Chips and cookies are the most popular items in a “store.” An inmate will buy several packages of certain items then sell those items for barter or on loan to charge interest. Interest rates can be from 1 for 2 in return or as expensive as 1 for 3 in return.

Fights do happen, but they’re not as common as tv would have you believe.

A Chee chee is a mixture of many various things including Ramen, cheese curls, summer sausage, pepperoni, chili powder, squeeze cheese. If you’re lucky, green pepper and onion can be added from the kitchen.

This is a stinger to heat your water to cook with. They are against policy but allowed by staff.

Many old timers have only ever seen cell phones on TV.

Besides using commissary as for the barter of goods you could purchase “tickets.” These tickets were worth $.50 each. They were largely used for the gambling that was openly accepted by the prison staff. Tickets were redeemable for Soda, Ice Tea, Ice Cream, and Candy.