A House on Eden

12. DUI

"What will happen to me now?" I asked the officer. I was sitting in the back, feeling the uncomfortable cold pressure of the cuffs around my wrists.

"You have a court date in two weeks," he said. I heard the relish in his voice. "I'm taking you to the city jail for the night. They'll release you tomorrow morning, and then I recommend you get yourself a good lawyer."

The city jail was a tall building of glass and steel. It was located downtown Roanoke on Campbell Avenue. The officer guided me into the building. A young officer at the front counter smiled at me.

"Please hand over your personals," she said in a monotone voice, "wallet, house keys, phone, purse."

I laid them on the counter and she took a form and recorded the inventory. Then she bagged them in a large zip bag and put them on a shelf behind her.

A jail officer appeared to take me to my cell. I was uncuffed and guided through a long hall. There were gray doors with tiny windows on either side. I heard the voices of the inmates, asking what time it was, when they would be let out, what day it was. I had read somewhere that time in a solitary cell did not exist. There was only forever.

We entered a large space with dressing rooms where I was strip- searched and given an orange jump suit to wear. My clothes were confiscated. I was escorted to a small cell and the door was locked behind me.

At first all I could feel was fury over the injustice, the powerlessness I was experiencing. There was no way to express myself, no one to talk to and plead with, no one to listen.

Then the anger gave way to fear. No one of consequence knew where I was, no one could intercede for me. I was helpless.

The cell was constructed of gray painted block. I was sitting on a naked aluminum bench which, I realized, also functioned as a cot. I had no blanket, no pillow. Across the wall from me was a small steel toilet without a seat, just a dark hole with discolored water in it. The smell coming from it was putrid. On the wall beside it hung a small water fountain and I stood up to take a drink.

I quickly learned that sleeping on a hard cold surface was intolerable. I tried to sleep on my side with my knees tucked into my belly and my arms around myself for warmth. I changed to my other side. I slept only for brief moments, and then woke again.

I thought of the house, its warm safe caress. I thought of my friendly neighbor and her dog Max. I thought of Kevin, kind faithful Kevin who had always loved me. I thought of Bruce.

I had no sense of time but I knew it was morning when my door was unlocked and a tray was placed in the corner. After the door was locked again I picked it up and studied its content. It held a plastic plate with small compartments in it. One held scrambled eggs, another a piece of toast, another a plastic cup with coffee. I drank the coffee, ate one bite of toast and disregarded the rest. The coffee tasted like hot water.

Finally the door of my cell was unlocked again. A jail officer took me back to the dressing rooms where I was given my clothes. I dressed and put the orange jumpsuit in the laundry bin.

I was taken to the front counter where I was given my personal belongings and at seven in the morning I stood out in the street.

The air was fresh and slightly chilled. The sun was slowly rising, the sounds and smells of the city were like a gift. I dialed Kevin's number.

"Can you come get me?" I asked.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"In front of the city jail," I said.

"What?" He said. "I'll be right there."

"I need a good lawyer," I said as we were leaving Campbell Avenue. "Do you know of one?"