“You don’t know why you did it! You don’t like him that much!” I looked at her with the purest of angers in my eyes, of that I was sure. “You didn’t even like him that much!” I repeated! “Meagan, you’re a piece of work. You all are,” I said. “I may not be rich like him, but at least I’m honest and loyal. None of the three of you can say as much the way I see it. Kindly go to hell all of you!” ****** My trial for aggravated assault was held two months later. I was found guilty.
“Chester Gilford, you have been found guilty of aggravated assault. I hereby sentence you to from one to five years in the state penitentiary for your crime.” The gavel sounded. My knees felt weak. My lawyer mumbled something about an appeal. I looked around and saw my wife; my faithless wife. Her eyes were filled with tears. Well, what the hell, I thought.
I was cuffed and put into a waist chain and ankle shackles on the spot. The guard took hold of my arm and led me away. My shortened stutter steps made it plain to all that I was a prisoner, talk about adding to my humiliation.
Besides Meagan, the remainder of the unholy three were there. Don was sneering, Bertha was perplexed. And oh yeah, Meagan? Meagan was beseeching me to forgive her. I wondered if she would be visiting me in the joint. I wondered if I even gave a damn; I was pretty sure I didn’t.
I was sent to a medium security unit about 150 miles from home. It didn’t matter to me, but the inmates there were at least not your average axe murderers. Most were in for stuff like me or white collar types most serving sentences similar to my own. Oh, there were a few big time baddies, but those were old guys finishing out their life sentences in their dotage.
Turned out she did visit me, or tried to, several times in that first year; but I refused to see her. I was hoping she’d just divorce me and let me alone; but, she didn’t do that either. I was paroled after eighteen months.
My experience inside was enlightening. I actually made some friends—go figure. Couldn’t trust my wife, my boss, his wife, or likely very many others of the old crowd, the way I was seeing things; but, the cons I met inside were reliable as hell. Helluva thing.
As I stood in front of the cage waiting for the final paperwork, and to get signed out, and for the few personal things that I had brought in with me a year and a half before, a guard approached me.
“Do good Chester. Don’t wanna see you back here, okay?”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Masters, as much as I like the place, I will be making other plans,” I said, smiling.
“Uh—Chester, I don’t know if you’re expecting her, but I think your wife is outside waiting for you. I know you rejected seeing her in the past when she came up to visit,” he said. My smile faded in a hurry.
“Man, that’s all I need,” I said. “Well, maybe it’s time to get it over with; I mean my final words to her.” Guard Masters just nodded his agreement.
The gate clanged shut behind me. The bright sunlight had me squinting and looking left and right for what I knew was coming. The six year old Chevy, my old car, came up beside me. Meagan leaned out and smiled.
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