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The Lucifer Effect
Burdan: "People in prison have no civil rights."
Dad (exasperated): "Anyway, how long do we have to talk here?"
"Only ten minutes," Burdan replies.
The father disputes the amount of time left. Burdan relents and gives them
five more minutes. Dad would like more privacy. That is not permitted for visitors
in this prison, replies Burdan. Dad gets even more upset, but remarkably, he too
goes by the rules and accepts this infringement on his rights by a kid playacting
being a guard!
Dad asks more about the rules, Sarge talks about counts, "exercising,"
chores, and lights-out.
Dad: "Is this what you expected it to be?"
Sarge: "I expected it to be worse."
In disbelief, Dad exclaims: "Worse? Why worse?"
Burdan interjects himself again. The father is now clearly annoyed by his un-
wanted presence. The guard tells him that there were originally nine prisoners
but now there are only five. The father asks why.
Sarge: "Two have been paroled and two are in maximum security."
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Dad: "Maximum security where?"
He doesn't really know. Dad asks why they are in maximum security.
Sarge: "They were disciplinary problems. Very dispositional."
Burdan responds at the same time: "Because they were bad."
Dad: "Do you feel like you're in a prison?"
Sarge (laughing, sidesteps a direct answer): "Well, I've never been in a prison
before." (Dad laughs.)
They are alone when Burdan runs off in response to a loud noise outside.
While he is gone, they talk about Sarge's coming up for parole, which he is
sure he will get because he has been the most obedient prisoner to date. However,
he still has a major concern: "I don't know what the criteria are for getting out on
parole."
"Time's up," Geoff Landry announces. Father and son stand up, about to
hug, but settle instead for a firm, manly handshake and a "See you soon."
Homophobia Rears Its Ugly Head
When I return from a quick dinner at the student cafeteria, I see troublemaker
5 704 standing in the center of the Yard holding a chair on his head. A chair on
his head! Hellmann is yelling at Sarge, and Burdan is chiming in. Good Prisoner
Jerry-5486, who has been almost anonymous, is standing passively against the
wall, while 7258 does push-ups. Apparently, 416 is back in solitary. Hellmann
asks 5 704 why he has that chair on his head—it was he who ordered him to wear
it like a hat. The prisoner answers meekly that he is simply following orders. He
looks dejected; all of the old spunk seems to have drained away from 5704. Bur-
dan tells him not to look so stupid and to put the chair away. Then Burdan bangs
on the Hole door with his club. "You having a good time in there, 416?"
Wednesday Is Spiraling Out of Control 119
It is time for Hellmann to take over as director of tonight's drama. He literally
moves Burdan aside. (No sight of Good Guard Geoff Landry on the Yard following
the visits.)
"While you got your hands in the air, 7258, why don't you play Franken-
stein. 2093, you can be the Bride of Frankenstein, you stand right here."
"You go over there," he says to Sarge.
Sarge asks whether he should act it out.
"Of course you should act it out. You be the Bride of Frankenstein, 72 58, you
be Frankenstein. I want you to walk over here like Frankenstein walks, and say
that you love 2093."
As 7258 starts to walk toward his bride, Burdan stops him in his tracks.
"That ain't no Frankenstein walk. We didn't ask you to walk like you."
Hellmann grabs Hubbie-7258 by the arm very aggressively, pulls him back,
and makes him walk the proper Frankenstein walk.
7258: "I love you, 2093."
"Get up close! Get up close!" Shouts Burdan.
7258 is now inches away from Sarge. "I love you, 2093."
Hellmann pushes them together, his hands on each of their backs until their
bodies are touching.
Again, Hubbie-Frankenstein-7258 says, "I love you, 2093." Hellmann be-
rates Sarge for smiling. "Did I tell you that you could smile? This is not funny. You
get down and do ten push-ups!"
With Prisoner 7258's arms still stretched out in front of him, back to the
wall, his smock lifts, revealing part of his genitals. Sarge is told to tell the other
prisoner, Jerry-5486, that he loves him; he complies reluctantly.
"Well, ain't that sweet? Ain't that sweet?" mocks Burdan.
Hellmann now gets up in the face of 5486.
"Are you smiling? Maybe you love him too. Would you go over there and tell
him so?"
Jerry-5486 does so without hesitation but says quietly, "2093, I love you."
Hellmann is careening wildly from prisoner to prisoner with his verbal at-
tacks.
"Put your arms down, 7258. That's why you stink so much."
"Now all of you stinking prisoners get down on the floor, you're gonna play
leapfrog."
They start to play the game but are having difficulty because their shower
clogs are falling off and their smocks are creeping up to expose their genitals as
they jump over the bent bodies of their fellows. They can't do it right, and Burdan
seems a bit uncomfortable with this game. Perhaps he finds the action too sexual
or too gay for his tastes. Hellmann simplifies the game, directing only 2093 and
5704 to play together. They continue to try to leapfrog, as Burdan emits little
groans.
The homoerotic game is having a perverse impact on Hellmann.
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