"She graduated, yeah," Steve confirms. "But - I don't think it was so much her changing as... changing the way she thought about things. Changing her outlook on the world. Not who she was. I never wanted to change who she was. That would've been a disservice."
He considers how much to tell, because the details aren't necessarily important, and it's not worth bogging down the message: "Her people had been oppressed for a long time. Overcoming that wasn't about revenge, because anger begets anger. Violence begets violence. And it's not about forgiveness, either, because some things you just don't forgive. It's about wiping out the diseased thinking, and letting better ideas grow in its place. When she left, I went with her. I wasn't gonna win her war for her, but it was a war worth fighting."
"I'll keep that in mind," he mutters softly. He's been around a long time, that's obvious. He's been everything. Warden. Inmate. Both. Jake knows he would be stupid not to listen to him.
Steve just shrugs one shoulder. "Everybody's different. I just want to make sure inmates get seen as people. Not just problems." He hates the system as it stands, but it's not going anywhere. Better to at least try to do something small, he hopes, so that nobody falls through the cracks.
"Anyway - I haven't been a warden for a long time. I don't know how good my advice really is, anymore, so. Grain of salt and all that," he adds, trying to crack a wry half-smile.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 02:56 am (UTC)He waits to light it a moment, leaning forward as he tries to get the story straight.
Still, the punishment was...oddly fitting, it seemed.
"Did it work, though? What you did?" He finally flicks the match. "Did she change?"
Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 03:01 am (UTC)He considers how much to tell, because the details aren't necessarily important, and it's not worth bogging down the message: "Her people had been oppressed for a long time. Overcoming that wasn't about revenge, because anger begets anger. Violence begets violence. And it's not about forgiveness, either, because some things you just don't forgive. It's about wiping out the diseased thinking, and letting better ideas grow in its place. When she left, I went with her. I wasn't gonna win her war for her, but it was a war worth fighting."
Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 03:05 am (UTC)"I'll keep that in mind," he mutters softly. He's been around a long time, that's obvious. He's been everything. Warden. Inmate. Both. Jake knows he would be stupid not to listen to him.
Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 03:19 am (UTC)"Anyway - I haven't been a warden for a long time. I don't know how good my advice really is, anymore, so. Grain of salt and all that," he adds, trying to crack a wry half-smile.
Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 03:22 am (UTC)"I take it how I take it," he assures him. "Gettin' advice from more than the likes of you."
He returns that half-smile with a quick look, a warmth around the eyes that has the hint of a smile. "Thanks for the coffee, Steve."
Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 03:26 am (UTC)And, "Sure thing, pal. Keep the thermos. Comes in handy."
Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 03:29 am (UTC)Re: spam
Date: 2021-02-01 03:40 am (UTC)He offers Jake a sketchy little salute, and sees himself out.