with predatory prices and interest, enforced with third party physical violence.
For my cellmate and myself, I bought a a pair of $20 phone cards from commissary to pay the store for enough soil to fill two pots. Then, I taught my cellmate that we could split the worm.
(do) I wanna know how you got the worm(?)
The store's owner asked me what I wanted it for. Much later I think I'd figured out how he got it done. I also had educational books coming in, was giving them away, and all the stores just let me have it.
Snitches get stitches. Stay in school.