As I began to read I realized that the book was better then the film. I also realized that story differed from what I already knew. It took a few weeks but I finished it. I was a huge accomplishment for me. I had never read a book in my adult life. I felt good about the experience. I suddenly began looking for books to read. Luckily for me, my wife was a reader. She had amassed quite a collection of books with diverse subject matter. I read a couple of her books. They were both true life crime stories. I read some Mario Puzo and a self help book. Then I found a book titled Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx is Burning. I knew what the book was about, so I figured I would be enthralled. The summer of 77 in New York City. Son of Sam, The Yankees, a blackout and subsequent riots. I made it, maybe, to chapter 2. I sat it down in my "reading chair" and never saw it again.
About six months ago I started working on a memoir for my father. I had written a story in the blog about his years in Nicaragua prior to emigrating to the United States. After realizing the impact of his story, I decided to go further in chronicling this tumultuous period in his life. The problem was that I had no idea what a memoir should look like. I had never written one, let alone read one. I made a trip to Barnes & Noble for inspiration. I didn't realize how many random and and notable people had written, and published books about their lives. I didn't want anything too obvious like Jay Z or elaborate such as Bill Clinton. I wanted something short and simple that I wouldn't get bored with. I found a paperback about 250 pages long with an interesting cover. The summary on the back cover began with.
Jimmy Santiago Baca's harrowing, brilliant memoir of his life before, during, and immediately after the years he spent in a maximum-security prison garnered tremendous critical acclaim and went on to win the prestigious International Prize.I thought, sounds pretty interesting. My father never did any time, but he did spend a short time in a mental hospital and was a "prisoner" to alcohol and had to escape a volatile political climate that would have ultimately taken his life. I bought the book. I placed the book on my nightstand when I got home. This was six months ago, I didn't open to read it until about 2 weeks ago. I recently was prescribed to wear glasses while at home. Otherwise I would have to wear my contact lenses all the time. I finally got my new glasses. They are not as clear and crisp as my contacts but I can watch TV, use my computer and read while I'm at home. The first night that I had them, I was anxious to use them. I was laying in bed and looked around frantically for something to read. All I found on my bookshelf were two books about Anastasio Somoza written in Spanish and a Deepak Chopra book. Then I looked at my nightstand. There it was, A Place to Stand.
Prior to reading the Prologue, I had no idea that Jimmy Santiago Baca was Mexican American. I know that name should say it all, but I didn't put two and two together. Within the first few pages I felt I got to know who Jimmy is. Not only from what he endured, but from the description of his hardworking Mexican grandparents. It reminded me of the relationship that my daughter has with my parents. Except that Jimmy was estranged from his parents early on.
I don't remember much before the age of five; my memories are of Grandma and Grandpa Baca in the kitchen, whispering sleepily as the coffee pot percolates on the wood stove; at night, their voices become guarded, talking about Father's drinking, concerned by Mother's absence, and worried that there's never enough money.
Jimmy was a middle child. Soon after his Grandparents took them in, his grandfather passed away, then he and his older brother were sent to an orphanage. His younger sister stayed with their grandmother. He was 7 when him and his brother were sent away. A few years later is when he began is life of petty crime. He served segmented periods of prison time all over the southwest. He eventually ends up at Florence state prison in Arizona. He ends up there after visiting a former business associate. A drug deal goes wrong while Jimmy and his girlfriend were there. It went wrong because they were selling heroine to a Federal Agent. A shootout breaks. Jimmy makes it out and later turns himself in. The person that actually orchestrated the deal testifies against Jimmy and names him a kingpin. Jimmy didn't even know the guy. Unfortunately since a Federal Agent was shot, and with his criminal past, they condemned him before he was even tried, it didn't help that he was Mexican either. When he arrives at Florence he is 21 and illiterate. He pleads guilty to get a flat 5 year sentence which could have been 10.
He spent close to 6 years there. While at Florence he lived in every cell block from general population, to the "dungeon" where that animals live, to death row, to nut row where the mental cases live. The only area he didn't live was the minimum security, where the good behavior cons lived. He made friends and enemies from all walks of life. All he wanted to do was go to school and learn how to read. Instead he found himself in a life or death situation. He would spend almost half of his sentence in solitary confinement. In a fight for respect and self-preservation he had to brutally attack other cons. He found himself becoming more and more violent. While in the hole he learned to transcend to his childhood. While he revisited his past he was able to better understand and accept why he was in his current situation. Since they would not allow his to go to school he refused to work. Eventually he began corresponding with someone on the outside. Through the letters he was able to practice reading and writing. He eventually began to try his hand at poetry. At first writing them and selling them to other cons. While still at Florence he contributed to poetry publications and published his first book of poems soon after completing his sentence.
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