The Big Breach - Index of

The Big Breach; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments of http://www.192.com`But who the fuck ever asks us?' the beard laughed.The cells in C-wing were arranged on three landings around a centralatrium, with metal mesh nets across each storey to prevent suicide ormurder attempts, and I was assigned cell 32. The wing had just beenrefurbished and the paintwork on the cast iron stairs was still bright.`Make yourself at home,' grinned the guards, as they unlocked myhandcuffs in the cell. `You're lucky being on the book, you won't haveto share with some other cunt.' They slammed the door behind me,leaving me on my own for the first time. My new home was tiny, about 11feet by 7 feet, with two bunks against one wall, a barred windowoverlooking an exercise yard and a sink and open lavatory against theother wall.I made myself as comfortable as possible by unpacking the few clothesand books reception had allowed me to keep, and storing them neatly inthe small wall-cupboard. My plastic knife, fork and spoon, issued to mein reception, went on the narrow windowsill. The previous occupants hadbeen heavy smokers and the floor was littered with the butts of roll-upcigarettes. There was a mop and bucket in the corner, so I cleaned themup as best I could. Then I had my first wash for three days and made upthe top bunk using the clean but frayed bedding. After three nights ina police cell, sheets and a pillow were a blissful luxury and I sleptwell.We were unlocked just before 9 a.m. the following day. Not sure what todo next, I watched for a few minutes from my door. The other prisonerswere scrambling down the metal stairs to the kitchens on the groundfloor, so I joined the rush to queue for a fried breakfast, served on ametal platter, which we took back to our cells to eat. I muddledthrough the routine of the rest of the day as best I could. Nobodyexplained the myriad little rules and vocabulary of prison; it was justa matter of watching and learning. We were unlocked again at 10 a.m.for daily exercise, a one-hour walk around the prison yard which mycell overlooked. It was a chance to get a look at my fellow prisonersas they traipsed in small groups around the yard or huddled against thesurrounding fences to smoke rollups. Some were laughing and joking,others were looking morose and depressed. Some of the prisoners hadheard on the radio that I had been remanded to Brixton and came over totalk. None could believe that I had been nicked for a writing a book.`It's a bleedin' liberty, that is, `commented one shaven-headedcockney, his forearms covered in the livid scars of suicide attempts.As the day progressed, I picked up the terminology of prison. I learntthat `association' was a one-hour free period per day when we wereallowed out of our cells to take a shower in the landing shower-blocks,watch television or just chat with the other prisoners. `Canteen' wasnot a cooking pot as it had been in the army, but the weeklyopportunity we were given to buy fruit, sweets or tobacco from theprison shop. It was necessary to ask permission from the screw incharge of my landing, a cheerful cigar-smoking, whisky-reeking Indian,before moving to another landing. I discovered that we could attendvarious workshops and courses for up to two hours a day. There was abroad choice and I put my name down to learn to play a musicalinstrument and started to think that maybe my time might not be toounpleasant.page- 171 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version of this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com