Hello Theo

A New Year’s letter to a prison pen pal. Found in North Park on a sidewalk.

You Suck at Life Now

I was walking home from the park with my kids and thought that I’d take them by the juvie; like, “Hey kids, don’t act up and end up in there some day.” We found this on the sidewalk. I saw the swear word up top and then wouldn’t let my kids have it. They spent … Continued

Icky Nicci

My friend Jen and I found this when we were going to lunch.

Prison

This picture (one of about twelve) was found in the basement of my apartment when we moved in.

To A Future Member of the Mormon Faith

The volunteers of the Jail Library Group at UW-Madison found this inscription in a donated copy of the Book of Mormon. The book is now in the Dane County Jail’s collection.

Pop Man

I found this folded like a note passed between girls in middle school. It was in an alley near a bunch of apartments, one of which was reputably inhabited by meth dealers. I can figure out what a “cellie” is, but what’s a “pop man”?

Sugar Now

Yesterday I found an address book in the snow at the corner of my street. I’m guessing it belongs to a prisoner because there’s lots of names of judges, reference to a mafioso and a recurring number that could be his prison ID.

Enrique

Found this letter across the street from an elementary school. I thought it might be a love letter, and it is, sort of, but a little more poignant from a young mother to her absentee (locked up?) partner expressing love for her kids and hope for the future. I think it’s pretty much up your … Continued