Doing time is a C&W cliché of course. For some the prison life, and generally the life of crime, is the reality. We can cluck our tongues and imagine that such could never be our own lot—but it’s not that far away from a potential realm, especially as we move into the brave new world of jingoistic “patriotism” and thought crime.

The timeliness: I went websearching last night for any possible presence of an ancient ex, and found it as an entirely plausible legal document about a rejected appeal, circa 1992, entered for this individual against a 15 year sentence being served in Oregon for attempted murder. I haven’t seen or heard from this person since about 1973, but based on the trajectory then, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t him.