Believe it or not, even in jail one finds the need to relieve oneself. The biological and body functions don’t suspend. Therefore, facilities are a necessity. I have a high school class mate who spent some time in a Moroccan jail back in the 70’s. The Moroccan jail was a floor hole in the center of the room. There was no toilet paper holder; in fact there was no toilet paper!
In comparison, I’m residing in 4-star luxury. However, I’m sure, you would consider it the economy version compared to your own facilities you use at home. In the back corner of each cell, there is a stainless steel toilet/sink combo.
The sink is directly behind the toilet bowl, where you are accustomed to having the tank and its lid. In fact, the waste water from the sink actually drains into the toilet bowl, and then is manually flushed. In order to use the sink,one must either straddle the bowl, or stand to its side. When brushing your teeth, you have the choice of leaning over spitting in the sink or spitting in the toilet bowl. It all will have to be eventually flushed anyway.
There are 3 push buttons on the back panel of the sink. 2-buttons are the hot and cold controls. The 3rd push button push button flushes the toilet. The hot and cold buttons must be held in to get a stream. They’re not easily pushed, either, as they require a little strength, so, one has to use one or the other, hot or cold, since one hand has to be used for whatever function the water is needed. That is not an issue, however.
To get continuous running water one is educated in jailhouse ingenuity, learned from other inmates, I can take an empty 20 oz. plastic coke bottle, fill it with water to give it mass and strength, and use a washcloth folded up as much as it can be folded. Using both items the bottom of the bottle is placed on the water button; the folded washcloth is placed on the inside front edge of the sink; then the coke top/lid is horizontally wedged against the washcloth, thereby pushing the button in and holding it. Voila! Continuous stream of water! Two hands free! Coke can be enjoyed in more ways than one. “AHH! The pause that refreshes!”
There is no toilet seat! The bowl flanges are wider than your household toilet. Therefore, you won’t feel that you’re falling when you sit. But it is chilly, though. The metal quickly warms by body heat until you flush, the water flowing underneath the flanges chills the metal again. There is no toilet paper holder per se. But there is a round cavity in the side panel of the sink that holds a roll of toilet paper. Yes, we are supplied with TP, but I guarantee you , it ain’t Charmin!
There are no privacy petitions or even curtains. Each cell is open to the rest of the room and to the guard tower. At times there are female guards in the tower, too. At least the toilet is in the back of a cell, where a certain degree of privacy can be obtained. (In the dorm, “Inside Rec,” one big room with bunks around the perimeter, the toilets (2) are in the room exposed, no privacy at all.) Everyone understands it is one of the encumbrances of jail life. That it is!
Future Blog Post:
Interior Decorating and Customization
Toothpaste Stolen and Dollar Stolen
Shower Description
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