From Dragonfly: Goodbye South

South is currently in R&D, getting her DNA and thumbprint taken, and then she will walk out of the prison fences for the last time. She has a smile on her face, a small bag of everything she is taking home with her, and will be on a bus sometime later this morning. She promised that if the bus ride is bad, she will take a cab to the nearest airport and buy a ticket home. She is free!!!

South has been my number one support since I arrived here a week after her. She understood me, and I understood her. She is sarcastic, fun, interesting, strong, intelligent, capable, and sincere. She was someone many people, here, called "grandma," due to her grey/silver hair. She stands at about 100 lbs and 5 ft tall. She always called me "little one," but in reality, she is the 'little one.' We have a special bond, having gotten each other through the hardest of days here, and it's one that does not sever just because she is leaving. I know we will see one another again in the future. I will not say that about too many folks here.

I guess this makes today another landmark. It is South's and Freckle's 6 month anniversary of their arrival. Freckles will leave late this year, after she finishes the RDAP program (which got her an extra 9 months of halfway house post-program). My 6 months will be a week from today. We were talking about whether it goes slow or fast. I put it in these words, "each day feels like forever, and each week an eternity, but when we look back, it's all gone by so fast. It's the living of each day that is difficult." They all agreed. South will be walking back into her life at home just 6 months after she left it. I told her to tell everyone that she was at "fat camp" (she's never been more than 102 lbs.) and say it worked!

South didn't belong here. Her supposed 'crime' should have been handled civilly. But, in a very selfish way, I am so grateful to have served my time along with her. I hope that I can be as strong as she is when I grow older. She has taught me a lot, things that I will carry forward with me throughout my life. Perhaps one day I will make a quilt (her favorite hobby), and I will know it is because of the passion for quilting she brought into my life. That's just the way she is - she can talk about things she loves and suddenly you feel like you love them too. South is a very special woman. As so many people said to her this morning, as we walked to the R&D doors, "god-speed" my friend, god-speed!