Rules And Regulations

"I understand that my last meal shall be reviewed in conjunction with food items which are readily available, either in the prison food inventory or which can be obtained locally from a grocery store. The quantity of food afforded to me shall be in reasonable proportions that normally would be consumed at a meal and which could be eaten within a (30) thirty minute period.
This is my last and final meal request. I will not resubmit my request."

Those are the rules governing the final meal request of a person about to be executed.

We have too many rules. Everything has to be defined down to minutiae. These rules strangle us, rob us of opportunities, keep us cornered and under control.

They are generally arbitrary rules that have no basis in fact other than to benefit those making the rules. Supposedly designed to maintain order, give you a sense of what you need to do to fit in. They define what is acceptable.

The needs or the psyche or the humanity of the people affected by the rules is not considered. Nor is the fact that humans are individuals and are unique. This is why we are all so frustrated. We are forced to conform to rules that deny our essence. We are evaluated by these rules, judged by them, when our very existence transcends them.

Initially rules develop out of need. Something is observed that is deemed disruptive and rules are written.

We are way beyond that point. Start a new job and read the employment agreement or contract or rules for behavior and you have committed yourself to 18 hours of boredom. Eight pounds of paper. And the words chill you. Make you feel like a machine. A robot. A thing to be kept down. Like a human resource rather than personnel.

I understand the food choice restriction for the condemned. Do you really need to clock the final meal at thirty minutes max? It's all about control, baby and the illusion that control equals power.

Brief aside: Anybody who is hungry shortly before being executed demonstrates amazing mental toughness. The rest of us are babies by way of comparison. Considering the soft, whiny nature of our society in general, maybe we are executing the wrong people.

Last year Carol and I got screwed by Citi. They arbitrarily reduced the credit limit on a credit card, even though we had never been late with a payment. Never. They had not mailed out the notification letter yet nor had they called to inform us; we found out when we tried to use the card to pay for an emergency car repair.

After a lengthy fight we were told they had reduced the credit limit because they thought we might get into financial trouble in the future. I was blown away and asked them to send me a copy of the clause in the contract allowing them to do that.

They did. I have been searching frantically just now for the letter because the exact wording will blow you away. I can't find it but when I do I will quote it. Trust me when I say the paragraph essentially says that regarding the credit limit they can do whatever they want whenever they want regardless of circumstance.

This is the nature of rules. This giant financial organization can do whatever it wants regarding my financial existence because they created that rule. The rule benefits them and them alone; it created a great deal of hardship for Carol and me at the time.

What happens to the condemned when he reaches minute 31 of his last meal? Do they yank the plate away and force him to hit the StairMaster one last time?

It's in the rules, you know.