ok, before i post this, most of those that is from the old wap board, knows who wrote this, how ever, it brings alot of bad memories or should i say hurt feelins to me, so, i wont mention who wrote this, but will say that the article i typed out through my org that I once had, well still do, but not very active as i was. long story. so i do have permission to repost it. i thought the article would be helpful and give others information on this one topic. hope you enjoy.

I want to touch on a subject about prison life that is sentimental and
emotional. We leave the hardened aspects of the gulag behind momentarily
while we dwell on a positive aspect of penitentiary life. Namely dealing
with the daily mail call and the hope or pain that is delivered or not
delivered to an inmate as guards make the rounds to pass out the missives.
No matter what all transpires during the course of the day rest assured that
most inmates are fully aware when mail call is about to roll around. Nervous
jokes and small chatter abound to break up the nervousness and impatience
that permeates the wing as mail is brought in, sorted out and is about to
be distributed. People discuss how they wish and hope to hear from this or
that loved one tonight. Others talk about how they're waiting on important
news concerning their case or possibly an upcoming visit.Hoped for updates
on sick relatives have some men feeling weak in the knees in fear the guard
will pass their name and number over this afternoon. Some hold their breath
and begin to visibly tremble as the names are called out and the letters
dispensed. Many men judge the outcome of an entire day based on whether or
not they receive a letter. On some units letters are passed out in the
evening like where I was at. It's commonplace for the man that receives one
or more letters to be happy and jubilantly holler at everybody within
earshot bragging about the good news he has learned or even just to make
sure that others know he received mail to prove that somebody in the
freeworld actually loves him. He feels validated and worthy for today. He
will more times than not stay up late and respond back to the mail that just
arrived. He wants to answer it while he is inspired and the current news is
fresh on his mind and pressing. For the inmate who was passed by at mail
call his heart sinks and all of a sudden he wants to go to bed early and
sleep off his loneliness and depression and pray that tomorrow would not be
so cruel to him and that lady luck will once again deliver a friendly
missive to his cell door. Yup just like it sounds people's attitudes and
emotional well being are many times based on something that free world
people dont understand, a letter from someone who cares. With a new letter
in their possession they are on top of the world, without they are in the
pits of despair. "Lord please let me get a letter tomorrow", were the final
words of many an incarcerated man before he started to saw logs with the
sandman. In prison money brings clout and sometimes a degree of respect if
you know how to manage it. Same goes with letters. The more letters a man
receives nightly the more braggin rights he has to being a wordsmith,
playboy, casa nova, or just all around affable, witty fellow that everyone
wants to write. If you get alot of letters regularly you are considered to
be somebody in the penitentiary even if you were a nobody on the streets.
The main goal of almost every inmate that doesn't have it is to find a woman
to fall in love with and share their lives with even while still inside the
big house. You can have 10 penpals but if you lack that significant other
you still are lonely and a bit uncertain about the future. I've never met a
man in prison yet who didn't want love through correspondence. it's the main
reason most inmates are inclined to write. Love makes the world go round and
it's not one iota different in the joint. Falling in love through
correspondence and keeping the woman you've got through same is big
conversational material and gossip on the inside. Every time a man lands a
woman and "gets the lick" (she falls for him and he reciprocates the love)
he will usually try to set his friends up with her friends. It's the
expected thing to do by prison standards. Many a nightmare relationships
have been created through this word of mouth matchmaking service. LOL. Many
a success love story have come to fruition as well through this same
technique. Smile. Having a woman beyond the wire in love with you and doing
your time with you is the only way to go if you can get it. Dear John
letters are normal occurrences and as relationships break up and divorce
papers are filed hearts are shattered and despair sets in. Many a violent
man is that way because a woman jilted him while he was doing time. It's a
tough break and every man has a degree of sympathy for the recipient of a
dear john letter. Most side with the man and wonder how could that woman
leave him when he was at his lowest point. Most men in prison love women to
death but are weary of them due to the power they can wield over a
defenseless man who has fallen prey to love. For this reason some men
looking for penpals will make no bones about it and let any potential penpal
know up front that they simply seek a friend and never wish for more till
they're out. Do the time and don't let the time do you! It's hard to follow
this time tested and proven motto when your love begins to fall apart. No
easier time could be had than when you're in love and floating on cloud
nine. No harder time than when the woman you love has left you. Love and
missives can make or break a person.
I have loved many times
but only been in love once and that came about through a pen pal service.
Love happens through the mail every day. Don't doubt it for a second.
Hearing from family and relatives regularly keeps the inmate connected to
the community and these inmates are usually alot more mentally and
emotionally together and have a smooth transition as they reintegrate back
into society. Acceptance and love from family gives the inmate inner
strength and self confidence that he may otherwise lack without close
support and contact from the kinfolk. On a funny note please understand that
in Texas there is a limit to how many stamps a man may purchase. This forces
inmates to "wash" stamps if they are heavy writers. Washing stamps is a
tedious process. Not!!! It consists of numerous techniques but I will relay
the one to you I am most familiar with. As soon as you get your letters at
mail call lick your thumb with spit and heavily rub the thumb across each
stamp. It'll smear some of the postmark off. Go ahead and read your mail.
This spot touch up was only to make sure the postmark ink didn't settle any
more permanently. Way later after you're floating on cloud nine from having
read all your missives tear the paper around the stamps you have licked and
rubbed. Fill a coffee cup up with about 2 inches of water. Put the torn
paper envelope sections with the stamps on them into the water. Let them
soak for about 15 minutes. After this pull them out one at a time. The
stamps will come whole off the paper as you gently rub them off if they
haven't already. Take the removed wet stamps and lay them on a dry flat
surface until they dry out. Leave one corner poking up cause otherwise they
may completely dry and stick to the surface ruining the stamp and costing
you a free letter. Don't waste potential washed stamps. Ha ha! Look at it as
recycling. Smile. Now take a speed stick deodorant and roll it up halfway.
You always keep an extra speed stick on hand for this very purpose. Place
all the stamps you have removed face in on top of the deodorant. You can fit
6 to 8 on each full deodorant easily. When all stamps are in place on the
deodorant roll it down and put the lid back on. It's lights out now and you
will mess with this further in the morning. Upon waking take the stamps
carefully off the deodorant and put em face up on a flat surface to dry a
little from the dampness of the alcohol they sucked up from the deodorant.
That's why you put em on the deodorant. Ha! You thought it was cause their
underarms might stink?!!!! Ha ha. Sorry. It was so they could absorb some
alcohol out of the speed stick which removes and "washes" the postmark.
Smile. If you had straight up rubbing alcohol you could do it like that but
dont forget it's prison and you make do with what you've got. Most of the
stamps should now be "passable". They don't have to look perfect but must be
able to pass detection by the mailroom personnel. That's not very hard
believe me. Smile. You can buy a small container of Elmers Glue on the black
market for a dollar. You now glue the stamps onto individual envelopes and
Voila!!! Free stamps anyone? Smile. The mailroom is most swamped on Fridays
and Mondays so if you have any questionable stamps that are iffy but you
want to chance it send it out on these days. Another trick people used is to
put a light layer of clear glue over the stamp if it is brand new. The
postmark will go over the glue not the stamp, dig? The recipient of the
letter with this stamp simply sticks the stamp in water and aha(!) all
postmark and glue is off and you have a brand new mint stamp. Smile. Now
this person can glue it onto an envelope and put a thin layer of glue on the
top of it once again. Guess what? Some people have used the same stamp 20
plus times going from prison to the freeworld and back again till they
stopped counting. Is that cool or what! Take care and happy writing. Write
someone behind the wire today if you haven't already cause it sure is lonely
in there.

ohh ps, PLS do not think this article was too give ppl permission to cheat on stamps, he was basically letting all know how it works in there.

Thank you for sharing it.
I have come to a point where I had to realize, that to write an inmate once per month is not enough...to write every 14 days is not enough...every few days that's it where it is now...and I understand it...
So I am in a hurry...to buy more cards...I am already gathering cards...collecting them where ever I can find them!

thats great hun. they will indeed enjoy that.

That’s nice ricci and thanks for posting this lulu. I had no idea what mail meant. I suspected it was a good thing but not quite this big a deal to them.

This is not relevant really but I have to type my letters because my handwriting is so crappy. Does anyone else need to do that as well? My pal has beautiful script and it’s embarrassing to me for him to see my chicken scratch when supposedly I am the outside person with all the "book learnin" lol.

The couple times I have written by hand small notes he says it’s fine and legible and I worry too much but still, I will keep typing.

when i first started, I wrote all mine out. then my hand started too hurt soo i typed most of mine.

I started with typing, but changed into written letters...because it is more personal...and to have it equal...
And as I have to write it down one time for me, with a lot of mistakes and deleted words..I write it a second time for the PP and so I have a copy! But I am a calligrapher - so it is easy for me.

I had to learn that they are eager for mails...within short time they started to whine... and I don't like people crying or begging... so it is not a big thing for me...every now and then a long letter and in the mean time cards...pictures...articles, whatever...just to cheer up and to brighten the day.

Thank you so much for this, Lulu. Actual experience coming from the inside is the best. I currently have one penpal going on two (maybe - if he decides to write me back). I initially got the impression that penpal No.1 was desperately looking for a girlfriend, especially one that could give him hope for the future. Now I see that I was right, and yet, I'm not so turned off anymore because I've learned why he feels that way. I'm going to write him again tomorrow using beautiful stationary. I've always gone all out on cards and stationary since I was little, but after reading this, it hads extra special meaning.

As for writing letters and cards, I always do it by hand to show that I care. When I was little, my best friend in New York sent me a letter that she had typed on her computer and I felt cheated because she had failed to put in the time and effort that I had. Thus, while my handwriting isn't so excellent, I take my time and do my best =)

I agree with you 100% that handwriting is much more personal and shows you put a little more effort into it. Thats why I was concerned about it. I think if his handwriting was also bad, it wouldnt matter as much. He just writes very well. So im a little put off by it. Anyway, I asked, he said it doesnt matter however I want to write as long as i write so no worries.

Originally Posted by Silvermoon

Thank you so much for this, Lulu. Actual experience coming from the inside is the best. I currently have one penpal going on two (maybe - if he decides to write me back). I initially got the impression that penpal No.1 was desperately looking for a girlfriend, especially one that could give him hope for the future. Now I see that I was right, and yet, I'm not so turned off anymore because I've learned why he feels that way. I'm going to write him again tomorrow using beautiful stationary. I've always gone all out on cards and stationary since I was little, but after reading this, it hads extra special meaning.

As for writing letters and cards, I always do it by hand to show that I care. When I was little, my best friend in New York sent me a letter that she had typed on her computer and I felt cheated because she had failed to put in the time and effort that I had. Thus, while my handwriting isn't so excellent, I take my time and do my best =)

your more then welcome and best of wishes to u hun