Posted by Michelle/AL on 8/7/07 11:24pm
Msg #204453

Home From Jail

I was asked by a minister to accompany his church members to the downtown jail to notarize a form for an inmate (the church members’ family member) . I quickly accepted the appointment because I’d been looking for an opportunity to do jail work. Last year I went to the jail and asked about being placed on a list of notary contacts but was told that the jail uses its own officers who are also notaries.

Apparently, the only reason I was contacted today was because the inmate spoke Spanish and the form needing notarization was written in Spanish. I felt a just a little important as I walked through the security check & metal detector machines and even though my notary seal set off alarms, I was waved on through without being searched. At first I was concerned about properly identifying the inmate (due to earlier posts on this site on this subject). I was relieved to see that the inmate wore a badge with his name & photo indicated. His family also gave me his passport. My only complaint was that when I was ready to leave, I couldn’t figure out how to get out of the locked interview room. A guard finally buzzed me out, but the door didn’t have a handle and I couldn’t figure out how to open it before it locked on me again. The guard went on break (or somewhere) so I had to wait another 15-20 minutes before I could wave down another guard through the glass window. This time I let the inmate tell me how to exit the room.

Best part of the appointment was when the 9 year old nephew of the inmate told me that instead of wanting to become a doctor or a soccer player, he was now thinking about becoming a Notary Public. I laughed and told him both the doctor and soccer player make more money than I do. Be a doctor.

Reply by Korey Humphreys on 8/8/07 8:37am
Msg #204471

Nice story......

I always feel a little important when I go into the courthouse that's in my town. I'm there at least three times a week for work purposes and have developed a good relationship with everyone there. . . including the court officers.

After the first month of constantly showing up at the courthouse, the guards at the door now tell me to walk on through. :-) I no longer have to go through security (metal detectors, etc.).

I've always found it funny that the people who work in the court, or on behalf of the court, don't need to go through security. Statistically, aren't most of the nut jobs who open fire and kill people the ones who actually work in the building?