recovering notes from the deep, part 15

march 1970, pittsburgh

ninety-one people arrested

on the sidewalk
in front of presbyterian hospital
during a hospital workers strike
and support picket line
mostly young
chanting & singing

the paddy wagons were lined-up

and idling ready along fifth avenue
and then quickly filled
from their cold hollow insides
with bodies
doors slamming
and rolling toward
the old allegheny county jail downtown

it was hard to believe

that the jailers would line us up
     naked
     bent over
and tell us to spread our cheeks

and then issue each

a loose fitting jumpsuit
and escorts to our assigned
cell block

by that time

it was evening
& the word went out
that there would be no judge or charges
until the next day
if we were lucky

so i had a cell to myself

with a lonely overhead light
a cold chain suspended bed
stretching out
     my arms tucked under my head

isolated from other prisoners

the night dragged on indefinitely
losing all sense of time
no familiar sounds other than
a rattling of steel bars once in awhile

my mind's eye

found solace
thinking of my wife
home and seven months pregnant

it might have been a morning meal tray

that woke me
and then deciding
it would be healthier to pass up breakfast

by late afternoon we were presented

en masse
to the judge in his robes & all
his mind made up that we were
obstructing something
by our peaceful protest on the sidewalk

i think the hospital workers union

absorbed the fines
we parted ways afterwards
with hugs & handshakes
gathering up our personal items
from the jail
on our way to our respective bus stops

the struggle went on

--- e b bortz