It was an amazing production. Amazing performances.
Really captured how a split second decision - the incorrect decision - will have lifelong consequences.
Roots.
The most realistic thing about the first episode is that you are very much under the control of someone else and have to operate to their timetable.
I found this out the hard way during my 3 night stay in Police cells when I was caught the firsts time.
Floor was cold. No slippers allowed, just socks so feet were freezing. No belt, so trousers were constantly falling down. Thin, grubby if not downright dirty foam latex 'mattress' on a concrete plinth as a bed with an equally grubby sheet to keep warm, and no pillow. Having to ask for loo roll every time you went to the toilet (at least the two I stayed in had in-cell sanitation.) No soap so only given a few wet wipes for your hands. Never taken out of the cell unless it was to speak with a doctor. Horrible, microwaved food that was as scorching as napalm, eaten with a plastic fork. The only thing on regular supply was tea and coffee.
Officers on duty were with one exception, judgemental and condescending.
The other 'frequent flyers,' were loud, obnoxious, spoke with each other at aircraft engine decibel level.
When I asked the one female officer that was even partially sympathetic how they got through it she simply said 'Sleep.' No much hope of that with all the noise.
After 3 nights of this I was willing to taken any punishment dished out just to get it over with.
In saying that, the cold shoulder and sleeping in the spare bed at home for 6 weeks after weren't much better.
But did I learn my lesson?
Yeh, right.
I was caught again in July 2019.
That was when I reached rock bottom and finally did something about my alcohol consumption.
I joined AA and haven't had a drink in nearly 2 years.
Despite all that, when I was in the holding cell at the Sherriff Court waiting on my trial to start, I got talking to a lot of the other inmates and actually got on fairly well with them. Probably because most of them grew up in the same working class streets that I had years before.