Free Again

For 3 years now I've been on Felony probation for some bullshit you can read about in the archives of this blog. Probation sucks. Its like a stamp on your head letting you know everyday that you fucked up. For the first year I'd have to make sure to see a probation officer assigned to me every 2 weeks. This degrading process took place downtown where all the courts are. I'd have to go there, sign my name on a list sit and wait (more often than not for hours) with people that I can only describe as NYC's worst. Simply put, low life vagrants. We'd wait there for our probation officers to call us in to there offices to ask us questions and make sure we're not getting into trouble. This always interfered with work because I had to be there on Tuesdays anytime between 10-6. I'll repeat, really fucked with my work. 2nd year I was allowed to come visit these probation officers only once a month instead of every 2 weeks. This made my life a little easier but still I'd have to find an excuse to leave work early once a month. I would normally say I'm going to the doctor and leave early or would just take the whole day off and call in sick. Finally, since I never failed a drug test or violated my probation in anyway, I was moved to what is called the Kiosk. You see, because NY is so strapped for cash and there are so many people on probation they created this booth type thing for non risk probationers. We'd have to go there, enter our pin number into a computer and place our hands into some electronic finger print reader. The computer confirms its you with the fingerprint scan and then asks you questions like "are you still working?" "were you arrested in the past month?" and that's it. This last step (the kiosk) was a lot less a pain in the ass because we wouldnt have to wait for hours to sit with a probation officer. At that low level of supervision you actually have no probation officer anymore. I knew from day one that after I serve half of my sentence (5 years probation) I would be able to ask for early release. So I did. I did this around 3 months ago and was just giving up after not hearing anything back from my sentencing judge. People on probation are not allowed to leave the state without prior permission from the courts. For reasons I will soon write about I had to get permission to go to California. A fucking headache it is. You have go in to the probation building and beg someone to help you fill the paper work to get approved to leave the state. In the process I was informed my early release was GRANTED! I was in shock when I was told. The probation officer told me I was granted early release to which I replied. I never have to come back here again (with an undertone of disbelief)? She replied "thats right have a nice life" She said it as if it meant nothing but it did to me. I'll never forget those words coming out of that chics mouth "have a nice life" Ha.