Shadows

           Theboundariesofourcountry,sir?Whysir,onthenorthweareboundedbytheAuroraBorealis,ontheeastweareboundedbytherisingsun,onthesouthweareboundedbytheprocessionoftheEquinoxes,andonthewestbythedayofjudgement.

           -TheAmericanJoeMiller’sJestBook

           Shadowhaddonethreeyearsinprison.Hewasbigenoughandlookeddon’t-fuck-with-meenoughthathisbiggestproblemwaskillingtime.Sohekepthimselfinshape,andtaughthimselfcointricks,andthoughtalotabouthowmuchhelovedhiswife.

           Thebestthing-inShadow’sopinion,perhapstheonlygoodthing-aboutbeinginprisonwasafeelingofrelief.Thefeelingthathe’dplungedaslowashecouldplungeandhe’dhitbottom.Hedidn’tworrythatthemanwasgoingtogethim,becausethemanhadgothim.Hewasnolongerscaredofwhattomorrowmightbring,becauseyesterdayhadbroughtit.

           Itdidnotmatter,Shadowdecided,ifyouhaddonewhatyouhadbeenconvictedofornot.Inhisexperienceeveryonehemetinprisonwasaggrievedaboutsomething:therewasalwayssomethingtheauthoritieshadgotwrong,somethingtheysaidyoudidwhenyoudidn’t-oryoudidn’tdoquiteliketheysaidyoudid.Whatwasimportantwasthattheyhadgottenyou.

           Hehadnoticeditinthefirstfewdays,wheneverything,fromtheslangtothebadfood,wasnew.Despitethemiseryandtheutterskin-crawlinghorrorofincarceration,hewasbreathingrelief.

           Shadowtriednottotalktoomuch.SomewherearoundthemiddleofyeartwohementionedhistheorytoLowKeyLyesmith,hiscellmate.