IN MY SHOES: My First Day In The Big House
The New York Times publishes an excerpt from Piper Kerman’s soon-to-be-published book, “Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison”:
February morning in 2004, my fiancé, Larry, and I pulled into the parking lot of the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Conn. After years of legal proceedings and more than a decade after I committed a reckless drug-related crime, I was there, at age 34, to surrender myself to the federal government. Before we got out of the car, I stripped off all my jewelry … With false bravado I said, “Let’s do this.”
We walked into the lobby. A placid woman in uniform was sitting behind the desk. There were chairs, some lockers, a pay phone, a soda machine. It was spotless. “I’m here to surrender,” I announced.
“Hold on,” she said. She picked up a phone and spoke to someone briefly.
“Have a seat.” We sat. For several hours. …
And then [Larry] left the lobby, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand. He banged the doors hard and walked quickly to the parking lot. The prison guard and I watched him get into the car. As soon as he was out of sight, I felt a surge of fear. She turned to me. “You ready?” …
She opened the gate, and I stepped in. I looked back over my shoulder at the free world. The next gate buzzed. I stepped through again, wire mesh and barbed metal soaring all around me. I felt fresh, rising panic. We reached the door of the building, and again were buzzed in. …
I sat on a bench. I stared at the small high window, through which I could see nothing but clouds.
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