There's a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America, I guess--I'm the guy who can get these for you: cigarettes, a bag of cigar, if you want that, a bottle of wine to celebrate your son or daughter's high school graduation, or almost anything else...within reason, that is.
There
's
a
guy
like
me
in
every
state
and
federal
prison
in
America
,
I
guess
--
I
'm
the
guy
who
can
get
these
for
you
:
cigarettes
,
a
bag
of
cigar
,
if
you
want
that
,
a
bottle
of
wine
to
celebrate
your
son
or
daughter
's
high
school
graduation
,
or
almost
anything
else
...
within
reason
,
that
is
.
It wasn't always that way.
It
was
n't
always
that
way
.
I came to Shawshank when I was just twenty, and I am one of the few people in the prison who is willing to admit what he did.
I
came
to
Shawshank
when
I
was
just
twenty
,
and
I
am
one
of
the
few
people
in
the
prison
who
is
willing
to
admit
what
he
did
.
I committed murder.
I
committed
murder
.
I put a large insurance policy on my wife, who was three years older than 1 was, and then I fixed the brakes of the car her father had given us as a wedding present.
I
put
a
large
insurance
policy
on
my
wife
,
who
was
three
years
older
than
1
was
,
and
then
I
fixed
the
brakes
of
the
car
her
father
had
given
us
as
a
wedding
present
.
It worked out exactly as I had planned, except I hadn't planned on her stopping to pick up the neighbour woman and the woman's son on the way down Castle Hill and into town.
It
worked
out
exactly
as
I
had
planned
,
except
I
had
n't
planned
on
her
stopping
to
pick
up
the
neighbour
woman
and
the
woman
's
son
on
the
way
down
Castle
Hill
and
into
town
.
The brakes let go and the car crashed through the bushes, gathering speed.
The
brakes
let
go
and
the
car
crashed
through
the
bushes
,
gathering
speed
.
Bystanders said it must have been doing fifty or better when it hit the base of the Civil War statue in the town arid burst into flames.
Bystanders
said
it
must
have
been
doing
fifty
or
better
when
it
hit
the
base
of
the
Civil
War
statue
in
the
town
arid
burst
into
flames
.
I also hadn't planned on getting caught, but caught 1 was.
I
also
had
n't
planned
on
getting
caught
,
but
caught
1
was
.
I got a pass into this place.
I
got
a
pass
into
this
place
.
My state has no death penalty, but I was tried for all three deaths and given three life sentences, to run one after the other.
My
state
has
no
death
penalty
,
but
I
was
tried
for
all
three
deaths
and
given
three
life
sentences
,
to
run
one
after
the
other
.
That fixed up any chance of parole I might have, for a long, long time.
That
fixed
up
any
chance
of
parole
I
might
have
,
for
a
long
,
long
time
.
The judge called what I had done'an extremely evil crime', and it was, but it is also in the past now.
The
judge
called
what
I
had
done'an
extremely
evil
crime
'
,
and
it
was
,
but
it
is
also
in
the
past
now
.
Have I transformed myself, you ask?
Have
I
transformed
myself
,
you
ask
?
I don't know what that word means, at least as far as prisons and corrections go.
I
do
n't
know
what
that
word
means
,
at
least
as
far
as
prisons
and
corrections
go
.
I think it's a politician's word.
I
think
it
's
a
politician
's
word
.
It may have some other meaning, and it may be that 1 will have a chance to find out, but that is the future ...
It
may
have
some
other
meaning
,
and
it
may
be
that
1
will
have
a
chance
to
find
out
,
but
that
is
the
future
...
I was young, good--looking, and from the poor side of town.
I
was
young
,
good
--
looking
,
and
from
the
poor
side
of
town
.
I met a pretty, headstrong girl who lived in one of the fine old houses on Carbine Street.
I
met
a
pretty
,
headstrong
girl
who
lived
in
one
of
the
fine
old
houses
on
Carbine
Street
.
She got pregnant later.
She
got
pregnant
later
.
Her father was agreeable to the marriage if 1 would take a job in the company he owned and 'work my way up'.I found out that what he really had in mind was keeping me in his house and under his thumb, like a disagreeable pet that has not quite been housebroken and which may bite.
Her
father
was
agreeable
to
the
marriage
if
1
would
take
a
job
in
the
company
he
owned
and
'work
my
way
up'.I
found
out
that
what
he
really
had
in
mind
was
keeping
me
in
his
house
and
under
his
thumb
,
like
a
disagreeable
pet
that
has
not
quite
been
housebroken
and
which
may
bite
.
Enough hate eventually piled up to cause me to do what I did.
Enough
hate
eventually
piled
up
to
cause
me
to
do
what
I
did
.
Given a second chance 1 would not do it again, but I'm not sure that means I am transformed.
Given
a
second
chance
1
would
not
do
it
again
,
but
I
'm
not
sure
that
means
I
am
transformed
.
There's a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America, I guess--I'm the guy who can get these for you: cigarettes, a bag of cigar, if you want that, a bottle of wine to celebrate your son or daughter's high school graduation, or almost anything else...within reason, that is. It wasn't always that way.  I came to Shawshank when I was just twenty, and I am one of the few people in the prison who is willing to admit what he did. I committed murder. I put a large insurance policy on my wife, who was three years older than 1 was, and then I fixed the brakes of the car her father had given us as a wedding present. It worked out exactly as I had planned, except I hadn't planned on her stopping to pick up the neighbour woman and the woman's son on the way down Castle Hill and into town. The brakes let go and the car crashed through the bushes, gathering speed. Bystanders said it must have been doing fifty or better when it hit the base of the Civil War statue in the town arid burst into flames.  I also hadn't planned on getting caught, but caught 1 was. I got a pass into this place. My state has no death penalty, but I was tried for all three deaths and given three life sentences, to run one after the other. That fixed up any chance of parole I might have, for a long, long time. The judge called what I had done'an extremely evil crime', and it was, but it is also in the past now.  Have I transformed myself, you ask? I don't know what that word means, at least as far as prisons and corrections go. I think it's a politician's word. It may have some other meaning, and it may be that 1 will have a chance to find out, but that is the future ...  I was young, good--looking, and from the poor side of town. I met a pretty, headstrong girl who lived in one of the fine old houses on Carbine Street. She got pregnant later. Her father was agreeable to the marriage if 1 would take a job in the company he owned and 'work my way up'.I found out that what he really had in mind was keeping me in his house and under his thumb, like a disagreeable pet that has not quite been housebroken and which may bite. Enough hate eventually piled up to cause me to do what I did.  Given a second chance 1 would not do it again, but I'm not sure that means I am transformed.