July 27, 2015

Homework—A

“Hey, Piri,” Danny yelled, “they’re putting you on Murderers’ Row.”

My blood went cold. The cop hadn’t died, but suppose he did?…I said a quick prayer for his recovery.

Inside the cell, I spread a blanket for a mattress. But the bed was so hard, my bullet hole felt like it was getting crushed. I threw the other blanket on top, but it was the same. I decided to sleep sitting up. Major looked at me and went away. A few minutes later he returned with four or five blankets and dropped them on the bunk.

“Thanks,” I said, a little surprised.

“Why not, kid,” Major said, “you’ve got enough troubles now.”

On Murderers’ Row, I met Ramon, long, skinny Ramon. He had six fingers on one hand that helped witnesses identify him, he told me. He also said that Jimmy had fired the fatal shot. We played cards and cursed the tier above us who often yelled down, “Don’t worry, fifteen or twenty ain’t so bad,” or “The chair is quick and greasy.”

I was three or four months in the Tombs, waiting for trial, going to court, waiting for adjournments, trying to deal for a lower plea, and what not. I schemed and lay awake at night thinking of the thousands of years they could pile on me. I heard Louie was in the Tombs, too. They had traced our car back to him. He had turned chota on me.

What would happen if the cop died?

Who did Piri meet on murderers row?

What was unique about Ramon?

How long did Piri have to wait in the Tombs?

Homework—B

“Hey, Piri,” Danny yelled, “they’re putting you on Murderers’ Row.”

My blood went cold. The cop hadn’t died, but suppose he did?…I said a quick prayer for his recovery.

Inside the cell, I spread a blanket for a mattress. The bed was so hard. I threw the other blanket on top, but it was the same. I decided to sleep sitting up. Major looked at me and went away. A few minutes later he returned with four or five blankets and dropped them on the bunk.

“Thanks,” I said, a little surprised.

“Why not, kid,” Major said, “you’ve got enough troubles now.”

On Murderers’ Row, I met Ramon. He had six fingers on one hand that helped witnesses identify him. He also said that Jimmy had fired the fatal shot. We played cards and cursed the tier above us who often yelled down, “The chair is quick and greasy.”

I was three or four months in the Tombs, waiting for trial, going to court, and what not. I lay awake at night thinking of the thousands of years they could pile on me. I heard Louie was in the Tombs, too. They had traced our car back to him.

1. Who did Piri meet on murderers row?

2. What was unique about Ramon?

Homework—C

“Hey, Piri,” Danny yelled, “they’re putting you on Murderers’ Row.”

My blood went cold. The cop hadn’t died, but suppose he did?…I said a quick prayer for his recovery.

Inside the cell, I spread a blanket for a mattress. The bed was so hard. I threw the other blanket on top, but it was the same. I decided to sleep sitting up. Major looked at me and went away. A few minutes later he returned with four or five blankets and dropped them on the bunk.

“Thanks,” I said, a little surprised.

“Why not, kid,” Major said, “you’ve got enough troubles now.”

I met Ramon. He had six fingers on one hand that helped witnesses identify him. We played cards and cursed the tier above us who yelled down, “The chair is quick.”

I was waiting for trial, going to court, and what not. I lay awake at night thinking of the thousands of years they could pile on me. I heard Louie was in the Tombs, too. They had traced our car back to him.

1. Who did Piri meet on murderers row?