From the Prison Diary of Ernest Rich

Ernest Rich
Pamlico Correction Facility
Bayboro, NC

May 15, 2008

They don’t feed (us) much here at Pamlico. We seldom get meat at breakfast. They don’t always serve what is on menu. Eggs and grits. Eggs are not real. Grits are bland. Oatmeal don’t taste like oatmeal. They boil it too long to destroy all the vitamins.

They ruin good food. Boil cabbage in water without meat. Carrots are no good. We haven’t had bananas in a long time. We are not getting vitamins we need. Some men buy from canteen. But I get no money from home. I am 61 and can’t eat a lot of food they serve. Their beef or pork liver mess my stomach up.

I miss home fired potatoes, fried crisp in cast iron frying pan in lard. I ate fried potatoes at breakfast before I came to prison with eggs and sausage. Strawberry preserves. Tomato soup at breakfast. I’m looking forward to eating real food when I get out. I love tomato juice, grape juice, butter milk. We never get it in prison. We only get watered down juice. Buttermilk is good for your stomach. The kind of food they serve creates high cholesterol, stomach problems, then nurse give you expensive medicine that creates more medical problems.

May 24, 2008

From my window I can see highway, motor homes, motor boats, logging trucks, sometimes farmers are working in field on other side of highway. It is important to me to be able to see the outside world. I’ve been imprisoned for 22 years. I hope to get out some day. I look forward to hiking in the woods. I may walk on the Appalachian Trail. I need to get away from it all, away from people so I can meditate. Be alone with God.