I watched the documentary Coldwater Kitchen the other night. It reminds me of a long lonesome journey that some people take (been there myself). And Chef Jimmy Lee Hill, a food-tech instructor at Lakeland Correctional Facility, is one very lonely guy.
The film begins with him justifying his 670 miles per-week drive back and forth to prison. He says, "I absolutely love my job because I get a chance to be with somebody that genuinely cares about whether I am there or not." Then the camera pans in on him cabling a knife to a counter. As a former corrections teacher, I understand what he's saying, but I also see the dangers in his thinking. In 1998, Dorothy Taylor, a food service worker at Thumb Correctional Facility, was stabbed to death by an inmate. The knife used was not cabled. Dorothy had planned to retire at the end of that year.
So what's the driving force behind Chef Hill's loneliness? He tells us he was married in 1985 and that he has three kids. He says, "I liked being married, and I liked being with somebody. So when I got divorced, I didn't want to be, but... it was out of my control. And then the next April my mom passed. I felt really like I was just by myself."
So, he spends 36 years training inmates how to cook, and he realizes that he should retire soon. But I get the impression that his loneliness will worsen; I hope not.
It's an amazing story not only about him, but three of his tutors/students: Earnest Davis, Dink Dawson, and Brad Leonard. Each with its own unique circumstance.
Here's an excellent review of the documentary:
1 comment:
I'm just now seeing this review; I found it while looking for another story. Your thoughts were right on point about situation. In reference to Ms. Dorothy Taylor, that was my fraternity brother's mother, I knew her for forty plus years. There are a lot of different stories floating around out there about what people think they know, about what happen but your statement is correct. I am still lonely but I'm hanging in here. I'm into my 40th year of the job and I still love what I do. I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel; I just haven't yet! All the cast members are doing well, Brad got released from incarceration, this past March.
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