How to Light a Cigarette

Aspects of the penitentiary:

Occasionally, lighters float around. But more often, for the fire to light a cigarette, inmates use pencil leads. They stick one in each side of an electrical outlet and twist up a third piece of lead in some toilet paper. Then they make a wick by twisting up very tightly some toilet paper with a bit of cotton protruding from the end. They touch the one lead to connect the two in the outlet, producing a spark, with the cotton sufficiently close to ignite the wick.

They have a barbershop here, but it’s infamously hard to get in to get a haircut, so most of us get “dayroom haircuts” by other inmates, for a dollar. They give haircuts by breaking open shaving razors and putting the blades on combs, adjustable when necessary, and cutting hair. And they do remarkably well, especially given the rudimentary resources they’re using.

A “spread” is when inmates make ramen noodles and combine them with any number or combination of chili, tuna, tamales, pot roast punches, chips and condiments. I generally avoid these concoctions, as they’re extraordinarily unhealthy, but as is usually the case, they’re quite good!