"Jay, I want you to get your shit and stay the fuck away from my prison! Do you understand me?"

"Eye, eye Capi-tan."

"Don't get smart with me! I am placing a restraining order against you! You are no longer allowed within a thousand feet of any jail, detention center, prison, courthouse, or annex in these parts, you got it!"

'Yea, yea, I hear you. I don't want to be near any of those places anyway. I have been trapped in this bitch for the last five years with you idiots trying to kill me, so it's about damn time you get the hint and leave me alone."

The warden took a deep breath puffing his chunky chest out and crossed his arms completing his firm stance. He really was a good-hearted man, one of those men that would give you the shirt off his back, if he felt you needed it more than he did. His voice and the glairs he could cast is what created the fear in those who crossed him, it was like he could see straight into your soul and knew he instantly if you were lying to him; the man was a human lie detector, and he was never wrong. I could see the frustration and anger written all over his face. "Out." He spoke this last word calmly but with a stern voice. All I could do was smile, and the warden called the guards to open the door. It was not a regular steel barred door like you would think, it was a full metal plated door and weighed more than I could imagine but it was one of those old timey doors that you would usually see on the outside of a castle with a mote around it.

Instead of the door folding down to create a bridge over a mote, this door lifted. It is the only prison that has one, the warden liked it that way because as he says, "When a prisoner tries to escape, the door comes down so hard and so fast that they get squished like the little cockroaches they are!" I have only seen it happen twice throughout all my years being in and out of this place. Before I walked away, I turned back and gave Warden Mac a wink (just to piss him off one last time), then disappeared from his sight into the bright blanket of sun; the guards slammed the door behind me.

Freedom, finally free! Granted, I was only in for five years, but five years is a long time when you are locked up sleeping next to Buff-Bob Touchy-Feely-Pants. Not that he got his hands on me (he knew better from past occurrences, this was not the first time we shared a cell) it was the other cell mate that he was drawn to. The kid was so tiny and scared all the time, he showed absolutely no masculinity at all, it made me wonder what the hell he did to get thrown in there in the first place (maybe he was wrongfully charged for something). In this prison the golden rule is, whatever buff Bob wants, buff Bob gets. The sounds of skinny boy and buff Bob's bodies pounding against each other, and all the screaming drove me insane, skinny boy couldn't have been much older than twenty-one at the most. Buff Bob couldn't have cared less, I think he actually enjoyed the screams. There were a few nights when buff Bob was getting freaky with this kid and the guys from the other cells would pick sides (it was like some sick ass game), some would root for buff Bob to get him harder, and others would root for skinny boy or they would beg him to put his face in the bunk to drowned out his screams. I would have felt much better sitting in isolation for those five years than bearing witness to that torture every night.

I had no clue what to do, I sat in the parking lot for what seemed like hours just soaking up the sun and the fresh air of the cool autumn day. Of course, the guards were standing watch waiting for me to leave the premises, the warden finally called a taxi and paid the company over the phone, just gave the company a hundred dollars to get rid of me. When the taxi finally arrived, I hopped in the backseat and asked the driver to take me to Park Sledge Road (my old neighborhood).

The trip from the prison to Park Sledge Road took about forty-five minutes. When we arrived, I told the taxi driver to just drop me off at the end of the road and I could walk the rest of the way, I stood there until the taxi disappeared from my sight, this way there was no witness to where I went. The place pretty much looked the same as it did when I left five years prior, except for few trees missing that were probably blown over from the hurricanes that came through. My old house was about mid-way down the street and my best friend (Tom) that I had known since elementary school lived two doors down on the other side of the street. In their driveway sat Mr. James' (Tom's dad) trusty old beat-up tow truck that always reminded me of Mater from that movie 'Cars'. The only difference was that Mater was a rusty brown color and Mr. James' tow truck was more of a dark red color, if you looked at in the right light it resembled a dark blood color). Seeing the truck sitting there, I knew he was home, and he could get in touch with Tom for me since I didn't have a phone anymore.

I knocked on the door and Mr. James took his time coming to open it. "Jay! Hey, come on in! It's good to see you made it out alive!" Mr. James said happily and patted my back. "Yea, I'm back." I said and stepped inside. "Have a seat, you hungry?" he asked.

"Not really, the warden gave me a good parting meal before I left. Thanks for the offer though."

"Have you talked to my son yet?"

"No sir, I don't believe he knows I'm out yet. That is why I stopped by. I was hoping he would be here and if not, maybe you could get in touch with him for me if you don't mind."

"Sure, sure! Just give me one second to find my phone."

"I appreciate it!"

"No problem at all."

Mr. James walked back to his bedroom and found his phone sitting on his side of the bed on his nightstand. He had Tom on speed dial. "Hey son! You will never guess who just showed up at the house!"

"Who?"

"Well, you will just have to come over and see for yourself. I don't think you would believe me if I told you."

"Ok dad I will see you in a bit." Tom laughed.

"He is on his way Jay!"

"Thank you, Mr. James."

As we waited for Tom to show up, Mr. James and I talked about all the changes that have happened in the years of my absence. Turns out Tom finally proposed to his longtime girlfriend Lacy. Those two have been crazy about each other since they first met in high school. I guess you could say they are classic high school sweethearts. My ex is the one that introduced them, she didn't want to, but Tom persisted in meeting the girl that he said he had dreamt about his whole life. After about a month and a half of listening to Tom whine about meeting Lacy, my ex finally grew tired of listening to his constant babbling and gave in.

Shortly before Tom and Lacy pulled into the driveway, Ms. Emily (Tom's mom) and Tiffany (Tom's sister) pulled up. As soon as Ms. Emily walked inside, she looked directly at me with a surprised expression and dropped her shopping bag from Bath and Body Works on the floor and ran over to me. She wrapped her arms around me as tight as she could and cried with her head on my shoulder. "Oh, my goodness, Oh, my goodness! I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you! It has been too long! You better stay out of trouble mister, or I am going to whip your butt! Do you hear me!" she cried. "Yes ma'am!" I said with a smile and held her tight in my arms.

This woman has been a saint in my life, she was always there for me, her and Mr. James both, they were better parents to me than my own could ever think about being. Any time I needed a place to sleep, they were there, any time I needed something to eat, they fed me, if I needed anything at all, they provided. I do not know where I would be right now if it was not for the two of them. They are the most selfless people I have ever met. While Ms. Emily was latched onto me Tiffany picked up the bag that her mother had dropped and placed it on the kitchen table. She stood in the kitchen next to her dad and smiled at her mother and me. "Look at that Tif! Your boyfriend is back!" Mr. James whispered and laughed while poking her gently with his elbow. "He is not my boyfriend dad." she whispered back sounding slightly embarrassed. "No, but you want him to be, don't you!" he joked. Tiffany didn't bother to answer.

I know that small conversation was not meant for me to hear, but I can hear very well. "Oh, my. Ok, so let me fix you something to eat huh? Are you hungry? I know I will make your favorite! How does a good roast with mashed potatoes and gravy sound!" Before I could respond she ran to the refrigerator and pulled out a thick roast that she already had thawed out. "I...." was all I could manage to say before Mr. James shook his head at me. "You might as well just go with it my boy. You know just as well as I do, she is going to do this no matter what you say." he said with a little chuckle as he stuffed what was left of his sandwich into his mouth. I shrugged and looked down at the floor with a smile on my face. "I guess I am staying for dinner than." I said. "Yes sir, you sure are! I insist!" Ms. Emily spoke up as she began seasoning the roast.

Tom and Lacy finally pulled into the driveway, "Tom and Lacy are here." Tiffany said as she walked past the front door and sat down on the couch. I watched through the big bay window as they got out of the truck (Tom was still opening the truck door for Lacy just as his father taught him to do). She kissed him on the cheek and thanked him.