"It must be the heat, Cap'n"

Went blog "gigging" today and caught a whole mess of em. Thoughts that is.
Folks are either too uncomfortable or too tired from the weather or life in general.
Some were asking great questions, like Merelyme. Others giving great answers.

In these dog days of summer, when it's just too hot to do anything else, I enjoy watching classic movies. One that came to mind today is "Cool Hand Luke". You know the one with Paul Newman,George Kennedy,Strother Martin, and several other(Oh, that's what's his name) guys even a young Dennis Hopper. It's about prison life, pre-bleeding heart liberal glamour slammer days. Lots of sweating bodies, sun up to sun down labor, pent up frustrations....like your day job only (hopefully) without a state owned and operated rifle in your face.

Dealing with oppressive heat makes me think of the ultimate chain gang punishment.....no not a walk down Lamar Avenue at high noon...(but close)...it's the dreaded "box"....small shed structure, dirt floor, no lights, no windows, no real ventilation, just you and a slop jar.

In the movie, Ralph Waite (aka, John Walton-The Waltons) turns into a sniveling hot mess, while he is forced into this hellish "time out". I was so embarrassed for him.

Here is a lengthy piece from this movie given by "Carr"the floor walker to the new prisoners upon their arrival in the cell house.....If any of this sounds familiar to you, perhaps your parents used it as a prototype to lay down the ground rules to you as a youngster. Used it myself with my own little convicts. Well here 'tis and I'll type to you tomorrow. Stay cool ya'll.....real....cool.


Them clothes got laundry numbers on them. You remember your number and always wear the ones that has your number. Any man forgets his number spends a night in the box. These here spoons you keep with you. Any man loses his spoon spends a night in the box. There's no playing grab-ass or fighting in the building. You got a grudge against another man, you fight him Saturday afternoon. Any man playing grab-ass or fighting in the building spends a night in the box. First bell's at five minutes of eight when you will get in your bunk. Last bell is at eight. Any man not in his bunk at eight spends the night in the box. There is no smoking in the prone position in bed. To smoke you must have both legs over the side of your bunk. Any man caught smoking in the prone position in bed... spends a night in the box. You get two sheets. Every Saturday, you put the clean sheet on the top... the top sheet on the bottom... and the bottom sheet you turn in to the laundry boy. Any man turns in the wrong sheet spends a night in the box. No one'll sit in the bunks with dirty pants on. Any man with dirty pants on sitting on the bunks spends a night in the box. Any man don't bring back his empty pop bottle spends a night in the box. Any man loud talking spends a night in the box. You got questions, you come to me. I'm Carr, the floor walker. I'm responsible for order in here. Any man don't keep order spends a night in...




P.S. Tried to put up an image of Paul Newman and blogspot came back with their version of
"What we have here....is a failure to communicate."......i'll try again when the sun goes down.