With long strokes, he watched each clump fall indiscriminately onto the floor. After several more strokes his head was virtually clean shaven. He reached for the baseball cap and adjusted the brim until it rested slightly above his eyes. Amazing, he thought. It took him awhile to adjust to his new look. He barely recognized himself. But, he couldn’t leave anything to chance and once again grabbed the razor. His beard took a complete hit. Then he carefully sculpted the hairs around his upper lip, leaving his moustache intact. Lastly, he slid on his shades, and stared intently ahead. I think I’m safe to hit town now. The mirror reflected a sly smile.

Dear Chief;

The fox is now on the loose,
He claims his prize without offering a truce.
Speed and agility are of great assistance,
While sportsmanship offers some resistance.

Razor sharp edges are propelled by the string,
One small tug will end in a ding.
Gracious and innocent are the babes of the earth,
Joyous are the parents after their birth.

Happily and merrily they play outdoors,
Laughter seems endless until they retire indoors.
They lie gently curled sound asleep in their room,
Unaware are they of their immediate doom.

This is both a riddle and a rhyme,
Hopefully for you, you'll solve this in the nick of time.

Yours truly,

Eternal Flame

Jackie couldn’t figure out if it was the way Mama constantly side-glanced at her or if it was her large stature which spooked the hell out of her. As Mama walked towards her she noted the whites of her eyes glistening against her dark skin. Involuntarily, Jackie’s body shifted back with Mama stopping just a couple of inches in front of her.

"So what did you do to deserve a luxurious bed in this suite?” Before Jackie had a chance to even open her mouth, Mama’s loud jesting continued. “Did you wear heels over the legal limit?” she teased.  Women sharing nearby cells broke out laughing.  Others clapped, while still others added their own crass comments. Mama had already served five years of hard time, and during this time had won the approval and leadership of other inmates.  Generally other inmates followed her lead.

Jackie seethed. “I did nothing,” she stated defending herself.

"Then hon why are you here? Are you just visiting?” Mama stood over her heightening Jackie’s anxiety.

Jackie swallowed hard, unsure whether to tell them or not. She had the funny suspicion that Mama wasn’t going to give up too easily and would continue pestering her until she told her something. She was right.