The inmate in cell 22 has very blonde hair. When she first came to jail, it was blue, but the hard water and less than great shampoo options have caused it to fade. She wears big glasses with frames that go from her eyebrows to her cheek bones. The lenses make her squinty eyes look huge, and when she pushes them up she uses her first finger on her right hand. She is missing her four front teeth which causes her top lip to fold around that part of her mouth, you can tell she’s not super comfortable because when she smiles, she tries to hide it.

The inmate in cell 22 loves to read, and she always has book recommendations. I think reading is her way of feeling somewhat normal. She says she used to be a writer but has since gone away from her more creative self. She has had a stroke, has been hit by a truck, and has used drugs to cope with these issues causing her brain to be less than perfect.

The inmate in cell 22 is extremely polite and always thanks me when I have a conversation with her. She loves to tell me about her favorite books and authors. Sometimes she has repeat recommendations due to her brain being less than perfect, but I don’t mind because I think it brings her some sense of normalcy.

The inmate in cell 22 is probably going to be here for a while, so I hope that her books bring her joy. I hope that while she is here she continues to give me book recommendations. If I have learned anything while working here, it’s that the inmates read the most books and have the best recommendations.