Ninth

Yale Law. Harvard Medical. Vice Versa. You hear those words drenched in such disdain it's become something you spit out when your upset. Christopher was a bright young man and his focus was aimed at the study of the codes of our society. Top marks across the board; he tells me before some of the sealant burns away a nickel sized portion of his flesh; sending him into a screaming fit. The first time's always the worst.

I pity the young man. Has the experience, but will leave this place with none of the wisdom to back it up. Probably did some humping in his time at college, smoked a little reefer during a summer break, the occasional Saturday night dinner party like they have at the old alma maters; expensive meals followed by paying a couple bucks to put your face in a kiddy pool of cheap beer for as long as you can remain submerged. Times change, but I hope that cusp of manhood remains the same. It's something to think fondly on while you're digging through feces as we are today.

Volunteered for a short period of the hard time, he says. Five years of busting his ass so, and he assures me that he means no offense, that he's doesn't lose his golden years. I tell him I he did the smart thing. He'll come out of this by the time he's thirty and have sixty years to make up for five. I try not to make wishes or raise my hopes to high, you can't have either in a place like this, but I let a regret slip pass my lips and float away. I wish I had the chances the kids today, although I'm glad they didn't have to go through what I had to. It wasn't that easy in the beginning.