The Pokey

Now I must say that I have been in several detention centers (not as a resident), but recently I had the opportunity to go to the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center. Each jail that I have been to has been pretty much what you expect. I have never seen bars; mostly solid steal doors with a tiny little slit open window. Some, like the cells I saw the other day, have unbreakable glass windows where the inmate can be seen at all times.
When I went into the juvenile court building I was told that I could use the gated parking area since I was transporting an inmate and told to go in the door and upstairs. I drive up to the gate hit the button, and wait a few minutes and the gate opens. I pull up and get my shackles and walk up to the door and hit a button, after about 30 seconds it opened. I enter a tiny room and there is another door in front of me. I hit the button and nothing happens. I hear a lock open, but when I pull it wont budge. I hit it a again, I hear the noise behind me and I see another door around the corner. I push the door and it opens to a stairwell.

"Go up," I remember. I walk up one flight of stairs, see a door, and hit a button. Nothing happens. I go up another flight of stairs, reach the last floor, see a door, and hit a button. I look around and see a camera pointed at me. I hear a women's voice on a speaker system say "Sir, where are you going?" I say "I'm trying to pick up my kid from detention." She says "go down." I am starting to get a little nervous now. I walk down to the 2nd floor and hit that button and try to open the door; it won't open. I walk down to the original floor and there is no button to push. I'm getting really nervous now. I walk back up to the top floor, hit the button and a woman again says "where are you going?" "I WANT TO PICK MY KID UP FROM DETENTION!" I said (not yelled) frustratedly. She tells me to go down one floor and hit the button. I start to walk down and a door opens on the top floor, and a guy wearing a tie says go down one floor and hit the button. I say I did, but the door wont open. He says that they must be asleep. I reach the second floor hit the button and wait.

I hear the lock, I open the door, and enter a new very tiny room. On my left and right are doors with the buttons; in front of me there is an elevator with a button. I hit the button by the door on the right; nothing happens. I hit the button by the door on my left; nothing happens. I hit the button by the elevator; I hear the elevator move. I wait. Nothing. I look around there are no cameras, or windows. I wonder "Do these buttons even work?" I start hitting buttons and pushing on doors like a maniac. I feel like I'm about to pass out. Finally the door on the right opens. I'm there! My heart is beating like crazy.

The workers can tell that I've been scared, but they think that it is because of prisoners. Not in this place. I'm afraid of becoming a skeleton locked in some room with buttons.

I now know what claustrophobia feels like.