21.11.09

Note to self regarding safety in Prison related to external purchases of clothing.



As nurses in prison we are granted a total of $500 dollars split in two (2) over x2 6 month periods to purchase clothing as we are non-uniformed staff (and should remain so according to studies internationally that show uniforms only serve to provide barriers to care and collection of vital information re health conditions and provision of health care).

Over the many years (almost 9 including the one I year was working for Mason Clinic in the prisons) I have worked in Mt Eden Prison I have duly used this allowance to cloth myself in usually non-descript items to go about my work though it appears this year I made a decision on choosing a pair of shoes that led to thought about, though not completely fully foreseen circumstances.

I brought them as they provided great ankle support and I move around Mt Eden Prison a lot; from top to bottom and everywhere in between assessing and managing risk as well as things not exactly in my job description, not to mention the need for good tread grip when in the middle of a physical encounter.

They are white and blue and high top(ish).They have the name AND1 which I thought spelt ANDY in an unusual manner and as I have a brother named Andrew I thought this was a sign – this as well as them being discounted led to the selling point (or is that the buying point?)


It took the first day of me walking through South Wing (Mainstream Prisoners – the hardened) to medical to understand that perhaps the shoes were now the focus of the multitude of prisoners commenting on them.

In medical it took one of my favorite transsexuals to inform me that the shoes were indeed ‘nice’ in that the name of them was not ANDY but AND 1 and they were sought after basketball shoes which meant that had I not spent the amount of time working with +++ prisoners I would have probably have been turned over for them (staff or not) on entry to the wings.

As it stood I knew that in no way would I be touched as they (prisoners) know the consequences of anyone fucking with me but naturally my mind became Devilish and so I doubled my travels through the wings for the fun and ‘dem eyes no longer were attempting to stare me down (a foolish enterprise in any case) but fixed to the floor -

And then when I had to check out a mainstream prisoner in the yards I asked the officer to take me to the yards as I needed no medical equipment, just mind questions.


Four yards of mainstream prisoners, four yards of fun.


North, East, West and South.



For some of those eyes this was the first time they had all turned in one direction to reach the acronym NEWS.



Which brings new meaning to an old book my Dad gave me once a long time ago – how to make Work fun in the Workplace.



I believe I finally had some inkling of insight.





And like Dorothy all it took was a pair of shoes - she and I initially had no idea of the power of them though we both finally reached Revelation and Home safely – the only difference being she took the whirlwind whilst I have ridden that monster in my head for years and it was an economical car that drove faster than it should when I finally left Prison at 2100 hours for respite -




After stopping for beer.









The Grey Madness.