University of Virginia Library

The Better Man

I'm sure he has, but I thought,
then Frank was right after all. When
the state can frame a man for
crimes they can't pin on him we are
all in danger. And the thought of
this brutal cretin of a guard
pontificating to me about a better
man than him was almost beyond
endurance. I clenched my fists and
teeth for more than the first time
and walked on. But I was walking
toward freedom by that time and
already Frank was slipping out of
my mind. Just as he said he would.

"When I tell people what it's
like in here they won't believe me.
They can't afford to and live with
themselves, knowing that their
money and their apathy keep this
system going. You ll walk out of
here hating cops more than you used
to, but you'll forget it all too, or
wrap it all up in a verbal box for
show and tell time at the next
cocktail party."