by Sandra Lowen

Created on: August 05, 2010

THE ONLY WAY OUT

“So you’re out of here tonight?” Tony asked. He would miss Marco; he was a good friend. But—well, a man’s time to go came, and he had to be off. Nothing could stop him.

“I always said I’d never stay around long,” Marco said. “Dinner, and then they pick me up and that’s it; I’m off.”

“Easy travels,” Tony said, reaching out a tattooed hand to grasp Marco’s big brawny one.  Tony thought he felt a bit of a tremor in it, but he couldn't be sure. Marco was a proud man; a strong and fearless man.

“Great guy,” he said, watching Marco’s back recede down the hall.

“We’ve all got our flaws,” Jimmy said from across the way.

It didn’t matter what anybody might say about anybody, Jimmy had some way to put that person down. It came of having a hard life, Tony supposed. Jimmy had been around for ages; and knew more dirt about even the kindest of souls. 

 “Y'know, Jimmy, It’s gonna be hard on me when you move on.”

"I won't be missing you,” Jimmy said. Then his voice grew quieter. “Truth be told, I’m kind of envious of Marco, finally blowing this joint. Just sitting here day by day, staring at the four walls, waiting for something to happen— it’s enough to drive a man insane.”

“Yeah, but it’s life,” Tony said. “And you know what they say: ‘where there’s life there’s hope’”.

“Hope is overrated,” Jimmy said. “I’d rather be on my way; stretching a bit, eating real food, instead of this slop, maybe spotting a pretty girl or two along the way; you know.”

“Yeah,” Tony said. “But then there’s journey’s end.”

Jimmy sighed and lay down on his bunk. “There is that.”

They had no idea how long they dozed. They awoke as the lights in the hallway buzzed and then flared for an instant.

“Well, I guess Marco’s outta here,” Tony said.

“Yeah,” Jimmy said, making another hatch mark on his cell wall. “Lucky stiff!”

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