Taylor Swift was helping me to find my sisters (Judy and Jennifer) and my father (Reuben). It’s been 46 years (1978), the last time that I saw them. I don’t know where they live, or what they look like, or their last names. I don’t know if they are alive or dead. All that I want to do is write them a letter apologizing for not being the brother and son that I should’ve been. Then, I woke up and realized it was a wildest dream.
I may never shed the labels that are placed upon me, but I am sorry for the crimes that I did.
James Carlson
There’s a lesson here, and that is to get where you want to go, you’re going to need help. You will need assistance from others. With the right people you can turn your wildest dreams into reality. The dream soon after made me a bit depressed. You see, I am an inmate in prison, better known to the State of Arizona as #73536. I may never shed the labels that are placed upon me, but I am sorry for the crimes that I did. Every day, regardless of where I am, I have to live with the fact that I ruined other people’s lives. Let there be no misunderstanding, I hurt women, stole, and wasn’t a nice man. However, I’m not going to let these prison walls stop me from becoming the person that I should’ve been. I am not a waste or helpless. I am a talented artist and caring person.
I have been locked up since 1991, over 33 years now. I’ve never been on the Internet, I never surfed the web, and I never used a cellphone. These things never existed when I got locked up. Taylor Swift said in an interview that journalling and writing is important. That looking back on your life and what you do is important. I also believe that helping, sharing, and caring is important too. Nevertheless, I have a lot to say, a lot to share, and a lot of history to tell. Therefore, I want to give you a glimpse of what prison is like and what it used to be like. It’s not what you see on TV and it’s not where people go to rot away anymore. Most will get out. Simply, I want to share with you, so no one else ends up in here.
In addition, if it wasn’t for my surrogate family, who knows how I would have turned out? I’m a 62-year-old Swifty, Monster, and Material dude. If Taylor ever visited someone in prison, she would see mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, wives, and children visiting, and realize we are all just people. So, stay tuned and I will share more next time. Sincerely, James.
Contact Info:
Mr. James R. Carlson #073536
Central Arizona Correctional Facility
PO Box 9600 - PMB #173
Florence, AZ 85132
