Chapter 6: Proverbs 27:19 - The Cell Next Door

As in water, face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man. 

“Hey, I'm that guy.”  Chris yelled over to me.  I went over to the outlet on the wall in my cell.  “What do you mean?”  I asked him puzzled.  “You know, the guy who planned his whole day?”  He replied.  "Oh, yeah, you don't want to be that guy, right?  I ask him.  “No, not after I caught myself living my whole day planned.”  “What do you do?" He asked.  "I just go about wherever the spirit leads me.”  I told him.  The spirit led me to start a new book in our series.  “It's called Epistles.  Basically, we are breaking down the word of God to readers, interpreting the Bible.” I explained.  “That's what we do all day anyway, so why not?”  Chris agreed. 

Since he was going to break routine now, we talked for a while.  He told me about his girlfriend, Anna, and his parents, both sending power of attorney paperwork to help him with his appeal and getting him a lawyer.  I read the papers and explained to him that neither of them had anything to do with talking to his lawyer, nor did they have anything to do with his criminal appeal.  Both sets of papers only had to do with his finances.  He never signed them.  I wouldn't have signed them either.  His girlfriend and his parents had enmity between them after that.  Possibly, however, Chris's parents agreed to pay half.  This “Earl” guy was not a licensed attorney, but really a jailhouse lawyer.  Chris's parents never did pay their half, but Anna put all of the money up.  She swore that he was an attorney.  However, his parents swore he wasn't.  They weren't going to put up $1,700 or something close to that amount. 

Chris had a recent conversation with Anna where she cited Genesis 2:24.  Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  “Honor your father and your mother, Deuteronomy 5:16.” Chris replied.  After this, Chris saw a scripture that he took to heart and walked out of his relationship with Anna completely.  So, basically, saying that Anna was like, "Hey, at a certain point, it's about us, and it's not about you and your parents anymore, right?  At a certain point, you grow up, and it's about you and your woman.” “But regardless.” Chris replied.  Honor your father and mother, saying, "Oh, hell, no." And then he walked out of his relationship with Anna.  Micah 7:5, “Do not trust a friend.  Do not put your confidence in a companion.  Guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom.”  However, Chris failed to read Micah 7:6, which says.  "For son dishonors his father, daughter rises against her mother, daughter in law against her mother in law, a man's enemies are the men of his own household.”  Anna tried to point this to no avail.  I liked Anna a lot.  I also liked his parents.  I was an unbiased neutral party.  He ended up walking away from his relationship with Anna.  She asked me to ask Chris why, and I did ask him.  “Tell her Micah 7:5.”  He instructed.  I told her that in my response letter to her. 

Chris kept getting called to the business office to sign over his house to his wife's family.  I kept advising him not to do it until he could have that house swept for evidence.  He prolonged signing it over week by week.  Coming up with excuses.  Prison was boring.  All Chris and I did was 1.  write books 2.  study the Bible 3.  work on our cases 4.  pray 5.  work out 6.  play sports 7.  use the phone  8. eat  9.  study more 10.  talk 11.  talk some more 12.  write letters, etc., etc.  After working out, Chris and I started talking about our women.  I explained that Christa  can be a little crazy.  He informed me that his wife had a crazy side because she was from Jersey.  I began venting to him about how no matter what I'd do, the justice system keeps judging me on my past.  Chris listens silently, and then replied, saying, "I wish they would judge me on my past." He stated.  “Instead, they only judge me on that one day,” he added.  "You're absolutely right," I said, "because you have never been in trouble with the law.  You were a hardworking citizen.  You were the perfect father, righteous husband," I added, "Well, I did commit adultery, so I was a terrible husband," he said.  "That's hardly a crime.” I pointed out.  “So, were you going to leave the wife at any point?”  “No, I felt bad for cheating and tried to work things out with my wife right before the tragedy,” Chris told me. "Was your mistress upset about it?” I asked?  “Oh yeah.” he answered me. “I have to ask, why the first confession?” “It's all a confusing blur,” he managed.  “Okay, then why did you switch the confession to you taking all of the responsibility?”  I asked him.  He says, "Because I wanted to honor my wife in death as in life for her family as well," he admitted.  "Are you going to at least appeal and get the correct story out there?” I asked. “My character is assassinated anyway.  I don't need that stress on my wife's family because even though they hate me and want me to rot and die, I do care for them,” he answered.  “Well bro, which confession was the truth?”  I asked?  “The first confession is the closest to the truth.  However, I don't know if I can go back through court and relive all of that again,” he informed me.  “Let's just pray on it.  God will lead you in the path you need to take.  It is the glory of kings to search out of matter.  However, the glory of God to conceal a matter.” I cited.  He understood.