Doing Time, II. Summer 1982 Summary

It is the summer of 1982. John says it gets hot in Pittsburgh and nothing changes in the city, but nothing remains the same. John goes by himself to visit Robby in prison. His friends recommends a driving shortcut and it works. John gets to the penitentiary quickly, but he bypassed Homewood Avenue. He does not feel right about this shortcut because he needs to go through his regular, mental transition first. He needs to go through the ghetto, where he grew up, to properly get to the prison—this is the correct way for him. He thinks about the workers and how they get to punch in and out, but Robby does not. This makes him angry. He believes the workers should think about the prisoners.

John focuses on the ritual of going to the prison...