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Treasures of Darkness: A Prison Journey by Trish Jenkins

Humiliation to Humor

From journal entry dated 30^th January, 2009.

Medication is delivered to the unit three times a day. I require a tablet just once a day. When we are given medication we are to line up with our plastic glasses half filled with water. We must show our fingers putting our medication into our mouths, swallow the water, then open our mouths wide, and lift our tongues for an officer to inspect.

It reminds me of the movie, “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Some of the women take medicine to help with their drug withdrawals and may transfer the pill or liquid into someone else’s mouth as a payment for something.

Such oral practices are not permitted in here.

As per the movie, we seem to have our very own Nurse Ratchet. This woman is a really grumpy, plump, middle-aged “sourpuss.” Her mouth seems permanently held in the position that most resembles the rear of a cat. I’m always as polite as I can be, but one day, she was so rude to me that an officer actually told me not to worry about her.

My humiliations were not quite complete…

I picked up a persistent, barking cough from the watch-house conditions. To add to my indignities, my pelvic floors were not coping as well as they would normally, and I needed something to suppress the coughing. I was too embarrassed to go to the male officer in the fishbowl and explain why I needed to access my cell.

“Don’t you do your pelvic floor exercises?” Nurse “Ratchet” demanded in a loud, accusing voice.

“Well yes, but I did give birth to twins and this cough isn’t helping…”

She spoke to me as if I were an idiot and as if my answer was “back-chatting.” I did get a bit testy as I hate poor customer service. I didn’t appreciate my personal matters being ridiculed in front of everyone either. But in here I am not a customer. I am not an equal. I must be subservient, and accept disrespect from staff, if I am to survive. It’s hard for a self-respecting person to tolerate such treatment.

I speak to the staff the same way I would if I were dealing with people from another business. We are incarcerated, however, in theory, we are still supposed to be treated with manners. Some officers do, and the women usually respond in kind. However, many do not; yet it is not our place to point out when a staff member is falling short. We have the right to complain, but few do unless the matter is really serious.

‘I expected the women to be mean; but a nurse is simply doing a job, why would she bother being snide?’ I complained to the Lord.

Hmmm. Time for an “Attitude” test.

I began praying for this horrible woman. I am sure she is lovely to those who matter to her. She is probably a sweet grandmother. Perhaps she just hates her job. So I prayed for God’s blessing on every area of her life. Then the Lord showed me a scripture.

“That which you do to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do to me.”

See Matthew 25:31-46 for the full context. It also warns,

“That which you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for Me.”

I felt the Lord ask me, “Who are the ‘least’ in society?”

“I think it’s us, Lord,” I answered. “People feel sorry for abused children, the handicapped, the sick, and the mentally ill; but we are despised.”

“That’s right, and yet she serves you.”

The irony was not lost on me.

God has a great sense of humour!

What was funnier was when I shared my revelation with the nurse the next day! There is a part of me that is a little cheeky about the things of God, and I wanted to see her response.

How could I not?

As she served me, I thanked her politely and said, “You know the Bible says when you are serving us, you are serving Jesus.”

She looked stunned, “Well, I don’t believe that!”

I smiled at her and replied, “It doesn’t matter if you believe it. We are the very least in society. What anyone does to us, they do to Christ. Thank you.”

“Move along, Jenkins!” I’m sure the supervising officer was hiding a smile.

Perhaps the Lord will touch her, and perhaps not. It’s not my call.

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