Editor’s note: the following is a song written inspired by the corrections officers at Barry B. Telford Unit, where Mr. Jones was when he wrote this.

VERSE 1
Four days on, four days off
You couldn’t ask for a better job
Sit in the picket, do a few in and outs and count
6 o’clock comes by real fast now
Health insurance and free food in the ODR
You just couldn’t ask for more

VERSE 2
Cameras everywhere and staff is short
Offenders out of control and doing what they want
I’m looking forward to my four days off time!
What’s this? Now there is mandatory overtime
Well, they gonna think that I’ve hit the bottom
When I stop showing up for work
I’ll be the first one calling
Givin’ Telford something to talk about

CHORUS
Rank says I’ve got a call in problem
They assign me to A and B pod every day!
Rank says I’ve got a call in problem
No, I won’t be suiting up today!
I’ve got the unit’s number on speed dial
See I ain’t got no problem callin’ in at all
Use my sick time this week and comp time the next
When it comes to callin’ in I’m the best

VERSE 3
Same old coworkers same old boss
Same old A and B pod
In and outs, security checks
Why am I here again? Oh yeah, my time ran out
So I show up, go through this shit
Answering grievances from four months ago, ain’t this a bitch?
I’m showering these same old cons, just building up some sick time
Oh good today is a holiday that will give me more comp time
Then I’ll do it again, they’ll think I’ve hit bottom
When I stop showing up for work
I’ll be the first one callin’
Givin’ Telford something to talk about.

CHORUS

VERSE 4
I’ve seen on Facebook that they had three use of forces, two staff assaults
That don’t sound good, maybe I should go to work
Do my job and be responsible so no one gets hurt
Who cares about petty grievances and doing showers every day
I was getting bored at home anyway
I go to work and the ODR is my first stop, and of course, there’s Captain Scott
Saying I can’t take this food to the pod, she just don’t know that
I’ll be a no-show. I hit the parking lot and, in my car, reach for my phone
This time I won’t be the first one callin’ but I have hit the bottom
Givin’ Telford something to talk about.

CHORUS

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Call-In Problem

by David Jones, Prison Journalism Project
May 2, 2021

<h1>Call-In Problem</h1> <p class="byline">by David Jones, Prison Journalism Project <br />May 2, 2021</p> <p><em>Editor’s note: the following is a song written inspired by the corrections officers at Barry B. Telford Unit, where Mr. Jones was when he wrote this.</em></p> <p><strong>VERSE 1<br /></strong>Four days on, four days off<br />You couldn’t ask for a better job<br />Sit in the picket, do a few in and outs and count<br />6 o’clock comes by real fast now<br />Health insurance and free food in the ODR<br />You just couldn’t ask for more</p> </p> <p><strong>VERSE 2</strong><br />Cameras everywhere and staff is short<br />Offenders out of control and doing what they want<br />I’m looking forward to my four days off time!<br />What’s this? Now there is mandatory overtime<br />Well, they gonna think that I’ve hit the bottom<br />When I stop showing up for work<br />I’ll be the first one calling<br />Givin’ Telford something to talk about</p> </p> <p><strong>CHORUS</strong><br />Rank says I’ve got a call in problem<br />They assign me to A and B pod every day!<br />Rank says I’ve got a call in problem<br />No, I won’t be suiting up today!<br />I’ve got the unit’s number on speed dial<br />See I ain’t got no problem callin’ in at all<br />Use my sick time this week and comp time the next<br />When it comes to callin’ in I’m the best</p> </p> <p><strong>VERSE 3</strong><br />Same old coworkers same old boss<br />Same old A and B pod<br />In and outs, security checks<br />Why am I here again? Oh yeah, my time ran out<br />So I show up, go through this shit<br />Answering grievances from four months ago, ain’t this a bitch?<br />I’m showering these same old cons, just building up some sick time<br />Oh good today is a holiday that will give me more comp time<br />Then I’ll do it again, they’ll think I’ve hit bottom<br />When I stop showing up for work<br />I’ll be the first one callin’<br />Givin’ Telford something to talk about.</p> </p> <p><strong>CHORUS</strong></p> </p> <p><strong>VERSE 4</strong><br />I’ve seen on Facebook that they had three use of forces, two staff assaults<br />That don’t sound good, maybe I should go to work<br />Do my job and be responsible so no one gets hurt<br />Who cares about petty grievances and doing showers every day<br />I was getting bored at home anyway<br />I go to work and the ODR is my first stop, and of course, there’s Captain Scott<br />Saying I can’t take this food to the pod, she just don’t know that<br />I’ll be a no-show. I hit the parking lot and, in my car, reach for my phone<br />This time I won’t be the first one callin’ but I have hit the bottom<br />Givin’ Telford something to talk about.</p> </p> <p><strong>CHORUS</strong></p> <p>This <a target="_blank" href="https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2021/05/02/call-in-problem/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://prisonjournalismproject.org">Prison Journalism Project</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/prisonjournalismproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cropped-PJP-favicon-2.png?fit=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://prisonjournalismproject.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=1117&ga=" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></p>

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