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ONE

Caleb

I've been waiting a year for this et out of jail Sure, in the game of Monopoly you just have to roll the dice three times and wait for a double, or pay the fine and be free But there are no games here at the Illinois Department of Corrections-Juvenile complex; or the DOC as we inmates call it

Oh, it's not as rough as it sounds The all h, but it's not like the adult DOC You ht ask why I've been locked up for the past year I was convicted of hitting a girl withdrunk It was a hit-and-run accident, too, which actually e in my case royally pissed off He tacked on an extra three months for that

"You ready, Caleb?" Jerry, the cell guard, asks

"Yes, sir " I've been waiting three hundred and ten days for this Hell, yeah, I'm ready

I take a deep breath and follow Jerry to the room where the review couys in ht, look full of remorse, act polite, and all that stuff But, to tell you the truth, how otten out themselves?

As Jerry opens the door to the evaluation roo all sweaty beneath my state-issued coveralls, state-issued socks, and yep, even my state-issued briefs Maybe I'm not so ready for this after all

"Please sit down, Caleb," orders a wolasses and a stern look on her face

I swear the scene is out of a badtables in front of one lone metal chair

I sit on the cold, hard metal

"As you knoe're here to evaluate your ability to leave here and begin your life as a free citizen "

"Yes, ma'am," I say "I'm ready to leave "

A big guy, who I can tell is going to play "bad cop," puts his hand up "Whoa, slon We have a few questions to ask before we make our decision "

Oh, man "Sorry "

Big Guy checks ht of the accident "

The one night ina deep breath, I say, "I was drinking at a party I drove home, but lost control of the car When I realized I hit someone, I freaked and drove back to the party "

"You knew the girl you hit?"

Mehbor " I don't add she was my twin sister's best friend

"And you didn't get out of the car to see if your neighbor was hurt?"

I shift in ht "

"You guess?" another committee member asks

"If I could turn back ti "

They question me for another half hour and I spurt out answers Why I was drinking while underage, why I'd get into a car drunk, why I left the scene of the accident I don't know if I'e I' meseventeen-year-old Caleb Becker If they believereleased early If they don'twell, I'll be eating crappy food for another sixwith convicts

Big Guy looks right at e?"

I sit up straight in my chair and direct my attention to each and every one of the committee ain I ht since I've been here Justlet rovel

Instead, I sit back and wait for another question

"Caleb, please wait outside while we lasses says

And it's over Just like that

I wait out in the hall I'uy who breaks under pressure, and the past year in jail has definitely givenfor a group of strangers to decide your fate isI wipe beads of perspiration off my forehead

"Don't worry," guard Jerry says "If you didn't win theet another chance in a few months "

"Great," I mumble back, not consoled in the least

Jerry chuckles, the shiny silver handcuffs hanging off his belt clinking with each movement The dude likes his job too much

We wait a half hour for son of what's next Freedom or more jail time?

I'ht

I' into my back

And I'uards, personnel, cameras, and other inmates

The lady with the glasses opens the door "Caleb, we're ready for you "

She isn't s myself for bad news I stand up and Jerry patsI don't? The suspense is freaking me out

I sit back on theGuy folds his hands on the table and says, "We all agree that your actions last year concerning the accident were reprehensible "

I know that I really know that

"But we believe that was an isolated incident never to be repeated You've demonstrated positive leadership qualities with other inmates and worked hard on your jobs here The review committee has decided to release you and have you finish out your sentence with one hundred and fifty hours of community service "

Does that mean what I think itGuy

"You'll beHe'll arrange your coress to us "

Another er at me "If you screw up, your transition counselor can petition the judge to bring you back here to serve out the rest of your sentence Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir "

"We don't give breaks to repeaters Go back home, be a model citizen, finish your coood, clean life "

I get it "I will," I say