I believe this is a prison, or maybe rehabilitation centre,
that most of us have set foot in before.
May it be in childhood or teenage, may the duration be short or long;
sometimes the experiences here left us with haunting memories,
while some lessons learnt in here are inspirational moments that will change you for life.
There's a dozen different people you'll expect to meet here-
all the way from the Prison Warden to the cell guards.
It is awkward for you all to see me expressing this place with such a term, 'prison';
but however there is a reason I refer it to as a prison.
Like any other criminals arrested for their crimes,
there's bound to be something that I've done wrong that put me 'behind bars',
which purpose of sending me here is to rehabilitate me.
Unlike most prison that consist of prisoners of a single gender,
this rehabilitation centre comprises of cellmates from both gender,
as well as a little mixture of people of other races and nationalities.
This prison, is a school; and with this,
I shall begin my story of the 'Serangoon Prison'.
4 years ago I was sent here for a fairly justifiable reason;
a reason that requires me to go through some form of rehabilitation,
so that I would wake up my bloody idea and stop screwing around with life.
In my capacity as a student, I admit that I have failed my profession,
as well as creating undesirable results from my work.
Therefore, I was sent here with two aims:
One, which is to get me to start doing what a student should be doing;
two, to change that attitude of mine for good.
If one have gone through time in anywhere else,
he or she would understand the plight of someone wearing a uniform;
a uniform that chains you under a certain identity that you do not desire.
This plight is simple; for instance, you have to ask for permission for everything you do,
even if it's a trip to the washroom for a piss.
The routine here is something that will leave one with eternal memories;
everyday you are put through the same thing, doing the same stuff to achieve the same target,
yet without a specific aim which you see to benefit you in anyway.
The process is hard, and mentally-challenging;
but I have to admit that all these paperwork are something light,
as compared to all those chores you'll be doing in a real prison.
Like how you get a mathematician to write a history essay,
it's just like doing something that you didn't like at all.
If all the 'prison activities' are something that get me to do whatever a student should be doing,
then all the interactions with the people here,
are the factors that will fulfilled task number two listed above.
All the way from wardens, guards to cellmates,
I must admit that there is a ton of undesirable people in Serangoon Prison.
There are people who would constantly create trouble for you;
there are cellmates who have been through a hell of life,
and are real, trained veterans of the harsh reality.
These are the people who would make life difficult for you,
by posing challenges and ganging up against you in any manner.
Not to forget about the cell guards;
like us, they are no different from what people define as a villain.
The only difference between us is the level of violence and evil we had in us;
the wardens like to put these 'trusted turnkeys' in charged of ordinary cellmates.
There's also a couple of them that wore the green uniform of a guard-
these are the real devils who serve as the nemesis of all prisoners.
It would be normal if these 'authorised personnel' obstruct your daily life.
What is worse is when they purposely create trouble for you,
and get you down into deep shit with the warden or the chief guard...
and then the next moment you would find yourself in solidarity confinement,
if not taking a few slash of the rotan from the chief guard.
Wardens is another matter.
Some are real devils who do their work for the sake of the salary;
whatever they do is just because they have their own interest in mind.
But there are also exceptional ones who are the Captains of Life;
these are the real saints that would be in their utmost effort and sincerity,
be it towards their job or towards any prisoner.
They would take their patience in coaching a prisoner back to the right path,
as well as providing chances for a prisoner to see good and kindness in himself.
There's a large variety of personalities I met here;
but definitely for most of the times you would come into contact with the cellmates.
As I said before there are cellmates that are real hardcore veterans,
who are out to seek trouble and make life difficult for everyone.
However there are also 'newbies' who are of the same plight as you;
then there are also some accused some crimes they never done and end up here.
I must say in this mixed gender prison,
I came across prisoners that screw you up in any manner available.
However, there are real friends that you would find here too;
these are the people who would help you whenever you need,
and also render their support and assistance in times of trouble.
I must say that at times these are the people that pulled me through my term here;
they were the reason that I must sit through my time and walk out a free man.
As I'm nearing my parole this year,
the prison have organized the annual 'Yellow Ribbon Project',
which purpose is to help each prisoner and guard to gain a qualification,
so that they would be able to 'seek employment' or find 'jobs of better aspects' when they 'finished their contract' or their 'term'.
It is another crucial point of time in life once more;
the warden says that if I perform well for this project,
I will be acquitted of all my charges at once, and be release as a free man.
If not, I'll just have to sit through another term of 2 or 3 years.
I would say that this is a form of redemption, maybe.
A redemption for my crime, a redemption for my wrongdoings.
And maybe, a redemption for my ignorance back then.
it was all that ignorant and pride that landed me in this state.
Back then, you were young and egoistic.
You thought that you're the top of the world.
You do things without thinking, until you make a mistake.
Some mistakes are minor ones, yet some takes you a lifetime to redeem it.
I'm thankful that I have the chance to redeem myself, after 4 years.
This time, I shall walk out a free man.
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