All the male dorms at the Cheatham County Jail have 16 bunks. That doesn't mean that at times there isn't over-crowding. When that happens, then the concrete floor becomes a bunk. Presently there is no over-crowding, maybe even a vacant bunk or two. My residence is the "Delta" dorm, and just like the "Charlie" dorm, has bars across the front of each cell room. There are 10 cells in "C" and "D" dorm.
Looking from the Delta entrance door, cells are designated numbers orally. But no signage. Left to right downstairs 1-5, 6-10 upstairs. I have set-up housekeeping in #10, a one-man cell. (How acquired and description in a future post).
As you enter the Delta, you find yourself in a rather large, open, two-story common area containing three sheet metal tables with 4 fixed attached seats, like you would see at a McDonald's, fiberglass at McDonald's, rusted sheet metal/steel here. Old jail blankets, tattered and torn, are used as tablecloths. The cells, upper and lower, are across the back wall.
The dorm is not square or rectangular. In fact, it is an irregular pentagon. Entering: The left adjacent wall runs at 90 degrees as any normal room and meets a 90 degree back wall. The right adjacent wall as you enter runs at an obtuse angle, non-parallel to the left wall. (Mrs. Sigenbloom's High School Geometry Class comes back to me. Loved her!) The obtuse wall meets a short 90 degree back wall (runs two cell widths) that then meets at an angle with the long conventional back wall to complete the pentagon. A staircase ascends by the right obtuse wall. My #10 cell door is directly in front of the stair ending. There is a 4'-5' balcony walkway overlooking the large room to access cells 6-9.
Accoutrement's: At the bottom of the staircase is the dorm telephone (future posting about phone calls). In the opposite front corner, so as to be seen from the tables, the balcony walkway and a few cells is a TV. Mounted on a shelf about 8'-10' high, halfway between 1st and 2nd levels, is a 19" flat screen. Its a nice TV, but way too small for the room. Built out from the left wall on the ground level is a one-man shower stall. It has decent water pressure and hot enough water, but no hooks or shelves for cloths and soaps/shampoos.
Cell doors are closed each night at 11 pm, except for one "the out man." Someone is needed to get to the intercom if there was a sickness or other crisis. Doors are unlocked at 4:30 am every morning when razors arrive for shaving. They remain open the rest of the day.
Thank you for your interest and concern. Let's celebrate a positive redemption and remedy for "All" soon!
Future Posts:
Phone calls
Visitations,
Tyranny Vs Persecution
