I’m not sure what the real difference between a jail and a prison is, but I always pictured a jail to be like the one in that old black and white show where the sheriff whistles, and a prison to be like in that one cable show where guys – well, they do horrible things to each other, even if they’re in wheelchairs!
Lucky for me, after I lit a small fire in Marlin’s Inn, I was sent to jail.
As Kilgore sometimes says:
Thank J.O.D! That stands for Jack Oliver Daniels. I don’t know if Oliver’s his middle name, or if it’s just Ollie for that matter, but I’m thankful nonetheless.
While I was there, the guards brought me bologna on bread and bottled water. I forgot how much I loved bologna on bread! My mom used to make it for me all the time as a kid.
And it wasn’t as if I was totally alone. The guy in the cell next to me was pretty angry at the world, but we had nothing but pleasant conversations… for the most part.
His name was Eddie Dantes, and after a couple days of just eating bologna sandwiches and drinking bottled water, we got to talking.
I was in love once upon a time too, he told me. It was so true that it felt like we were married. My beloved Mercedes meant the world to me, and she was stolen so harshly by someone I trusted.
He would go on and on about his true love this and his true love that, so having a fresh perspective to bounce my story off of, I told him all about Ashleigh. Our ups and downs. Our ins and outs. Take that whatever way you may.
His response: See what love brings? Nothing but despair. But let it be known… one day, I shall have my revenge.
Yeah, he kind of went on a little bit too much about avenging his lost love, but I couldn’t say I felt much different at times.
“Eddie, I’m not saying I’ve achieved any closure on the matter, but couldn’t you find a more constructive way of dealing with your pain?”
What could be more pain-numbing that reciprocity?
Here’s where things got really strange, and my desire to get home increased tenfold. I started counting down the bologna sandwiches until I got home.
“What are you planning to do, Eddie? Well, maybe I shouldn’t know.”
It’s okay, Aiden. You can know. I’m going to steal my cousin’s Ferrari and smash it up just like he did.
“Um, what?”
That’s why I’m in here. Attempted grand theft. My cousin stole my Mercedes and flipped her over. He totalled her, man. I was going to the same to his car.
At that point, the guards brought us our next meal. I really had to re-evaluate how much I loved bologna sandwiches…
Old Men at the Bar 