Doing TIME

You're new, right? When d’you get in? March 23. Still counting the weeks?

Listen, I’ve been here a while, 15 years of while.

So if you’re going to survive, you got to know the rules.

Don’t worry, I can help.

Rule No.1 - never trust anyone who says they can help.

Rule No.2 - get up in the morning. Get dressed. Make the bed.

Rule No.3 - do some exercise. See a guy called Wicks about that.

Rule No.4 - get outside whenever you can. They’re OK about that now but you’ve got to stay alert.

Rule No.5 - don’t have nothing to do with gangs. That’s where all the trouble starts.

Rule No.6 - make the library your friend. Read stuff you don’t even know why you’re reading it. Like weird stuff on viruses and R rates.

Rule No.7 - walk away from fights. There are some tough kids in here and they’re looking for any excuse. Home schooling does that to you.

Rule No.8 - doesn’t matter what you do but do something. Every day.

Rule No.9 - think about what you did on the outside. And not just the good stuff, the stupid stuff too, like commuting. Might even change you.

Rule No.10 - do your time. Time can be easy or time can be hard. All depends on you. Like that old war guy said: ‘my mind is free, I can be anywhere’.

What you accused of, anyway? Yeah, we’re all innocent in here.