The sun rose from behind the foothills of the Sierras, glaring across the Facility E yard at Mule Creek State Prison. Meanwhile, a line of incarcerated men trudged on their daily morning trek to the chow hall. Frost glistened on the freshly mowed grass. The flock of migrating birds above was another reminder that winter had arrived.
In line were men with walkers, wheelchairs and white hair.
Conversation is usually muted during the early commute. The mundaneness of the routine makes one day hard to distinguish from another. But on this particular morning, heads turned and eyes squinted toward the harsh sunlight — and to a scene of violence.
A seagull had become ensnared in the razor wire atop the inner fence that surrounds the yard. The creature’s wings were spread wide in helpless crucifixion.
Some derided the hapless bird.
“Nothing but flying rats,” one said.
“Let him rot,” snorted another.
Perhaps they enjoyed the suffering of another of God’s creatures, to share in their own. After so many years given to the state to even the scales of justice, some of us still seem unable to feel the pain of another, whether it be a struggling bird or those we have hurt with our crimes.
Others weren’t so callous. A yard-crew worker, Eddie, who is known for his love of nature, sprang into action. Completely disregarding the “Out of Bounds” signs posted every 20 feet along the fence — and the potential disciplinary consequences — Eddie rolled a laundry cart to the fence, turned it on its side and climbed up. Eddie strained desperately, but he could not reach the writhing bird. A taller yard-crew worker, Brian, came to the rescue, bearing a broom.
The crowd of geriatric onlookers had grown larger. Some offered suggestions. After repeated attempts, Brian finally wedged the broom under the seagull’s feet, giving it leverage as it continued to flail. The bird managed to free one blood-splattered wing, and then the other.
Liberated, the bird squawked and began to flap its tattered wings with determination. The seagull swooped low and gathered speed. We gasped when it barely cleared the razor wire on the other side of the yard. And many of us cheered as the bird flew into the freedom of the winter sky.
