BOCCE, BOCCE MAN in Adventures From Prison

So out of sheer boredom and a desire for randomness I allowed myself to be coerced into joining the prison Bocce League. I’m telling you my friend Rick is a slick talker:
Him: You should join the Bocce League this year
Me: I don’t know. I’ve never played.
Him: It’s fun.
Me: Fine…You’re such a bully.
My first league game is tomorrow afternoon, so in preparation Rick has had me out of the unit and on the Bocce (Field? Pitch? Court?). Apparently I’m a natural and all the long term players think I’ll give them a run for the title…and the victory of instant peach ice tea packets. There are already 25 of us on the spring roster and the guy running it expects at least 5 to 10 more. Who would have thought so many criminals like to play Bocce?
It’s an interesting collection of guys, some I’m sure will make it to these pages. Overall though, they are a bunch of good natured, trash-talking, goofballs so I fit in pretty well. (My wit, while not yet razor sharp has definitely been developing over the years so I can hold my own with the quips, the other two qualities come naturally to me). Honestly it’s nice getting to meet a different group of people. A lot I’ve seen and helped in the library, but getting out from behind the counter and relaxing with them is very different. This month I’m losing the last two of my good friends who are being released the end of this month and a couple of pretty nice acquaintances, so it’s an apropos time for a new beginning. I’m now just over 1/3 completed with my time to be served, so I look on this and the next 4 years and 3 months as phase two of the reconstruction of Gus. Besides my new hobby I hope to also 10 pounds each summer (and keep it off), increase the viewership and popularity of my writing and hopefully make a little money on e-books I write. (I think for a guy stuck in prison that those are decent and doable goals). And as I promised my Mom, I’ll also try to have a little more fun. Less 12 hour days at the library and more “me” time. It will be a challenge to do it all, but I’ve got nothing better to do…Except maybe play Bocce.