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Depravity

Felicia was a ‘round-the-way girl, someone everyone knew. She was constantly on the go and always in the mix of making moves that were typically illegitimate.  The younger sister of a local tough who was known for his street brawling during the 80’s, Felecia did not command the ruggedness and knack for violence her brother had. Instead, she was an enigmatic young woman, rather timid and reserved, with striking natural beauty.

I first met her in September ’97 after my release from prison, where I was introduced to radical concepts about Blacks and Whites, many of which I refuted. Still, I was inspired by the talk of Black Empowerment.  At that time, I needed to believe in something, but having spent 31 months wrongfully convicted, I was too bitter for decent living.

Felicia came through the block, headed toward the school yard, her steps seasoned with haste. She was on her way to cop some dope. Felicia was addicted to crack cocaine, still in the early stages from the looks of her. Clean fingernails.  Stylish hair.  Yet her name had reached the lips of every hoodlum with the lowdown as they wove her sordid reputation. 

Rejection is a common occurrence ‘round-the-way.  Everything from character flaws to unpopular choices may result in one being devalued and mistreated.  Felicia was different. She was salvageable and brimming with potential. Why no one seemed to be trying to help her, I couldn’t figure. Surely she had a family somewhere with tear-soaked pillows and calloused knees who prayed for her sobriety.  To the dealers and other addicts though, Felicia was a lost cause, good only for her prettiness to squelch their own insecurities and quench their broken desires. Well, not me.  I resolved to make a difference in her life. The only problem was, I, too, was broken.

The more prominent I became in the dope game, the more I saw Felicia, zipping here and there while on a mission.  Her taught lips in a forever smile were the mark of someone special.  Here eyes sparkled with hope.  I spoke to her often, expecting to be ignored, though I found that she reciprocated. I challenged her choices and she revealed to me the letdowns that had driven her to dark places. Erroneously, I gave her some crack cocaine because I wanted to help. I vowed never to accept her money.  But was I really helping Felicia, or was I quieting my own conscience?

As the weeks and months wore on Felicia, she looked tawdry and unclean. The sparkling hue in her eyes extinguished by an unrelenting pain. She held up in abandoned corners too dark for shadows and took refuge in a glass stem while the johns sought after her day and night, devouring what dignity she had left.

After my joy of being out of prison ran its course, all that remained for me was resentment.  Consumed by the feeling of self-worthlessnes, I mirrored how I felt.  I woke up angry, dressed in vengefulness and headed out in the world to detonate. I dismissed Felicia’s sickness and potential for hope, and I accepted her money for drugs.

One night I was cooped up in my apartment alone, when someone rapped on the door. It was Felicia, glancing over her shoulders with her eyes weary and strained. She jabbed at her ponytail with one finger, scratching away at her scalp as she clutched onto a fistful of bills and said, “Lemme git a dime.”

I took a twenty-dollar piece of crack rock, split it in two and dropped half in her hand.

I’ve got eight dollars,” she revealed after handing over the money and eyeballing her purchase.

Expecting the funds to be short, I didn’t bother to fuss. I put the money away and closed the screen door, but Felicia didn’t leave.  She stood there and plopped the crack rock in her moth, taste-testing the product. “You got something bigger?” she asked.

“What!  Man, go on somewhere, Felicia,” I chided, frustrated with her antics.  “I’ve already given you more than what you paid.”

“I know, but that’s my last eight dollars. You can’t gimme another piece?”

I refused. She persisted. Suddenly, we argued, the tension growing with every second.   

“Just gimme back my money,” she demanded. “If not, I’ll call the police.”

I should’ve just given her the money and cut ties. What was only eight dollars to me – was worth so much more to her.  Yet, I was insulted and spurred by anger.  I hocked saliva and spat in her face.  “Bitch!  Git the fuck off my porch before I come out there and beat yo ass!”

Gone was her moment’s sense of defiance, replaced by hurt and shame. She looked on me until I looked within myself, and all I saw was guilt.  Unable to bear the sight of my depravity, I slammed the door shut while peering out the window as she wiped away the froth and vanished.

I sat at the kitchen table in the dark of night in the company of self-reproach, wondering how much Felicia suffered at the disdain of heartless men. Men like myself who objectified women and perpetuated machoism, men who willfully victimized the weak and defenseless.  A man who would spit in a woman’s face and hide behind the door – though I couldn’t hide from my own disgrace, and I am still ashamed today. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’, and this year he has seen the release of Crimson Letters, Voices From Death Row, in which he was a contributor. He continues to work on his memoirs, as well as a book of fiction. Terry Robinson has always maintained his innocence, and hopes to one day prove that and walk free. Mr. Robinson can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

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Needful Drama

In 2012, at the recommendation of a chief psychologist tasked with addressing the declining mental health and cognitive deficiency on Death Row, prison administrators implemented a pilot program. The first of its kind, the project proved to be a success, stanching the oozing misery of decades of meaningless activities while igniting an air of motivation throughout Death Row that would not be extinguished by tabletop turnabouts and legal letdowns.  Finally, there was a glimmer of behavior both rehabilitative and restorative from men eager to not only divest but defy the stereotypical personas indicative of our status.  Further programs were in order, and over the next few years several classes were offered that would challenge our decision making while enhancing our social skills by affording us merit in the Death Row community.

One such class was Drama, a weekly therapy group in which we convened over play scripts and films while educing our various perspectives. Though some viewed the course unfavorably in the prison setting, others were undeterred as we embraced the colloquial demands of Drama, where we first met Ms. Dee, a psychologist in the prison’s mental health department.  Ms. Dee was passionate about helping others and answered the call for volunteers. She was well-spoken and witty, often engaging us in prison jargon and disarming our leeriness by showing off her ability to adapt. It was through her willingness to surround herself with convicted murderers without reservation, many of us were reminded what it felt like to be trustworthy again.

Ms. Dee had come from an artistic background, and in college she minored in Drama, therefore she signed on to teach two programs.  The Art class was thought to be an hour long period of doodling or guys making off with supplies to barter for other desirables. However, Ms. Dee wasn’t having it – she expected more. She assigned us projects, lent her assistance and held us to such high standards that we found ourselves working diligently for her affirmation. Soon we were delving into visual graphics, dimensions and the terminology of Art. Ms. Dee even invited her mother, a working class artist, to join us and impart her wisdom on the subject. What an honorable gesture and show of trust and respect. It made her more to us than just some quirky prison staffer whose goodness was infectious, Ms. Dee was like family. 

The Drama program, however, didn’t start out as promising because of the stigma of weakness in the penal system. Many were unwilling to compromise their image, so instead they shunned the idea.  But then there were those who leapt at the opportunity to add another layer of refinement and reform, and although it wasn’t the most popular choice, still we were committed to Ms. Dee.

We covered plays like Antigone, the Crucible and Shakespeare’s Hamlet with elaborate group discussions to follow, sometimes peeling the words off the very pages and attaching them to our own personal experiences.  Then we watched televised renditions of each play and absorbed the onscreen nuances, while all along Ms. Dee had a vision of her own to host a Death Row play.

At the mention of performing a play, I thought not only was this woman bold and overly optimistic but also a bit nutty.  Who in their right mind would put their reputation on the line for a bunch of condemned souls? Who had that amount of confidence and trust in men so untrustworthy?   Apparently, Ms. Dee did, and as it turned out, her confidence would not waiver.

We did what’s called a dry read.  Then she assigned roles.  Afterwards, we began rehearsals. We transitioned from on-script reading to off-script memorization until our roles became as much a part of our identity as the red jumpsuits we wore. Ms. Dee also gave us pointers to hone our acting chops.  “Do not break the plane of the invisible wall,” she’d say, or, “Always… always face the audience.”

Most days she could be seen seated atop a steel dayroom table in casual clothes and slides with her hair pulled back in a ponytail and a steady glare behind her fitted fames as she yelled, “Enunciate!  Enunciate!!!” which was quite frustrating since most of us didn’t know what the word meant.  Yet Ms. Dee was relentless, tapping into our potential and pushing us to the brink as she often stayed late after work and scheduled rehearsals on her days off.

On the day of the performance, we actors were still experiencing miscues.  I begged Ms. Dee to postpone the production.

“But whyyy?” she chimed, her accent flush with reassurance as she added, “You guys are so ready. You just don’t know how good you all are.  Trust me.  You’ll do great.” 

And as the crowds rolled in and the seats filled, still she was unfazed, believing so much in our capabilities that soon we believed in ourselves. 

For forty-five minutes we performed Reginald Rose’s Twelve Angry Men, a play about the woeful indifference and tangled injustice of jury deliberation. Audience members sat transfixed as they soaked in our exchange.  Fellow inmates nodded with admiration.  And when the play was over and the last actor exited the stage, the room erupted in applause. What a tremendous feeling of validation to have others acknowledge our worth.  What a sense of accomplishment to face our fears and prevail.  But the ultimate reward was seeing Ms. Dee teary-eyed with pride.  She never stopped believing in us.

Unfortunately, Ms. Dee experienced some challenges in the work-place and was later relieved of her position. Shortly after, all Death Row programs, including Drama, were discontinued.  It seems that in the great scheme of things, Death Row inmates are undeserving of redemption and any who should dare to restore in us dignity and value shall meet removal. Ms. Dee was impacted by a disease that seeks to morally corrupt, a tainted prison structure that rejects good will and blatantly lends itself to recidivism. She was inadequately cared for by those who failed to nourish her efforts, casting votes instead for candidates who offer nothing to effect policies on prison reform. 

Ms. Dee once said, ‘Everybody needs somebody to believe in them’.  In believing in us, Ms. Dee did what most never have, making true reform a reality for a short time, and for that, we will forever believe in Ms. Dee. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’, and this year he has seen the release of Crimson Letters, Voices From Death Row, in which he was a contributor. He continues to work on his memoirs, as well as a book of fiction. Terry Robinson has always maintained his innocence, and hopes to one day prove that and walk free. Mr. Robinson can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

All Posts By Chanton

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Four Dollars And Eighty-Something Cents

Home is not where we lie our heads, but where our hearts lie, places we’ve made such fond memories that they become ‘home’.  One such place for me was the Pizza Inn of Wilson, North Carolina, a popular eatery with a rustic theme from an era that marked the century. The Pizza Inn was a throwback to the Old West, and although that was a time of great social inequity, this place attracted customers of all shades with deep roots to the area and shallow pockets.  Some bathed in the ambiance of the dining décor, others dipped by for drive-thru.   More than a community staple where kids made memories, the Pizza Inn was a sanctuary.

Growing up in low income housing on the outskirts of town, my friends and I loved to explore.  If there was one thing we learned by not having much, it was that it didn’t take much to have fun.  Our callow imaginations were like tokens of passage to adventure, turning local woodlands into perilous jungles and rooftops to frigid mountains.

On Saturdays we’d pretend our bikes were exotic cars as we raced across town through traffic.  Nothing could quell our enthusiasm but the air of hometown pizzas.  All week long we’d stashed away coins, some of us receiving allowances, in anticipation of the Pizza Inn’s All-You-Can-Eat buffet, a utopia of sauces and molten cheeses all for ‘four dollars and eighty-something cents’.  If one of us came up short, we all dug deep for donations.

Sighting the overhead logo through the trees, our legs pumped even faster before arriving at the wooden guardrail out front where our tires screeched to a halt.  We tethered our bikes under lock and key then poured through the corridors, dusting off our soles and gritty misfortunes on a tatty welcome mat.

Once inside we were greeted by the hostess whose smile dazzled with delight – not the smile we were used to, one half-cocked with suspicion.  In fact, that was the magic of the Pizza Inn – its fair and equal treatment.   At twelve years old, we’d long ago learned of the racial imbalance that plagued American history, a sordid reality that we wore like armor, making us wary of mistreatment yet defiant.  But inside those doors there was no distinguishing whites and blacks.  No disserving the lower class.  No greeting more hospitable for one patron than the next.  Everyone was V.I.P.   There were no contemptuous glares or scowls of rejection that condemned us for living in the projects, just hungry families creating lasting memories in a place that was affordable and safe.

We strolled through a dining gallery of linen clothed tables surrounded by dimly lit booths with tapestries and other Western memorabilia fastened to the walls.  Gentle melodies trickled in the background, blended with the thrum of chatter, while the featured attraction – the extravagant pizza display – elicited good cheer. Sausages.  Hamburgers.  Pepperonis.  Cheeses.  There were thin-crust pizzas topped with garlic.   Onions, anchovies, mushrooms… and more, as we stood thinking, ‘there must be a god’.

After selecting our dining stations, the hostess scribbled down our orders and bustled off to gather beverages while we filed around the buffet cart, goaded by our appetites, stacking slice after slice on our plates.

We tossed around banter over warm bites of pizza until seconds and thirds were in order, like members of an elite club enjoying a round of laughs at a banquet that was held in our honor. We chomped away until our work was done and our tummies round and laden as we made our way to the cashier’s stand where we proudly settled our bill.

Those were the moments in which the Pizza Inn felt like ‘home’, where a crew of adventurous kids with no more than a few scraps jingling in our pockets could receive quality service and respect.  Just thirteen years later – all of that changed.  Those memories became a distant blur after robbers targeted the pizzeria and left their shift manager dead.  One of the perpetrators, a close friend and neighbor, alleged I was his accomplice and actual triggerman.  With a number of corroborating witness accounts and shoddy legal representation, my innocence never stood a chance.

Unfortunately, it didn’t matter that critical lies were told, DNA tests were negative and much of the testimony conflicted.  Am I naïve enough to think that after twenty years on Death Row being innocent  even matters?  Maybe it does, but only to a handful of hopeful humanitarians.  To others any claim of innocence on my part will be deemed both airy and insulting.

So why did I write this piece if not some callous design to soften minds and recruit supporters by clinging on to meager contradictions?  Set minds are hardly ever swayed, and it is not an attempt to evoke pity – that belongs to the families who’ve had to endure the tragic end of a loved one.  

I wrote this merely to restore something that was lost, something that was no one’s to take.  Of course, no amount of loss could ever equate to the loss of life.  In no way am I making a comparison.  Simply put, I am stating that due to my un-involvement, I’ve been made a victim too – as much as it will grind the teeth of the naysayers to hear.  Vengeful mobs will revel at my extermination at the words of one seeking to escape accountability in a system that offers leniency to criminals for their role in a crime in order to secure a conviction.  It’s because of this I even became dissociated with the Pizza Inn and consequentially suppressed memories, safeguarding my thoughts until I had almost forgotten what the place meant to me.

I am writing this to salvage a piece of my childhood that was swallowed up in the debacle, memories of pleasure and independence, a time when those grounds were sacred.  I’m writing to reclaim memories that bear the truth and don’t dispute my innocence, memories of adventure, growth and pride… and lots of love for pizzas.

The Pizza Inn was a sanctuary, and its doors swung unbiasedly open.  The cost of a memory was just ‘four dollars and eighty-something cents’. It was a place where no one should ever have been murdered and no one falsely accused – and for now, I let that be the one thing on which my innocence stands.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’. Terry is a gifted and thoughtful writer who is currently working on two novels. He lives on Death Row but has always maintained his innocence. Mr. Robinson can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

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Name Drop

For several months when I was a kid, we lived on Powell Street, a lowly urban neighborhood rich with crime.  Daylight brought a liveliness for drugs and alcohol, while nighttime a thirst for violence.  Powell Street was a cautious city block where pilfers and opportunists inhabited the shadows, and a street hustler, Slim Rodgers, stood at the heart of its workings.

Slim was ghetto royalty, a middle aged, bald headed, ebony prince, whose influence pressed on the locals. He was exceptionally introverted with keen observation, often lounging on the porch in his Lazyboy recliner while overseeing the day’s take.  Occasionally, he doled out coins to the neighborhood kids for sweets at the corner bodega. We didn’t dare to steal.  If we were caught stealing, it was said that Slim would ‘get us’.  I thought it meant he would get us in our sleep.

Once, after spending all our coins at the arcade, we headed over to the liquor store to bum for spare change.  Slim found out.  He corralled us together with a heated glare, then marched us up the street to his apartment. After disappearing inside, Slim returned holding a yard rake, trash bags and a velvety purple pouch.  He said that begging was disgraceful, and if we wanted something, we should work for it.  At seven, I had no idea what the word ‘disgraceful’ meant, but I still swore off begging.  Slim handed over the items and tasked us to rake leaves; the pouch was filled with coins.

One summer day in 1981, while Powell Street happened outside, tragedy nearly struck my family.  We were gathered in the rear bedroom of our apartment, my mother tending to the diaper change of her newborn daughter.  My brother, Ray, was making weird faces to distract Sophia, whose bawling was unsettling the quiet evening, while I snickered away in the corner. For my untimely humor, I received the worst detail of all.

“Here…” my mother said as she bundled up the stinky diaper, “…go put that in the trash.”

I clamped the diaper with two fingers and hurried toward the kitchen, my scrunched nose grateful for the midday breeze.  Once there, I chucked the waste into the trash bin, then lustily eyed the fridge as I figured on some stolen sips of Kool-Aid. I peeped down the hallway, cracked the icebox, and guzzled the sweetened beverage.  My mischief was suddenly shattered by an eerie, watchful presence. I turned to the door, and there stood a stranger.

He was tall and beefy with a matted afro, his beard tuft and nappy.  His light colored tee was darkened with stains and drooped over narrow shoulders, and his hulking fist was wrapped around a brown paper bag as he tarried on the porch and peered into the kitchen. Uncertainty fixed our gazes on one another, while the awkwardness of the moment rendered us still.  He then glanced over his shoulder, tugged on the handle and said, “Hey!  Open this door!”

I sat the pitcher aside and headed over to the door, where the strange man dithered noticeably. Stretched upward on my tiptoes, I fumbled at the latch when I heard my mother shout disapproval. 

“Duck, what chu’ doing, boy!  You better git away from that door!” 

I jumped back, confused by the stranger’s face, which twisted in defiance.  A violent pop announced his intrusion, as the door blasted open.

My mother rushed over and pulled me close behind, while I struggled to see around her sturdy frame. The man moved into the kitchen with his eyes wild and his hand fastened to a gun. It had chrome cylinders, much like a cap gun, except heavier and more menacing. Immediately, I thought, ‘I want one’, as the urgency in his voice grabbed my attention.

“Where Slim at?”

“Who?” my mother responded, her own voice standoffish.

“Slim!” he repeated.

“Slim don’t stay here. He lives next door.”

There was an unexpectedness in the air that filled the awful silence, as protector and intruder faced off. Finally, he muttered, somewhat apologetically, “Uh… can I go out the front door?”

A profound sense of relief poured through the room, dousing any signs of trouble. It seemed as though discord had no place wherever Slim was mentioned.  With a nod, my mother permitted the man’s exit, as he tucked the gun away. He then dashed across the living room, peeked through the window and vanished out the door.

Within moments, my mother’s anger turned my way.  “Don’t cha know that man could’ve killed us!” 

Unsure if I was being questioned or warned, I decide to keep quiet. She hauled me to the bedroom where my siblings remained, then she went about securing the house.  When she returned, my mother sat with me and disclosed a terrible truth.

“Everyone who shows up at your doorstep aren’t always good people,” she explained.  “Some may try to hurt you, or worse.”  She counseled me to never open the door for a stranger, and I promised that I wouldn’t.

It would be many years later before I realized the dire possibilities of that day.  I watched as my mother jumped into action to protect her children with little regard for her own safety.  Her devotion was the mark of a great parent and something I hoped to inherit someday.  It was discovered that the man had robbed a liquor store, and he was desperate to hide out.  His intrusion gave me a glimpse into the hostile capabilities of wrongdoers in their efforts to avoid penalty.

However, the thing that impacted me the most that day was the measure of one’s power and influence, how some circumstances are dictated by the promise of retribution. I witnessed as Slim’s reputation alone tamed potential tragedy. I wanted that same power and reputation someday, if only to protect my family. I wanted conflict and disorder to be a fleeting notion in the face of my influence. It would shape my perspective in a way that was flawed, affecting poor choices.

Slim, too, was flawed by certain legal standards, but he wasn’t without decency. He was not the ideal role model for kids, but neither was he unworthy to inspire.  My childhood hero was not some great man honored throughout the pages of history, but I will forever be inspired by the day our lives were secured at the very mention of the name Slim.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’. Terry is a gifted and thoughtful writer who is currently working on two novels. He lives on Death Row but maintains his innocence. Mr. Robinson can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

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“Oh, That’s Chad”

In June, 1993, I came home after serving 27 months in prison.   While I was gone my mother had relocated from the projects where I grew up to an upscale community on the outskirts of town.  I arrived home to a section of seemly brick homes, spacious yards and lush greenery in a neighborhood that was relatively safe – but boring.

The morning after I arrived, I checked the mailbox at the end of our driveway and later strolled to the neighborhood store, noticing each time I left that I drew the attention of a young boy across the street.  He had sunbaked hair, hazel eyes and skin the color of butterscotch, with a slender frame under clothes that were marked by rough play.  In the yard were toys and other objects to which he showed no interest, seemingly content to sit and stare all day.  When my mother  returned from work, I inquired about the strange boy across the street.

She succinctly replied, “Oh, that’s Chad.”

In the following days Chad proved to be as normal as the other kids as they boisterously played throughout the day.  Oftentimes he tussled with his dog or shot hoops in the backyard, other times he simply observed.  He was around eight years old with two older siblings and a kid sister. Their mother worked two jobs, and their father frequently came and went. Their house wasn’t the most adult supervised one on the strip, but it was a crime-free neighborhood so there was little concern.

One day I set out to walk our dog and saw Chad headed my way at a determined pace, his head held sharp and unwavering.  He stepped to me and asked if he could walk my dog.  I didn’t have the heart to tell him no. Before I knew it, I was strolling around the neighborhood with the most inquisitive kid ever. Many of his questions had simple answers, though Chad posed them in a difficult way.  He had a budding curiosity that was pleasant company and reminded me of myself at his age.

Soon Chad found an excuse to come over almost every day, whether to help with yard work or to show me something he had found.  His attentiveness gave me such a feeling of relevance that I looked forward to having him around. One time a friend of mine spent the night.  She went outside early for the morning newspaper, and when she returned, she asked, “Who dat lil’ boy sittin’ on ya’ll doorstep?”

I guessed safely and answered, “Oh, that’s Chad.”

Chad and I often fished at the local pond or practiced target-shooting with pellet guns. We washed cars, mowed lawns and played video games all for the sake of filling the days.  He was so willing to learn and committed to work that he never once complained.  And although he could be incredibly annoying at times, he was still the best part of waking up to a new day.

Two years would pass before trouble pierced our rural haven, and I wound up handcuffed in the back of a squad car.  Chad looked on from the curb with confusion etched on his face.  I sat in prison for 31 months for a crime I didn’t commit, and by the time of my release, I was a fragment of myself with little good to offer.

Chad was like a one-man welcoming party, exhilarated by my return. Just seeing him helped me to shuck some of the bitterness and appreciate the warmth of home.  I would peep outside some days and see Chad sitting idly on his porch waiting for our front door to open.  When it did, he would rush over just to say, “Hi.”  He was the reason I stayed home many a day, though my vengeful heart kept me gone most nights. 

I turned to drug dealing and petty crimes to validate my sense of self-worthlessness, carrying on destructively to mirror how I felt inside. I was caught between being a hooligan by night and a mentor to Chad by day, as I appropriated stories of my nighttime endeavors to preserve a wholesome image. Occasionally, Chad would ask if he could go with me to town, and I would come up with an excuse.  Then I discovered that not only was he a curious bug, he was also quite persistent.

One night I arrived home around 2 a.m. to reup on drugs, not the least bit surprised when Chad wondered over.

“What’s up, Duck?  Are you staying home?” he asked.

“Nope,” I answered while in a mad dash inside to grab the dope supply and head back to the block.

When I returned, Chad was still there waiting in the chill of night, determined to get a word.  “Lemme go wit’ chu, Duck.  I’ve got money.”

“I’ve got sumpthin’ to do tonight, Chad.”

It was the scene that had played out countless times before except this time the outcome was different as his shoulders collapsed and his smile faded.  He turned and started for home.

“Hey, Chad….” I called out to him without giving it much thought because at that moment all that mattered was his happiness,  “…C’mon, get in the car.”

Ecstatically, Chad bound over and jumped in the backseat as I dipped inside the house, removed all the illegals, and joined him in the taxi.

We were dropped off in the filthiest, most crime-infested area in the heart of the city’s drug market, where the unlikeliest shadows gave rise to dope fiends jonesing for a fix.  Cars cruised surreptitiously along narrow side streets as dealers kept an eye out for trouble, and while many residents’ doors were closed and bolted for the night, others were just beginning to open.

The first spot we headed to was the bodega for knickknacks and arcades. We then took in a spectacle of rambunctious trash-talkers over an intense game of craps. With loads of money scattered on the ground and vulgarities stirring, I thought it best that we split, and Chad didn’t have to be told twice to move – he stayed close behind. 

Next we walked a few blocks to the poolroom for chili cheese fries and chicken wings, then we settled in a vacant park and scoffed down our meals.  While there, Chad delved up tons of questions, some even provoking thought, and I could tell that he was having the time of his life because I was too. 

We finished off the night with a fast-food breakfast and caught a taxi home at the cusp of dawn. Once there, Chad hopped out with a yawn and said, “Thanks, Duck. I’ll see ya later, a-ight.”

I watched as he shuffled to his house across the street and disappeared behind the door, not knowing that it was the last time I would ever see Chad.

Days later I was charged with murder and within a year I was sentenced to death.  I prayed that Chad would get used to me not being around anymore. 

Four years later, I learned through a visit with my mom that Chad had been killed. It happened during a skirmish that he was fatally injured and his body was recovered in the woods.  I couldn’t believe it – Chad was gone and he was only sixteen.  I sat with the news gnawing at my conscience, feeling crushed beneath a swell of guilt while imagining the inquisitive kid I first met – not understanding why someone would want to take his life. I blamed myself for not being there for Chad and prayed to take his stead.  He was a much better person and deserving of life than I could ever be.

I have lived with the guilt of Chad’s death for over sixteen years with tomorrows still to come, wondering how our lives would’ve been had I not gone away.  I try not to remember how Chad was taken – I remember how he lived, and I’ll forever keep the fond memory of our night on the town together.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’ and lives on death row. He has always maintained his innocence for the crime he is incarcerated for, but often uses his writing to honestly confront the mistakes he’s made in his life. His honest revelations are an inspiration and a testament to who he is.

Mr. Robinson can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

All Posts By Chanton

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Unethical Madness

The first time I ever struck my girlfriend, Renee, it was due to a lapse in judgment.  I begged her forgiveness and vowed it would never happen again.   At the time, I really meant it…

My second offense came when I shoved her to the ground and cast the blame down with her.  My woeful sense of embarrassment made me deserving of pity, while the real victim apologized to her aggressor.

By the third time, the abusiveness had become a force of habit sparked by jealousy and anger.  I believed that if I didn’t hit her, then I would lose her, which made undermining my integrity necessary.

Renee and I met on Halloween night, 1989.  I was fifteen and hanging out at a friend’s house when she appeared from next door to borrow sugar.  Renee was barefooted with piercing brown eyes, cropped cinnamon hair, and wearing thigh-high shorts and a fitted tee.   She was tiny but feisty, with a daring personality and striking appeal.  While pranks and sweets were  the order of the day, the night was filled with promise as we sat cuddled up in a dark corner getting to know one another. 

The next night served a crushing blow to my ego when Renee ran off with another guy.  The two of them disappeared into the night for hours while I was left to sort through my suspicions.  Snared by the thorns of her charming whispers, I continued to pursue Renee, though nesting in the back of my mind was a nagging skepticism.

Renee was thirteen with an infant son by a guy who questioned the child’s paternity.  He showed up one day yelling obscenities and swore that he would never return.   After that, becoming a father figure was the most exciting and important part of each day.  No longer was I a kid who grappled with his mom over curfews and academics. Fatherhood had given me purpose.  I began to skip school to spend time with my son and sat by his crib while he slept.  I chipped in for diapers and formula when I could afford it, other times I stole.  Being partly responsible for a life other than my own made me feel as though I mattered, and I couldn’t give that feeling up for anything in the world… so things had to work out between myself and Renee.

Once, after being scolded by Renee’s dad, I decided to stay away for a week.  When I returned, I discovered that Renee had moved on with some other guy.  Emotionally wrecked, I walked away toward a life without Renee until she started rattling off an explanation so earnestly that before I knew it, I was staying.   Afterwards our relationship became brittle devotions laced with icy disputes.  Loving Renee was difficult at times, but somehow, staying was easy.

Amidst continuous doubts of faithfulness, the violence of our sordid union arose.  Renee and I had argued, our moods were tense and the dissension between us escalated.  As usual Renee went into explanation mode, but it was becoming redundant.  Her groveling and swift affection were no longer a remedy.  I was getting out.

Agitated, Renee grabbed onto my clothes to prevent my leaving. Then she cocked her fist and socked me in the nose.  I doubled over, thinking, ‘What the hell just happened,’ as blood and pride trickled to the ground. Even more confusing was her immediate sympathy as she showered me in apologies and kisses.  Her show of cold/hot affection left me sifting through my head for answers and strangely enough, I felt loved.  It was a critical turning point in our relationship and the seed of a fantastic delusion as I rationalized – a love that hurt was better than no love at all. 

Some months passed before a guy popped up and claimed to be Renee’s boyfriend.  Apparently the two were dating at school, and he had hoped to take things further.  I was so furious with Renee for not denying his claim that I tried to leave, but I couldn’t.  My entire world had collapsed at my feet while she stood blank-faced and busted. I demanded that she choose – either him or me.  She hesitated.   I became so desperate to prove how much I loved her, I lashed out and slapped Renee.  My palm flared with the sting of indignity as I watched her crumble at my feet.  I then turned my rage on the schoolyard beau as he hurried on his way. 

Appalled by my disgrace, I immediately deflected the blame.  It was all Renee’s fault, she forced me to hit her, and I wept with self pity and a little self-loathing as Renee accepted guilt. Even though I promised to never hit her again, I could sense a drastic change.  I was deep in the throes of a twisted evolution, and the worst was yet to come.

Soon we were both cheating on love and committed to hurting one another, like the time she pressed a razor blade to my neck or when I clipped her across the head with a log.  Ironically, the abuse didn’t seem egregious, just something we expected, typical behavior that was progressively volatile yet reinforced our love.

Renee and I did share wonderful moments together that made the pain worthwhile. Oftentimes she was my best friend and the person I trusted most.  It was only when the trust was questioned that we tended to bicker and fight – except, Renee hadn’t thrown a punch in years… the fighting was all me.

Then one night, the illusion shattered and all that remained was the truth.  It happened during a cheating allegation that I found myself plotting revenge.  I lured Renee to an area that was dark and secluded, then I rehashed an earlier dispute.  Renee was flustered and caught off guard, her responses rather dodgy.  I then drew back my fist with all the love that I could muster, and I punched her in the face.  She stumbled back, horrified, and attempted to bolt, but I grabbed her and struck her again, slamming her to the ground.  I insisted on the truth but the truth wasn’t what I was after, it was that fleeting moment of gratification by reciprocating the hurt.  Renee scooted away crying and pleading as my vicious love closed in. Then she looked up at me with her mouth filled with blood and said, “Please don’t hurt me, Duck.”

I stopped abruptly, guilt ridden and dejected as my fist fell limp at my side.  I’d never considered that Renee actually feared me and to see such a thing was unnerving.  I thought of our rambunctiousness as roles we played to indicate our love for one another, yet to see someone you love who’s afraid of you was utterly self defining. 

I stood ruined, trying to recognize myself, but all I saw was a monster who would mask the brokenness inside me by victimizing Renee.  I was caught in the cycle of unethical madness that mistook love and perpetuated cruelty.  I’d already witnessed a tragedy at four when my uncle loved his wife with bullets. My daddy was known to love with his hands, but my mother wanted something better.   And there I was, resorting to violence to salvage an aching love.  I had become someone I detested, a man of wavering integrity.  I abused Renee not because I loved her, but to scare her into loving me.  It was a menacing tactic to manipulate her feelings while empowering my own.  But a love that is fostered by fear and violence is hardly love at all, but simply the substance of shame and dishonor that never quite goes away.

Suddenly, I realized that life had more to offer us both, though it was unlikely that we would find it together.  But I did love Renee enough to know I would never hurt her again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’ and lives on death row. He has always maintained his innocence for the crime he is incarcerated for, but often uses his writing to honestly confront the mistakes he’s made. Mr. Robinson can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

All Posts By Chanton

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Frenemy

Friendships are pleasurable relationships that often stand the test of time.  They are the sharing of ourselves and our innermost feelings with those whom we trust the most. Even cultivating them can be an everlasting treat, like a stroll down the candy aisle of life.  However, just as sweets can be tasty yet terrible for our health, sometimes friends can do more harm than good.

It was a chilly Saturday morning in 1979 – I was five years old. The trailer we lived in was quiet, my mother buried beneath the covers after working a late shift. I poured a bowl of cereal and took my place before the television set, anticipating my favorite cartoons. Suddenly, familiar voices trickled in from outside – it was my older brother Ray, cousin Sam, and Kenny, a neighborhood friend.  I dashed to the bedroom, slipped into some clothes and bolted out the door.  The three of them were bunched together, walking steadily.  Kenny spoke in a hushed tone while Sam and Ray listened. I eased into their group and kept quiet – they paid me little attention.

Their discussion was about the local tadpole pond, which wasn’t much of a pond at all, but rather an abandoned foundation with busted pipes that formed a humongous sinkhole.  We often passed by the vacant site on the way to the corner store, and each time I guessed at the mysterious ripples in the water.  Kenny let on that he and Sam were headed to the pond to see a dog that drowned.  Ray was eight and impressionable – he would follow those two anywhere.  After agreeing to join them, the trio set out while I was tightly wound in their shadow.

We walked a short way before a voice called out and collared me from behind, “Hey, ya’ll, wait up!”

It was Junior, a tubby, spirited kid from around the way who had an enduring appetite for mischief.  He and I were friends, yet often turned rivals whenever my brother was around to stir the competition.  Only then did our Big Wheel rides become fierce battles to the finish line or a game of marbles end in a fight. Our spats never lasted long – Junior and I were usually back to being pals before the turn of day.  His cheeks wobbled like cozy gelatin as he hustled to catch up to our party. 

“Where ya’ll going?” he inquired.

“To the tadpole pond,” I answered.

We arrived at an enclosure and paused to take in the sights, a quaint oasis of thriving vegetation at the edge of the trailer park.  Incredibly dark waters swayed passively with the morning breeze, glistening with the rising sun.  Kenny slipped through a breach in the fence, Sam and Ray soon followed.  I was content to observe from beyond the barrier until Junior squeezed through as well. I tucked my head and dipped past the opening in the fence, fearful yet eerily excited. 

We stood scattered around the water’s edge as the ever dreadful tadpole pond lay before us, polluted with trash and a sodden couch partially submerged at the center.  Kenny pointed out a floating object that was fuzzy and swollen round.   He then looked for something to fish out the carcass while Sam and Ray gathered rocks. Junior fixated on the water and began to inch forward – my curiosity willed me closer.

There were tadpole, tiny critters with long squirmy tails, that flowed along the shallow end.  I squatted low until my reflection bounced back off the face of the water.  It was the first time I’d ever seen a tadpole.

“We need a can,” Junior proposed and disappeared behind me to search for a container. Enthused by the idea of having a pet, I was toying around with names when suddenly I was thrust forward and pitched into the water.

Like a phantom cutpurse, the chilling temperature stole my breath away.  I opened my mouth to yell, but gurgled as the agony gushed in.  My head was a jumble of fear and confusion – frozen with the shocking reality that I was cast beneath the mystery of the rippling pond – and I didn’t know how to swim…

My jacket and denims became weighty with absorption, like linen anchors wrapped around my limbs. Algae and other slush minerals surged down my nostrils and set my lungs afire. I flailed about in a desperate fight against the sinking madness until my wild kicks propelled me above the surface.

Water erupted from my mouth in a vicious spray as the scum fell away from my eyes. I saw my brother racing toward me.

“Help me, Ray!” I pleaded, splashing about to stay afloat until the menacing hand of gravity pulled me under.  I drew in a quick breath and held it tight within as the world collapsed around me.

Slowly, I drifted down into the hazy unknown, kicking, screaming in my head for my mother.  Again, my flapping elevated me, and I burst free from beneath the murky water. Ray shouted words, but they were lost in the frenzy.  Kenny appeared and stretched out toward me.

“Ray!” I cried before my pleas were cut short by another cruel descent into the black.  Lashing out in one final attempt to thwart my tragic end, I somehow grabbed a hold of an object – it was a stick with Kenny holding the opposite end as he plucked me from the horror.

I was drenched, shivering, and felt utterly defeated as I considered the dire possibilities.  Sam peeled off my jacket and replaced it with his own while Kenny assured me that everything was okay. Ray held me tight, but said little as he busied himself with an explanation. And Junior – he was halfway up the block hightailing it for home. 

Today, I saw Junior for the first time in twenty years.  It was a thrilling moment to see how much he had changed, yet concerning for the troubles he faced.  His thick, woolly dreadlocks dangled like tassels over eyes that drooped with sadness, while casting aside his ill-predicament to sympathize for my own. Junior’s trouble was life in prison, mine was the death penalty.  It’s ironic how parallel our lives felt to that day at the tadpole pond.  Still, the quiet agony was short lived and our jaded smiles reciprocated as we stared at one another through a Plexiglas divider and worked to repress our misery.  I realized that Junior was my oldest of friends despite our childhood quarrels. It had been forty years since the tadpole pond, and even now we hurt for one another.  For all the rivaling we did as kids, our friendship survived the chaos – even though he almost killed me, we’re friends all the same. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’. Terry is a gifted and thoughtful writer who is currently working on two novels. He lives on Death Row but maintains his innocence. Mr. Robinson can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

All Posts By Chanton

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Bright Spot

Death Row is a somberness that never quits and a psychological dismay that never stales, offering fleeting hope in the distance, while an unspeakable cruelty lurks from behind.  It is the veil of vengeance over the face of forgiveness and the dark that seldom brightens.   And it is a system designed to diminish one’s spirit by decades of prolonged executions.   

Enter Joe – a highly spirited, gentle soul and a bonafide hillbilly (his words, not mine).  Joe was amongst several death row inmates whom I met upon arrival.  Although he and I didn’t quite vibe at first, eventually we became good friends.  Our divide was mainly due to our backgrounds which were astronomically worlds apart. However, proximity and shared affliction pieced us together and our friendship was a perfect fit.

Joe was an avid watcher of daytime soaps, bounding around the pod enthusiastically while awaiting his favorite shows. I’d listen to him zestfully recount weekly episodes until he finally piqued my interest.  Before long I was bouncing alongside Joe; the soaps were our escape.

Joe was a tinker also, an essential figure in every inner prison’s workings. Tinkers improvise using commonplace items to effectively service their inmate community.  In need of a coffee brewer?  See Joe.  Stogie roller?  That was Joe too.  From radio repairs to holiday greeting cards, Joe lent a little of himself to everyone.  And when matters were somewhat trivial, still he was eager to help.

I became most endeared to Joe the day he tattooed my forearm. We sat and chatted up one another as he tagged me with his artistry.  Joe opened up to me about his spiritual ambitions and the difficulties in his past. It made me realize, though our differences were superficial our adversities were much the same. I watched as Joe embraced his vulnerability as a means to mend his spirit. It taught me that my own woes were much deeper than death row; I suffered a darkness within.

Afterwards, Joe became the bright spot to every waking day.  A stickler for cleanliness, he swept and mopped the pod each morning before dawn.  Joe then turned to cigarettes and coffee to crank out his lively mood and for hours on end he would laugh and joke – and death row never felt so good.

Joe was a jack-of-all trades, though hardly a master at all.  He was a joyful klutz at basketball, yet the first to laugh at himself. At poker, he was a heavy better and lost with his heart carefree.  He was deeply committed to the happiness of others – happiness gave Joe peace.

It was three years past when the news came down and Joe faced a darkness of his own. The courts rejected the last of his appeals and issued him an execution date. Suddenly there was aridness in the air that ached with sympathy and despair. Well-wishers barely spoke above whispers as they internalized with ‘what ifs’.  Joe put troubled minds at ease by insisting that he was fine – but on the day that his executioners  came, he said to me, “Man, I don’t wanna die.”

In that moment, I was stumped for words.  I had nothing to offer but sadness.  I wanted so much to give Joe absolution and shoo his killers away. I felt helpless and betrayed for the coming demise by an evil which met no resistance.  The terrible truth was – my fears were also selfish.  I didn’t know how to be on Death Row without Joe.

Joe and I embraced for the last time, his cheeks slicked with tears while his eyes held out hope for the governor’s stay. 

He then bid goodbye to others as the party of white shirts escorted him to Deathwatch where he faced his final adversity alone.  Joe was executed by lethal injection.  It was a harsh reality that pitched Death Row into darkness.

Death Row is an immoral chasm filled with broken spirits. It is insubstantial highs and demoralizing lows in the fight to stay alive. However, having Joe around was like a break in the action.  His kindness lit up the dark – and I’m grateful to have had his light shone on me, if only for a short while.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’ and is the winner of Walk In Those Shoes’ first spring writing contest. He rose to the occasion, as did many. The goal of the contest was to share light people saw and experienced behind bars, and I think what has become apparent is that often times – it was the light in the writers’ themselves that was shared.
Terry writes for us often, and he can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

All Posts By Chanton

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A Letter To My Thirteen Year Old Self

Dear Duck,

You might want to sit down for this.  Being as you’re so young, my intention is to be delicate, but there are some troubling things that need to be disclosed about the path down which you are headed.

Who am I, you ask?  Oh, I’m nobody in particular, though I could’ve been. It’s just that I’ve made some really poor choices in life – kinda like what you’re doing.  Should you continue, well… eventually you may become nobody in particular too.

The things you’re going through that you think no one else understands – I do.  However, I’ve come to learn that other people’s shortcomings are not my excuses, and there’s self-accountability in most blame.  We are all responsible for creating the lives we want for ourselves.  None of us are exempt from that obligation, Duck. No one else determines how you live.

I know that you’re experiencing some household issues that compel you to find acceptance outside your home. Your older brother, Ray, whom you idolize, doesn’t want you tagging along with him anymore. And while you wait enthusiastically around the house for his return, still, he doesn’t notice you.  I know between your mother’s day job and night school, quality time has given way to fatigue.  And while everyone dotes on your cute kid sister, your presence feels passed over.  It makes you envious, and you question your worth.  You feel invisible, as though you don’t matter. You prioritize making friends for the sake of their opinions to validate your importance.  You assume a person’s reputation is the measure of their worth; that fear is ascribed to weakness.  So you smoke, deal drugs, and have unprotected sex simply to gain approval.  But real friends needn’t prove themselves to one another, and fearfulness touches us all. Even the stony looks on the faces of those you so desperately hope to impress, they too have known fear.  We’ve all been afraid, though not everyone has the courage to admit it.  Owning up to our fears is not weak but strong.

Open your eyes, Duck.  You could have a rich, joyous life, if only you would seize it and realize that nothing worth having comes free, it takes dedication and hard work. And yes – having to take ownership over your life at thirteen can be scary, but being a better person is a decision that can only be made by you.  Should you continue to travel down such a callous road of indignities, well… you’ll find yourself one night staring down the barrel of a shotgun while fumbling in your socks for what you hope is enough money to trade for your life.  You’ll have kids who will grow to adults and have no idea who you are. You’ll suffer scorching lead bore through your flesh as you are left in the street for dead.  You will become a slave to your addictions, contract STDs, and erroneously learn to settle domestic disputes with your fist.  You will hold a man’s life in your hands while wielding a powerful sense of judgment at the price of your humanity.  You’ll spend 20 years in a prison cell crying yourself to sleep at night with shame. Your life will be plagued with regrets, and you’ll find that behind closed eyelids, your demons await.

There’s lots of hurt coming your way, Duck.  Trust me – I know.  But there’s also the chance for you to make things different.  The life you want – your dreams and aspirations – they begin and end with you. Don’t let the pain of your poor choices diminish your goodness and exact its toll on your family.  Don’t let the expectations of others determine who you will become.  You’re a wonderfully smart and gifted young man with unworldly potential for greatness, so be someone to be proud of…  don’t be another me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’. Terry is a thought provoking, inspirational writer and a frequent contributor. It’s a privilege to share his work.

He can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

All Posts By Chanton

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The Voice

A caged bird sings,
And a condemned man writes.
The only freedom to be had
In a tomb, sealed tight.
But no, not airtight,
Just enough to breathe.
See the mugginess that looms
In the dank lonely room?
Shall it bring you constant misery
For the wrong you have done.
Murderer!
You worthless monster!
The same grief you have caused
Should be exacted on your mama.
O’ but it has,
Just not enough.
Heathenish villain
Who deserves no forgiveness,
And for that we’re going to bring
Out the lethal stuff.
Undo what God has done,
Rid fathers of their sons,
As your souls erode in darkness
Till the day of judgment comes.
And when that day comes,
No tears, nor fears,
Nor uprising peers
Will hinder the injustice
Inflicted on you for years,
From way, way back
On the slave man’s back.
We are all black,
And the distinction of skin color
Is fallacy designed by the elitist
As a means to stay in power.
Watching the seconds tick
As it nears the twelfth hour,
Where preparations are made
And sympathy forbade;
Ain’t nothing
Going on here
But the necessary removal
Of a threat to society.
Placaters
Turned player haters,
Never losing an ounce
Of sleep at night
From knowing that death
Is just a business.
Torture chambers need hosts,
Tax payers foot the cost,
With endless sights of vigil lights
As advocates brave the cold,
Chanting, “No more deaths!”
“No more deaths!”
But there will always be deaths
Till by death there’s no one left,
But the supreme man
And him who understands
That classism
Is about one clan.
Not black, or white
Nor those with the will to fight.
And neither the caged bird that sings
Nor the condemned man that writes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Terry Robinson writes under the pen name ‘Chanton’. Terry is a thought provoking, inspirational writer and a frequent contributor. It’s a privilege to share his work. He can be contacted at:
Terry Robinson #0349019
Central Prison
4285 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4285

All Posts By Chanton

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