Chapters 19, 20, & 21

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Chapter Nineteen: Was she asking for it.

The next morning’s breakfast was the same as the day before. To the boys it was fit for a king and now they felt like they were at the very least part of Mr. B’s kingdom. It was the same ritual as it would be every day. Mr. B. reminding them not to be late, then they would have to run to catch the Buick just as it was starting to pull away. There was one difference that they all enjoyed. Now when a gospel song came on radio that was liked by one of the Buick’s occupants, he would just start to sing and they would all join in. Jimmy, who couldn’t carry a tune, now more often then not, would be the first every morning to sing. It was evident that he was starting to like Mr. B. and this new life.
Every day was about the same at work except Jerld and Jimmy were doing better every day and believe or not they were starting to be liked by the majority of the residents on the third floor, except for Mrs. Sostrom. Every day she would either call their room with a complaint or call the desk to inform the “Staoof,” as she called them, of something Jimmy or Jerld hadn’t done. Jerld would just laugh it off, but to he was determined to make her like and he took her complaints personally.

The only other problem they were having, besides Mrs. Sostrom, was that every other day or so Mrs. Wells would call for them and when she answered the door she was always in some stage of undress.
It was apparent to the boys that she was getting a kick out of their inept ability to hide their enjoyment of her sixty-year-old body.
One time Jimmy was alone in their end of the hallway office when the phone rang. Jerld had gone to pick up some over the counter medicine for Mrs. Will, the owner’s mother. Jerld had learned to like her even though she was by far the most work for the boys.
Jimmy answered the phone: “Jimmy, How can I help you?”
“This is Mrs. Wells, Jimmy I am in a terrible fix. You have to come down and help me. Let your self in the front door and come to the master bedroom lavatory.”
Jimmy asked: “Where?”
Mrs. Wells responded with: “The bathroom Jimmy, The bathroom.”
Jimmy suddenly was reminded of the mess Mrs. Sostrom’s left in her wheelchair everyday, asked: “Mrs. Wells do I have to bring any cleaning supplies?”
Laughingly she responded: “No Jimmy I haven’t shit all over myself but I do have a problem, would you hurry?”

Jimmy let himself into the suite and it was evident that Mrs. Wells had been exercising again. A very large golden colored towel was draped over the rail of the treadmill. On the floor was a very small pair of white shorts and a matching pair of panties.
Jimmy could still see the wet spots in the crotch of both, obviously put there from Mrs. Wells’ sweat. Just looking at them made him a little embarrassed and also a little horny. What Jimmy didn’t know was that his will power would be tested to the limit in just a few more steps.
He entered the bedroom and again was dazzled by the contrast of the two colors that were everywhere. It was the whitest white and the deepest gold he had ever seen.
Then he spotted what he thought may be the bathroom. “Mrs. Wells,” he called: “Are you in there?”
With a chuckle she said: “No I am at a God Damn Nudist Party, and I need a partner, Get in here.”
Jimmy entered the bathroom. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. In one corner, stood a shower, that just came out of the wall. The fixtures and the floor tile were gold colored.
There were what look like water spouts in the wall at about every level and pointing in every direction.

The wall the fixture hung on was built with very large marble tiles, white with golden marbling. There were no other walls, only a small gold colored curbing surrounding a six-foot by six-foot shower floor. As Jimmy looked around he wondered if Mrs. Wells even closed the bathroom door when she showered.
On the bathroom wall perpendicular to the shower was one full-length mirror. Behind Jimmy and to his left was the longest table he had ever seen. It also was white and trimmed in gold. It didn’t have any legs but looked like it was just hanging in the air. On that table was an array of hundreds of bottles of every shape and color. They were filled with liquid that seemed to twinkle in the lights that hung from the ceiling above the floating table. One small clear plastic chair with golden pillows sat in front of the table.
Suddenly Jimmy’s attention was brought to the only corner left. It was behind the door and to his left. From that direction came a plea: “Jimmy help me please.”
He turned and there was a very large bath area and in the center was a space where the floor just disappeared, and in the center of that space sat Mrs. Wells completely nude and in a most seductive position.
Her left leg was half hanging out of the sunken bathtub.

It looked like it had been in the water for sometime it was wrinkled not from age but from the water. Her head was laid back against the ledge of the tub and her arm was raised up and held behind her head as if to expose her breast to their fullest. But the look on her face was not one of sexual anticipation, but was a look of embarrassment, frustration and helplessness.
“Jimmy I am sorry to do this to you, but I really do need your help.”
“I was getting out of the tub and went to sit on this ledge when I slipped and slid back into the tub. I laid there for a minute or so thinking how clumsy I am getting, then, when I started to get up I realized my hair was stuck in the seam between the tub and the wall. I have yanked, pulled and twisted until I could do it anymore. Thank God I always take my cordless phone with me when I take a bath or shower.”
“You boys were the only ones I trusted enough to call. Would you please do what you can to get me out of this tub? I am beginning to look like an old wrinkled sponge.”
Jimmy grinned and said; “Mrs. Wells you would be the prettiest sponge there every was. Let me see what I can do.”
Jimmy sat down on the outside ledge and leaned back laying his head on the ledge next to the Damsel in Distress’s pinned back head. He lifted her head slightly and slowly pulled her arm out from behind it.

Then with his head nestled in her sweet smelling shampooed hair, he was able see what the problem was. There was a small gold colored metal rim around the entire tub and where it met the wall it created a small seam where the hair was stuck. It had caught the small opening as she had fallen and then when she slid down further into the tub it had wedged further into the opening. As Jimmy lay in this position he could feel the delicate fingers of this gorgeous bronze woman slightly gripping his thigh.
He also could see that everything about her was still preserved very well.
Jimmy said: “I see the problem; your hair is stuck in the seam of this metal rim. I think I can cut part of your hair away or if I pulled hard enough the metal should bend and release your hair. What do you want me to do?”
She laughed: “As you can see I am losing hair all over my body and what little I have left I want to keep.” I will brace myself and you give it your best shot.”
Jimmy stood up with one knee resting on the ledge of the tub and got a good hold of the few hairs that were stuck. “Are you ready, here we go.”
A quick pull and the Damsel had been saved. She reached up and grabbed Jimmy’s hand to help pull herself out of the tub. When she stood her legs gave out and she tumbled into Jimmy’s arms.

“Jimmy I am weak would please help me to bed?” she gasped.
Jimmy held an arm around her waist and gently led her to the enormous bed. With one arm he pulled back the sheets and with the other he gently laid her down in the bed. After she was positioned to her comfort Jimmy grabbed the sheets and pulled them up around her neck,
“I’ll be leaving now Mrs. Wells, have a nice rest.” He turned and walked toward the door when he heard an n old lady’s voice say; “Jimmy come back here.”
His recently saved Damsel motion for him to come to the side of the bed and when he had come within her reach she reached up and pulled his head close to hers and then kissed him on the cheek and said: “Bless you Jimmy, Bless you.”
Jimmy wasn’t sure why, but he had wonderful feeling of being very proud himself. He closed the apartment’s door and walked down the hall to their small office.
When he got to the office Jerld was there. At first Jimmy didn’t know if he wanted to tell Jerld what had just happened. He just walked in took up his usual place on the small cot.
“Where you been?” Jerld asked.
“I had to help Mrs. Wells with a plumbing problem.” Jimmy replied.

Jerld felt that something must have happened or Jimmy would be more talkative. Jerld decided not to push the issue and picked up the residents book. He had been keeping his own records since they had started to work at the Devonshire. He had made a separate sheet for each resident and had columns where he could keep a record of when they had called and what was needed. And most of all what amount of tip was given each time.
He had spent a couple of hours explaining what Jimmy needed to do each time he handled a call and Jimmy had made a good effort in filling out the extra data sheet.
He noticed Jimmy had filled nothing out for the last service to Mrs. Wells.
“Jimmy you didn’t fill out the book for Mrs. Wells give me the information and I’ll do it for you. What was the call for?” Jerld asked.
“Plumbing problems”
“What did you do?” Jerld asked.
“She had some hair stuck in a drain and I pulled it out for her.” Jimmy chuckled when he had said that.
The Jerld asked the big question; “How much did she tip ya?”
Jimmy paused and then said: “A hundred dollars worth of pleasure and pride, and we don’t have to pay any damn taxes on it either.”

Jerld wrote a big question mark in the book and one also formed in his mind. “Don’t want to talk about it now Jimmy?”
Jimmy turned his back to Jerld and quietly thought to himself. “I’m not sure I could explain what happened.”
It had nothing to do with any sexual feeling he may have had, nor did Mrs. Wells’ nudity really have much to do with how he was now feeling.
He felt the way he did because he was able to help her out of her predicament and how good it made him feel to be able to do it. You can’t describe those kinds of feelings and he wasn’t sure he would ever want to.
The next couple of weeks seemed to be a blur in their passing.
It was as if each day ran into another. Same problems and the same solutions. For some reason Mrs. Wells has started to ask for Jimmy personally whenever she needed something. Jerld was liking his job more every day, he was getting more responsibility, such as running errands for the different hotel staff people.

Chapter Twenty: The Time has Come

Then the worst day of Jerld’s life suddenly sliced his new found life into several jagged and crumbling pieces.
Mr. Will had come in one day and needed someone to go with him to a luncheon where he was to be the guest speaker. After going to his office he called Mr. B’s office and said that he needed some help with a display board that he was taking with him to the luncheon. While still on the phone Jerld was passing by Mr. B’s office door and it was open as it customarily was. Mr. B. got Jerld’s attention with a quick wave of his hand.
Then he motion for Jerld to come into the office. Mr. B. hung up the phone and said: “Mr. Will would like some help in his office I trust you will take care of whatever he needs.”
Then with a smile and a backward wave of his hand he dismissed Jerld. At first Jerld was a little perturbed at the way Mr. B. had told him what to do and then with a wave of his hand went back to his other duties. As Jerld was walking away from the office suddenly it dawn on him. Mr. B. without any instructions or second thoughts trusted him enough to ask him to take care of the owner and president of the Devonshire Hotel.
He had only talked to Mr. Will one time and that was shortly after he had started working at the hotel and that was only an introduction.

Jerld smiled to himself and under his breath muttered: “The big guy, they trust me, Jerld, from the streets of Gary, Mitchell, to take care of the “Top Dog.”
Jerld straightened his tie and adjusted his coat and knocked on Mr. Will’s office door. A soft but firm voice said: “Come in please.”
Here was a guy who could probably afford to buy half of Gary and he was saying “Please” to me: Jerld thought as he open the door and said: “May I help you Sir?”
There stood Mr. Will in his shirtsleeves with the cuffs rolled up to the elbow. His suit jacket had been haphazardly thrown over an old brown wooden chair. There on the floor lay numerous large pieces of white poster board. They had evidently spilled out of a black leather case that appeared to have been made specifically for them. Jerld was surprised by the office it was only slightly larger then Mr. B’s office and had only a couple of old wooden chairs and a huge thick legged table sitting in the very center of the room. It also was covered with the large sheets of poster board.
The walls were covered with a green and white-flocked wallpaper, which appeared to have small silver wreaths, splattered every few inches. The wallpaper was old and some of the flocking and wreaths had seen their better days.

It was obvious that the carpet was installed many years after the wallpaper; it was green and with white speckles sprinkled over the green.
To Jerld it looked liked the same carpet that covered the hotel driveway just in front of the entrance.
Jerald figured that the large table must serve as Mr. Will’s desk and workbench and a place to stack his files.
Mr. Will looked up and said; “Glad to see you Jerld,”
Jerld was shocked that this man who he had only met once remembered his name, “Will you help me to pick up this mess? We have a luncheon appointment in forty-five minutes.”
Jerld and Mr. Will both got down on their knees and began to drag, pull and shove the large posters into one pile. In a matter of a few minutes the stack was orderly enough that they were able to stuff them into the black leather case.
“Jerld go find Clarence tell him to get you a new jacket, I don’t care what color, a clean shirt, and a red and white striped tie.”
“When Clarence complains about the color of the tie just tell him I said: “I’ve always had better taste in clothes then him.” “Get now we only have a few minutes to get to that Chamber of Commerce meeting.” “You’re going with me, I need help to lug all this in. Please tell Mr. B.”

Going with Mr. Will, I am not sure that Mr. B. or Clarence will be happy about his.
Jerld went straight to Mr. B’s office and looked into the open door and said: “Excuse me, but Mr. Will has asked me to go with him to this Chamber of Commerce luncheon, he needs help with the posters. Mr.’ B. looked up and said: “See Clarence about a new jacket and tie, tell him blue and white.”
Jerld the only thing you need know is that you ride in the front seat with Mr. Will’s chauffer, other then that Mr. Will could not had made a better choice.” The luncheon went off without a hitch and Mr. Will thanked Jerld for his help.
Jerld had ended up wearing a gray jacket with a gray and white-stripped tie. Clarence just chuckled when Jerld had told him of different tie choices that Mr. Will and Mr. had suggested.
When they got back to the hotel Jerld carried Mr. Will’s poster case into his office.
Mr. Will again thanked him for his help and with a big grin and a wink he complemented him on his nice looking tie.
Jerld felt like he could walk on water, he hadn’t felt this way since the day he was able to con Mr. Wallace into hiring him at the fruit stand, so many years ago.

As Jerld left the office he walked by the front desk and Donald said: “Jerld, two men in suits came in to talk to Jimmy and he left with them. He just said he would call you as soon as he could.”
“Jimmy doesn’t know any one around here, especially someone who would be wearing a suit,” Jerld was thinking to himself as he walked down the hall.
Again he was passing Mr. B’s door and Mr. B. called out: “Jerld come in here please.” Mr. B. was sitting behind his desk and had a white sheet of paper in his hand. Mr. B. was cordial and first asked how things had gone with Mr. Will. Jerld said that it all had gone very well and he had enjoyed being with Mr. Will and meeting all those other Big Shots.
Mr. B. smiled a knowing kind of smile and said: “Jerld those men are no different then you and I, they were put on this earth because God has a purpose for them. The same as he has for you and I.”
“Please don’t refer to them as Big Shots, if you like you can call them by Mister or just to be polite you can call them sir. Always remember, either way they will show you just as much respect as you show to them.” Then he paused while Jerld nodded to Mr. B. that he understood.
“Jerld, he said: lifting the sheet of paper he held in his hand. This is an arrest warrant for Jimmy issued out of Lake County Indiana.

It was issued by a judge in Crown Point and he is wanted as a material witness.” “The only information that I was able to get from the two police officers who served this warrant was that it had to do with an old car that had been found abandoned a couple of blocks from our house, by the Chicago Police Department.
The officers said that he would be taken to the Lake County Jail and held without bond.”
“Jerld, do you know what this is about? If you do tell me what I can do to help.”
Jerld’s breathing became very rapid and a deepness of color appeared to flush his face. Here was Mr. B. a man that knew very little about either Jimmy or him up until they showed up on his doorstep.
He had done so much for Jimmy and him over the last few weeks and now without even asking what it was about he offered to see if he could help. Jerald wanted to tell him everything, the drug dealing, the killing of “Nads”, the chase to that hillbilly county and the murder of Harris, that he was a witness too in the Jasper County Jail. Though he wanted to cleanse his mind and his soul to this wonderful and caring man he knew he couldn’t.
“Mr. B. I know about the car, it was the one that Jimmy and I drove up here in.”

“We got it from a junk yard south of Gary about thirty miles, it could have been stolen, but if it was Jimmy and I didn’t know about it.” “We left it there because it was such a piece of junk, after first driving by your house we didn’t feel good about parking it there. So we just left it parked along side the curb a few blocks from your house.” “That’s all I know about it, Mr. B.”
When Jerld had finished he felt good that he hadn’t really lied to Mr. B., but felt bad that he hadn’t told Mr. B. everything either. He knew that he couldn’t.
“Jerld,” Mr. B. said: “Tomorrow we will go to the Lake County Jail and see what we can find out.” Jerld was stunned when he left Mr. B’s office and couldn’t remember if he had even thanked him for letting him go with Mr. Will.
He plodded through the rest of his shift in a daze not remembering anything but the last part of his talk with Mr. B.
Mrs. Wells had called once and when she had asked for Jimmy and was told he wasn’t there she sounded very disappointed and told Jerld to: “Never Mind.”
Finally the workday had ended and as usual Mr. B. and his Buick were sitting out in front of the lobby doors waiting for Jerld. He motioned for Jerld to get in the front seat instead of the backseat.

Jerld climb in and noticed that there was no music playing for this drive home.
Mr. B. only asked one question of Jerld the entire ride home, “Jerld have you told me everything.” Jerld couldn’t and didn’t answer he only looked at Mr. .B. and Mr. B. understood.
When they reached the house, Mr. B. said: “We will be leaving for Lake County at 7:45 sharp.”
That evening was different, Rose and the girls wanted to know what had happened to Jimmy and when Mr. B. had told them they all sat silently.
Except for Olivia who said: “I hope he is OK, I miss him already.” Johanna sat as she always did straight and un-bending, Kaylee got up and excused her self and left the table in tears.
The silence was like a thunder burst loud by it absence, then a little murmuring of deeply drawn breath, and then total quietness.
The normal clatter of plates being passed was without sound. The light tinkling of the utensils striking the plates seemed to have a hollow dull sound. When dinner was finished Rose said: “I will take care of the dishes Jew L., will you gather the children for our Bible study?”
With that Rose stood up and bent down and kissed Mr. .B. on the top of his balding head.

Jew L. “God will lead us through this and our family will be back together soon.” Tears formed in Mr. B. eyes and he made no attempt to stem them or in anyway hide them.
As if by some type of unspoken word having passed throughout the house, when Jerld and Mr. B. got to the living room everyone was already sitting in their individual pedals of the living room’s flower. Mr. B. took the center chair and without a word to anyone his voice began to resonate a very low humming sound. It was a sounded like the movement of a thousand people grouped together and slowly rocking back and forth.
It didn’t sound like it was coming from a voice, but from a thousands pairs of hands being rubbed together in despair. Rose entered the room and sat down and the four ladies started to wail. To Jerld it sounded like the high pitch of a siren being muffled by thousands of tightly held lips.
As they continued with this serenade of lightly broken silence, they started to move their shoulders in a circular motion keeping their heads bowed and unmoved. Suddenly Jerld realized that he to was moving to the sorrowful dirge that was encompassing the others in the room. As he listened and moved he began to feel the emotions of everyone in the room. They were giving strength to each other in their time of crisis and he felt that he was becoming a link in a big chain that could not be broken.

After several minutes Mr. B. whispered, “We have heard Lord and we are well.”
“Amen” was repeated several times around the seating petal and then Mr. B. said: “God is with us in our troubles and tells to go about our business. I feel like a good sleep so Rose and I will beg your leave and go up to bed. I would suggest you all do the same.”
Not a word was spoken as everyone stood up, still with their heads tilted down, as if a great weight was around their necks. Then each of them slowly trod upstairs to their separate bedrooms.

Chapter Twenty-One: Jimmy’s Charges

The next morning, except for morning grace, there again was silence at the breakfast table. The normal morning with the usual exchanging pleasantries and the sharing of dreams did not exist at all. When the meal was done Mr. B. said: “I’ll meet you in the car.” Then he turned and walked to the front door forgetting his suite jacket.
“”Jew L. you’ve forgotten your jacket.” Rose called after him. He seamed not to hear her; his mind was someplace else, a place that only he knew. Rose grabbed the jacket off the chair and followed Mr. B. outside.
Grabbing his arm she said: “He needs us now more then ever, and you the most.”
As Mr. B. took the coat from her folded arm he said: “I know Rose, I know.” I hope the boys trust me and understand that whatever they have been involved in, we will stand by them.”
Jerld had to go up to get his jacket and had just returned to the front door and had heard what Mr. B. had just said. He paused at the door, feeling mixed emotions. “Should he trust Mr. B, with his and Jimmy’s deadly secret or should he wait until he has more time to find out everything that is going on with the police and “Nads‘” death.”

He decided that he would wait until he and Jimmy had the opportunity to talk. Jerld walked out the door just as Mrs. B. was kissing Mr. B. good-bye and said: “Mrs. B. Could I have a good luck kiss, I think I am going to need it today.”
A small smile appeared on both of their lips as Rose stood up on her toes and kissed Jerld on the forehead. “Jerld remember to tell Jimmy the girls and I send our love and will have a big breakfast waiting for him when he gets home.”
Mr. B. said: “Jerld, get in the front seat so we can talk.” This was one time that he wasn’t looking forward to the forty-five minute drive to Crown Point and the Lake County Jail. He got into the front passenger’s seat and moved it back as far as it could go so Mr. B. would have to turn his head to see him. With Mr. B. being such a big man, this put Jerld a little behind Mr. B’s right shoulder. He did not want Mr. B. to be able to look him in the eyes when they talked.
“Jerld, have you told me everything?” questioned Mr. B.
“No Sir, I haven’t and I feel it would be better if you didn’t know everything yet. It may cause you and your family a lot of worry and needless concern, please trust me.” Jerld responded.


The rest of the ride was quiet except for the radio, which now was turned down, and Mr. B. was humming along with it. He voice sounded a little mumbled and sad as he hummed. The sound in his voice made every tune, that the radio played, a somber chant that seamed to express his mourning for a time past. There were no more questions just a joint feeling of apprehension for what lies ahead.
The Lake County Jail sits a little more than stone’s throw from Gary’s city limits. There are seventeen incorporated towns and cities in Lake County all of which bring their criminals, crooks, and ne’er-do-wells to the Lake County Jail. The jail has an address of Crown Point, but sits on what use to be farmland a short distance North of Crown Point’s downtown. This one is considered the new jail; Lake County’s old jail is infamous for the notorious bank robber, Dillenger’s escape. The old jail, where Dillenger was alleged to have carved a gun out of a bar of soap and force his way out of his cell, still sits in the middle of downtown. Across the street and a block north is the other thing Crown Point is well known for. It’s the very beautiful and well-preserved 19th century courthouse. It sits in the middle of what is called the Square and is surrounded by many small old store buildings, which now, like the courthouse, are occupied by modern shops or businesses.


Crown Point had long ago ran out of space to build downtown so like most small cities it started to crawl North on it’s main street. Businesses such as fast food restaurants, car lots and small shopping centers now poke-a-dotted both sides of the main street out to the Government Complex. Where the Lake County Jail and County Court and Office Complex now sits.
The Complex’s architect must have thought he had to divide and conquer to accommodate the many cars that needed to park around the complex. Circular parking proliferates most of the left over land. The majority of which is used by the various public office holders and their staff, leaving little room for jail or court visitors to park. That is unless they have brought right supplies to hike from the farthest parking spaces away from the building‘s entrances. On a warm day it would definitely require a bottle of water and comfortable shoes.
This jail houses anywhere up to 1500 prisoners at any one time, with the majority being black or Mexican with a heavy sprinkling of whites. This jail was a “Black Jail” the black inmate population was in control and everyone knew it. The guards, the staff and even the sheriff knew it, but of course the Sheriff would not admit to anyone other then himself, as being in controlled his jail.


Like any jail, it is a maze of steel, round bars, square bars and unbreakable windows. If the guards didn’t wear uniforms you couldn’t tell them from the prisoners.
The stations where the guards are assigned too spend their working hours are also barred cubicles, not much different from the prisoner‘s cells.
When you first enter into the cell area the noise is deafening, it’s cause is the clanging of the cell’s huge metal barred doors and the rustling of prisoners being paraded in chains from one cell to another, or to court. Then there is a constant rumble that seems rise and fall from a din to a roar. At first it is unidentifiable then as you listen you begin to make out a word or two, then you realize the sound you are hearing is a thousand voices all echoing through the walkways and from the cells. The voices may be saying different words but together they are all crying out: “Help me, Help me.”
Mr. B. was able to find a parking spot near the front of one of the parking circles. It was tight but he was able to squeeze the big Buick in, leaving room for both he and Jerld to get out. They walked side by side up the stairs of the sunken parking circles, and then crossed the blacktopped driveway.
There was a long curb along both sides of the driveway and sheriff’s police cars were parked helter skelter, taking up every inch of the curbing.

Mr. B. and Jerld had to walk several yards out of their way to get around these cars and reach the jail’s front door. At the front door sat a blue Lincoln Town Car parked in a space, which was reserved for “The Sheriff.”
Jerld wondered as he walked past the blue town car: “Why does a sheriff need a car like that?”
Then he chuckled and thought; “What kind of car a sheriff drove was the least of his worries.”
As they entered the lobby of the jail there was a sign directing: “Visitors must be searched” then an arrow pointing down a hallway and through an arch like doorway, but this doorway didn’t go anywhere it just stood in the middle of the hallway and had to uniform guards standing on either side. As Jerld and Mr. B. approached this doorway to nowhere, one of the guards held out a plastic pail and told each of them to empty their pockets and if they had a large belt buckle to take the belt off and put it in there also. As they walked through the doorway the guard quickly sorted through their belongings in the pail. He then sat the pail down on a table filled with rows of other pails.
The guard said: “Straight down the hall, you’ll get your stuff back when you leave.”


At the end of the hallway behind a small desk sat another guard with a notebook in front of him on the desk.
“Who ya here to see?” he barked.
“Jimmy Tyler” Mr. B. answered.
The guard rifled through the notebook in front of him and said: “What are your names?”
“Jew L. Bailey and his name is Jerld Mitchell.” Mr. B. politely answered.
The guard was a white younger man, small in stature and had a grime color to him. The kind that even if he had just stepped out of a shower he would still look dirty.
He looked up at Mr. B. and with a sneer he said: “Well Mista Jew L. Bailey the kid is on the list and you ain’t. So the kid goes and you go back to the lobby or your car, you ain’t going through until Mr. Jimmy Tyler puts you on his visitors list.” “Kid, go down that corridor and a guard will let you in to see Mr. Tyler.”
Mr. B. politely thanked the guard: “Thank you, I am glad they are able to find work for people like you.” Jerld looked at Mr. B. just as he winked and said to Jerld: “Go ahead and see Jimmy. I’ll just sit in the lobby and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere this nice young man has provided me with.”

With that he turned, raised his chin and coughed in a manner that let everyone know, including the jail guard that he was mocking him.
Jerld grinned, nodded to Mr. B. and started to walk down the hall.
“I’ll tell Mr. Tyler to put you on his list for next time Mr. Jew L Bailey,” Jerld hollered over his shoulder.
At the end of the corridor was another white guard he opened a heavy steel door and said; “In here Sir, we will have Mr. Tyler down in a few minutes.”
Jerld entered another long room that wasn’t much wider then the corridor he had just left. The room was divided into several glass-partitioned cubicles all lined up side by side. Each cubicle had a chair on either side of the glass partition allowing a place for the visitor to sit on one side, and the prisoner on the other. In the partition was a heavy metal screen allowing the visitor and the prisoner to talk through. Although you could see and talk to each other this setup made it impossible to touch or pass anything between the two.
Jerld walked down to the end farthest away from the guard at the door, and sat in that cubicle. He wanted to discuss some things with Jimmy that he definitely did not want others to hear.


A few minutes passed before Jimmy appeared. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit and a pair of shower shoes. When he saw Jerld his eyes lit up like two beacons and his smile looked like he had swallowed a half of a dinner plate.
Jimmy hurried to the end cubicle and sat down.
“Jerld it great to see you, how is Mr. B., Rose and the girls and especially Mrs. Wells?” he blurted out.
Jerld was taken back by the last, why did he mention Mrs. Wells, he wondered.
“They’re all fine and send their best wishes. Rose said she will have breakfast waiting for you when you get back home.”
Jimmy smiled and said: “Home, Jerld, Mr. B’s place was like home wasn’t it. Have you talked to Mrs. Wells? Is she OK?”
Again Jerld wondered why Mrs. Wells, what did Jimmy have going with her?”
“She had called a couple of times asking for you, but when I told her you weren’t there she would thank me and hang up. Is there something you want me to tell her?”
Smiling Jimmy said: “Yep, tell her I miss her lesson on the eggs benedict, and ask her if Luke and Laura got married.

Jerld I sure miss watching general Hospital with her. It was our favorite soap.”
Jerld thought for a few minutes and said: “Soaps you watched Soaps with Mrs. Wells?”
Jimmy grinned: “You bet we did and she was teaching me how to cook as a surprise. I was going to make a breakfast for everyone at Mr. B’s house soon as I learned how to make Crepes.” Jerld just shook his head.
He looked over his shoulder and luckily no one was in the next two booths. Jerld leaned as close as he could to the screened opening and whispered: “Jimmy what’s going on?”
Jimmy said: “Jerld I am in big trouble. Remember that day we went to Ronnie K’s and sat on the swings. Well I also had sat on the iron pipe that supported the teeter-totters. Tuney ratted to the cops. She just said that two guys had been over to see Ronnie K. about a dope deal, and Ronnie K. got upset with them and had sent Nads out to kill the two dope dealers. “
“When they were searching the playground after they found Nads swallowing his gun on the teeter-totters they dusted them for prints and only came up with one of mine on the underside of the iron pipe. It had rained and washed everything else off except for my one print.”

“When Tuney’s car was recovered at that wrecker yard, they found only my prints on the back of the rear view mirror where I had reached up to adjust it. Then they went to that hillbilly jail and got a copy of my prints and compared them to the ones found on the teeter-totters. That’s how they found out it was me.”
“Then the Chicago cops found that old car we dumped and questioned the neighborhood and found out I was living at Mr. B’s place. They checked around and found out we were working with him at the hotel and they came and got me. Jerld they have questioned me several times and I played dumb. They don’t know a thing about you so let’s let it play out and see what happens. They tell me I am going to be charged with killing old Nads.”
Jerld’s mind was racing; he couldn’t let Jimmy take the blame for what he did. He didn’t know what to do. He started to tell Jimmy he was going to take the blame, but their conversation was interrupted by the white guard. “Times up you have to leave Sir: the guard said.
Jerld was dazed he couldn’t think straight. A guard grabbed Jimmy by the shoulders and started to lead him away. Jimmy looked back and said: “Tell Mrs. Wells where I am at and she will take care of everything.” Jerld stumbled down the corridor and the long hallway, and if it weren’t for the grimy looking guard he would have forgotten his pail of belongings.

Jerld turned the corner facing the lobby, and there sat the finest man Jerld had every met, Mr. Jew L. Bailey. He and Mrs. Wells were to become the rock that Jerld and Jimmy would depend on over the months to come.