Out of jail

She sent a text at 5:22am Utah time: "Out." Typically succinct but covers everything we need to know right now.

Update: that "Out" was sent to a contact group; she didn't call right then because her phone battery was nearly dead. But as long as "Out" is covered, we can talk any time, and that's what we've been waiting for.

Twenty-four hours to go

Our friend should be released at this time tomorrow. Haven't heard anything from her since Wednesday, though. Hopefully that's because she sees the light at the end of the tunnel and doesn't feel a need to call. If she was hurt or if anything had happened, surely she would have called? This is worse than staying up waiting for your teenager to get back from a late night out.

Update: She called, everything's okay. Seventeen hours.

Seventeenth day in Jail

Our friend called her son, and he called me. She's had some kind of friction with one of the other inmates, and was hoping the son could come to Utah early (which he can't). He said she was crying. There's absolutely nothing we can do except pray--letters won't get there in time, she's already gotten the two emails per week that she's allowed, and we can't call in, just wait for her to call.
Eighty four hours to go.

Jail, halfway done

She called tonight and sounded a little quiet, a bit more subdued than she usually is, but much better than she has been for the last ten days. She is getting along with at least some of the women there, although "putting nine women in a small space is a poor design." She's gotten the books we sent, and the first few letters.
I called the jail this morning to see about sending cash, say $50 or so, so she could get a taxi when it's time to leave. But any cash we send will get deposited to the city's bank, then they write a check when she leaves. Which is useless on a Sunday, of course. Even if we say "Please put this envelope in her personal effects for when she gets out", they won't do it. I asked "At 5am on a Sunday, with no cash for a cab and if she doesn't have friends or family in state to be able to pick her up, how do you expect her to be able to get to town?" The answer was, verbatim: "That's not our problem." I leave you to imagine what my reaction was. His boss doesn't have to imagine.
As it happens, we can prepay the cab company, so she'll be okay.