ss.iftomorrowcomes-第14部分

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；　and　when　they　called　me　I　placed　my　girls　with　'em。　The　girls　would　size　up　the　houses；　and　when　their　employers　was　at　work　or　outta　town；　the　girls　would　gather　up　all　the　silver　and　jewelry　and　furs　and　whatever　other　goodies　were　around　and　skip。〃　Ernestine　sighed。　〃If　I　told　you　how　much　fuckin'　tax…free　money　we　was　pullin'　down；　you　wouldn't　believe　me。〃
　
　〃How　did　you　get　caught？〃
　
　〃It　was　the　fickle　finger　of　fate；　honey。　One　of　my　maids　was　servin'　a　luncheon　at　the　mayor's　house；　and　one　of　the　guests　was　a　old　lady　the　maid　had　worked　for　and　cleaned　out。　When　the　police　used　hoses　on　her；　my　girl　began　singin'；　and　she　sang　the　whole　opera；　and　here's　poor　of　Ernestine。〃
　
　They　were　standing　at　a　stove　by　themselves。　〃I　can't　stay　in　this　place；〃　Tracy　whispered。　〃I've　got　to　take　care　of　something　on　the　outside。　Will　you　help　me　escape？　I…〃
　
　〃Start　slicin'　up　them　onions。；　We're　havin'　Irish　stew　tonight。〃
　
　And　she　walked　away。
　
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　The　prison　grapevine　was　incredible。　The　prisoners　knew　everything　that　was　going　to　happen　long　before　it　occurred。　Inmates　known　as　garbage　rats　picked　up　discarded　memos；　eavesdropped　on　phone　calls；　and　read　the　warden's　mail；　and　all　information　was　carefully　digested　and　sent　around　to　the　inmates　who　were　important。　Ernestine　Littlechap　was　at　the　head　of　the　list。　Tracy　was　aware　of　how　the　guards　and　prisoners　deferred　to　Ernestine。　Since　the　other　inmates　had　decided　that　Ernestine　had　bee　Tracy's　protector；　she　was　left　strictly　alone。　Tracy　waited　warily　for　Ernestine　to　make　advances　toward　her；　but　the　big　black　kept　her　distance。　Why？　Tracy　wondered。
　
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　Rule　number　7　in　the　official　ten…page　pamphlet　issued　to　new　prisoners　read；　〃Any　form　of　sex　is　strictly　forbidden。　There　will　be　no　more　than　four　inmates　to　a　cell。　Not　more　than　one　prisoner　shall　be　permitted　to　be　on　a　bunk　at　one　time。〃
　
　The　reality　was　so　startlingly　different　that　the　prisoners　referred　to　the　pamphlet　as　the　prison　joke　book。　As　the　weeks　went　by；　Tracy　watched　new　prisoners…　fish…　enter　the　prison　every　day；　and　the　pattern　was　always　the　same。　First　offenders　who　were　sexually　normal　never　had　a　chance。　They　came　in　timid　and　frightened；　and　the　bull…dykes　were　there；　waiting。　The　drama　was　enacted　in　planned　stages。　In　a　terrifying　and　hostile　world；　the　bull…dyke　was　friendly　and　sympathetic。　She　would　invite　her　victim　to　the　recreation　hall；　where　they　would　watch　television　together；　and　when　the　bull…dyke　held　her　hand；　the　new　prisoner　would　allow　it；　afraid　of　offending　her　only　friend。　The　new　prisoner　quickly　noticed　that　the　other　inmates　left　her　alone；　and　as　her　dependence　on　the　bull…dyke　grew；　so　did　the　intimacies；　until　finally；　she　was　willing　to　do　anything　to　hold　onto　her　only　friend。
　
　Those　who　refused　to　give　in　were　raped。　Ninety　percent　of　the　women　who　entered　the　prison　were　forced　into　homosexual　activity…　willingly　or　unwillingly…　within　the　first　thirty　days。　Tracy　was　horrified。
　
　〃How　can　the　authorities　allow　it　to　happen？〃　she　asked　Ernestine。
　
　〃It's　the　system；〃　Ernestine　explained；　〃and　it's　the　same　in　every　prison；　baby。　There　ain't　no　way　you　can　separate　twelve　hundred　women　from　their　men　and　expect　them　not　to　fuck　somebody。　We　don't　just　rape　for　sex。　We　rape　for　power；　to　show　'em　right　off　who's　boss。　The　new　fish　who　e　in　here　are　targets　for　everybody　who　wants　to　gang…fuck　'em。　The　only　protection　they　got　is　to　bee　the　wife　of　a　bull…dyke。　That　way；　nobody'll　mess　with　'em。〃
　
　Tracy　had　reason　to　know　she　was　listening　to　an　expert。
　
　〃It　ain't　only　the　inmates；〃　Ernestine　went　on。　〃The　guards　are　jest　as　bad。　Some　fresh　meat　es　in　and　she's　on　H。　She's　strung　out　and　needs　a　fix　real　bad。　She's　sweatin'　and　shakin'　herself　to　pieces。　Well；　the　matron　can　get　heroin　for　her；　but　the　matron　wants　a　little　favor　in　exchange；　see？　So　the　fish　goes　down　on　the　matron　and　she　gets　her　fix。　The　male　guards　are　even　worse。　They　got　keys　to　these　cells；　and　all　they　have　to　do　is　walk　in　at　night　and　he'p　themselves　to　free　pussy。　They　might　get　you　pregnant；　but　they　can　do　a　lot　of　favors。　You　want　a　candy　bar　or　a　visit　from　your　boyfriend；　you　give　the　guard　a　piece　of　ass。　It's　called　barterin'；　and　it　goes　on　in　every　prison　system　in　the　country。〃
　
　〃It's　horrible！〃
　
　〃It's　survival。〃　The　overhead　cell　light　shone　on　Ernestine's　bald　head。　〃You　know　why　they　don't　allow　no　chewin'　gum　in　this　place？〃
　
　〃No。〃
　
　〃Because　the　girls　use　it　to　jam　up　the　locks　on　the　doors　so　they　don't　close　all　the　way；　and　at　night　they　slip　out　and　visit　one　another。　We　follow　the　rules　we　want　to　follow。　The　girls　who　make　it　out　of　here　may　be　dumb；　but　they're　smart　dumb。〃
　
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　Love　affairs　within　the　prison　walls　flourished；　and　the　protocol　between　lovers　was　even　more　strictly　enforced　than　on　the　outside。　In　an　unnatural　world；　the　artificial　roles　of　studs　and　wives　were　created　and　played　out。　The　studs　assumed　a　man's　role　in　a　world　where　there　were　no　men。　They　changed　their　names。　Ernestine　was　called　Ernie；　Tessie　was　Tex；　Barbara　became　Bob；　Katherine　was　Kelly。　The　stud　cut　her　hair　short　or　shaved　her　head；　and　she　did　no　chores。　The　Mary　Femme；　the　wife；　was　expected　to　do　the　cleaning；　mending；　and　ironing　for　her　stud。　Lola　and　Paulita　peted　fiercely　for　Ernestine's　attentions；　each　fighting　to　outdo　the　other。
　
　The　jealousy　was　fierce　and　frequently　led　to　violence；　and　if　the　wife　was　caught　looking　at　another　stud　or　talking　to　one　in　the　prison　yard；　tempers　would　flare。　Love　letters　were　constantly　flying　around　the　prison；　delivered　by　the　garbage　rats。
　
　The　letters　were　folded　into　small　triangular　shapes；　known　as　kites；　so　they　could　easily　be　hidden　in　a　bra　or　a　shoe。　Tracy　saw　kites　being　passed　among　women　as　they　brushed　by　one　another　entering　the　dining　hall　or　on　their　way　to　work。
　
　Time　after　time；　Tracy　watched　inmates　fall　in　love　with　their　guards。　It　was　a　love　born　of　despair　and　helplessness　and　submissiveness。　The　prisoners　were　dependent　on　the　guards　for　everything：　their　food；　their　well…being；　and　sometimes；　their　lives。　Tracy　allowed　herself　to　feel　no　emotion　for　anyone。
　
　Sex　went　on　day　and　night。　It　occurred　in　the　shower　room；　in　toilets；　in　cells；　and　at　night　there　was　oral　sex　through　the　bars。　The　Mary　Femmes　who　belonged　to　guards　were　let　out　of　their　cells　at　night　to　go　to　the　guards'　quarters。
　
　After　lights　out；　Tracy　would　lie　in　her　bunk　and　put　her　hands　over　her　ears　to　shut　out　the　sounds。
　
　One　night　Ernestine　pulled　out　a　box　of　Rice　Krispies　from　under　her　bunk　and　began　scattering　them　in　the　corridor　outside　the　cell。　Tracy　could　hear　inmates　from　other　cells　doing　the　same　thing。
　
　〃What's　going　on？〃　Tracy　asked。
　
　Ernestine　turned　to　her　and　said　harshly；　〃Non'a　your　business。　Jest　stay　in　your　bunk。　Jest　stay　in　your　fuckin'　bunk。〃
　
　A　few　minutes　later　there　was　a　terrified　scream　from　a　nearby　cell；　where　a　new　prisoner　had　just　arrived。　〃Oh；　God；　no。　Don't！　Please　leave　me　alone！〃
　
　Tracy　knew　then　what　was　happening；　and　she　was　sick　inside。　The　screams　went　on　and　on；　until　they　finally　diminished　into　helpless；　racking　sobs。　Tracy　squeezed　her　eyes　tightly　shut；　filled　with　burning　rage。　How　could　women　do　this　to　one　another？　She　had　thought　that　prison　had　hardened　her；　but　when　she　awoke　in　the　morning；　her　face　was　stained　with　dried　tears。
　
　She　was　determined　not　to　show　her　feelings　to　Ernestine。　Tracy　asked　casually；　〃What　were　the　Rice　Krispies　for？〃
　
　〃That's　our　early　warnin'　system。　If　the　guards　try　sneakin'　up　on　us；　we　kin　hear　'em　in'。〃
　
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　Tracy　soon　learned　why　inmates　referred　to　a　term　in　the　penitentiary　as　〃going　to　college。〃　Prison　was　an　educational　experience；　but　what　the　prisoners　learned　was　unorthodox。
　
　The　prison　was　filled　with　experts　in　every　conceivable　type　of　crime。　They　exchanged　methods　of　grifting；　shoplifting；　and　rolling　drunks。　They　brought　one　another　up　to　date　on　badger　games　and　exchanged　information　on　snitches　and　undercover　cops。
　
　In　the　recreation　yard　one　morning；　Tracy　listened　to　an　older　inmate　give　a　seminar　on　pickpocketing　to　a　fascinated　young　group。
　
　〃The　real　pros　e　from　Colombia。　They　got　a　school　in　Bogotá；　called　the　school　of　the　ten　bells；　where　you　pay　twenty…five　hundred　bucks　to　learn　to　be　a　pickpocket。　They　hang　a　dummy　from　the　ceilin'；　dressed　in　a　suit　with　ten　pockets；　filled　with　money　and　jewelry。〃
　
　〃What's　the　gimmick？〃
　
　〃The　gimmick　is　that　each　pocket　has　a　belt　on　it。　You　don't　graduate　till　you　kin　empty　every　damn　pocket　without　ringin'　the　bell。〃
　
　Lola　sighed；　〃I　used　to　go　with　a　guy　who　walked　through　crowds　dressed　in　an　overcoat；　with　both　his　hands　out　in　the　open；　while　he　picked　everybody's　pockets　like　crazy。〃
　
　〃How　the　hell　could　he　do　that？〃
　
　〃The　right　hand　was　a　dummy。　He　slipped　his　real　hand　through　a　slit　in　the　coat　and　picked　his　way　through　pockets　and　wallets　and　purses。〃
　
　In　the　recreation　room　the　education　continued。
　
　〃I　like　the　locker…key　rip…off；〃　a　veteran　said。　〃You　hang　around　a　railroad　station　till　you　see　a　little　old　lady　tryin'　to　lift　a　suitcase　or　a　big　package　into　one　a　them　lockers。　You　put　it　in　for　her　and　hand　her　the　key。　Only　it's　the　key　to　an　empty　locker。　When　she　leaves；　you　empty　her　locker　and　split。〃
　
　In　the　yard　another　afternoon；　two　inmates　convicted　of　prostitution　and　possession　of　cocaine　were　talking　to　a　new　arrival；　a　pretty　young　girl　who　looked　no　more　than　seventeen。
　
　〃No　wonder　you　got　busted；　honey；〃　one　of　the　older　women　scolded。　〃Before　you　talk　price　to　a　John；　you　gotta　pat　him　down　to　make　sure　he　ain't　carryin'　a　gun；　and　never　tell　him　what　you're　gonna　do　for　him。　Make　him　tell　you　what　he　wants。　Then　if　he　turns　out　to　be　a　cop；　it's　entrapment；　see？〃
　
　The　other　pro　added；　〃Yeah。　And　always　took　at　their　hands。　If　a　trick　says　he's　a　workin'　man；　see　if　his　hands　are　rough。　That's　the　tip…off。　A　lot　of　plainclothes　cops　wear　workin'　men'