Cork Screw Phil

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Phil was a fresh faced fella from Cobh and wanted more from life
than digging up spuds and feeding pigs on a farm . He saved his wages
every week and decided to go to London and find a job that offered him
a better future . Phil was a hard worker and got along well with the
locals . Mr O'Driscoll who owned the pub in town told Phil all about
London and gave him some contacts there . Phil spoke to the parish
priest and asked his advice and Father Leo mentioned he had heard they
were looking for some prison guards in Brixton and said he could write
Phil a personal reference . Phil was excited about that and as soon as
Father Leo had the letter written Phil was on the boat train to London
.
He pushed his way into an interview with the prison board and with his
good reference and positive initiative Phil got a job . It wasn't just
the case of putting on a uniform and starting work the next day there
were certain procedures Phil had to go through first . There was the
four week training course then the occupational health and safety
programs followed by a first aid course and the exam and finally some
social counselling and therapy skills programs .
Once these had been completed Phil began his career as a prison officer
. The first day on the job was an education for him . The inmates had
his number within the first ten minutes . Phil was a soft case and an
easy touch . It was clear to see as he tried too hard to keep the peace
and please everyone in the process . It seemed that the more Phil gave
the more they took and the harder it became in the job . He wanted
things to work out so that he made obstacles for himself without
knowing . The warden seemed impressed by Phil and placed him in the
lock up cage section where the real hard cases were kept . The long
timers as they were called eyed Phil like a hungry den of lions looking
at fresh meat .
On his first day on the block Phil put on a brave face and marched
along the boardwalk back and forward and up and down the steel
staircase . Looking efficient and in control but the inmates smelt his
fear and saw his innocence and they cunningly began to test the waters
. One of the older inmates called Frank called out .
"You couldn't spare me a cigarette son could you ?"
Phil reached into his pocket and took out a packet of cigarettes .
Taking one from the packet he reached it out and said ,
"Sure . Here take one ."
Frank grabbed it and said ,
"Have you got a light ?"
Phil took a box of matches and lit his cigarette . He looked into the
old mans face who smiled and said ,
"Thanks . Hey you're an ok screw ."
Phil softly laughed and said .
"The name's Phil ."
Frank reached out the cigarette to Phil and Phil took one from his
packet and lit it up .
"Where are you from Phil"
"Cobh "
Was the reply .
Frank looked strangely at Phil and said ,
"Where's that ?"
Phil replied ,
"It's in Cork . "
"Ok then I'll call you Cork-Screw Phil ."
Some of the other inmates had been listening to the conversation
.
One of them who had a soft Irish accent said ,
"Hey I'm Liam and I'm from Kerry . I'm having some trouble with these
desperate headaches. Do us a favour and get me some pain killer tablets
. Will you do that for me Cork-Screw Phil ? "
"No problem ."
Was Phil's response .
"You're the man Cork-Screw . Here this is a letter for my Mother in
Kerry . Could you post it for me ?"
"I can't see any problem with that Liam ."
Phil said taking the letter and putting it into his pocket . As he
walked away Liam shouted .
"You're the man Cork-Screw ."
Phil lifted his arm up into the air as if he lifting the Sam Maguire
Cup at Croke Park . Then with a sense of achievement he soon finished
his shift and went home to the digs his bed and breakfast at the Isle
of Dogs
A couple of days later when Phil returned to the lock up shift some of
the other inmates came on side with Phil . A few small favours here and
there were extended by Phil who handed out some pain killers,
cigarettes and book about how to say the rosary .
Bill who was one of the hardest nuts on the block shouted out from the
cell ,
"Excuse me Cork-Screw can I have a word with you ?"
Phil walked over to the cell and said ,
"Sure Bill What's the problem ?" Phil replied .
Bill whispered softly ,
"I have a parcel I want you to pick up for me . I'll give you the
address ok . "
"Sorry I can't do that . You know it's against the rules ." Phil
replied .
Just at that Bill reached out and grabbed Phil and pulled his head over
against the bars . Then he said harshly .
"Listen to me Cork-Screw . You'll do just what I say otherwise I'll
tell them that you've been dealing drugs to all the boys . Isn't that
right boys ?"
Phil looked around at the other inmates who all nodded in agreement
.
"That's right Bill. " Said Liam .
"And I've even got pain killers with his fingerprints all over them ."
Frank said .
Bill released his grip and Phil fell back from the iron bars of the
cell . He looked deep into Phil's eyes as if he were gouging them out
with every word he said as he continued .
"So as you can see . If you want to keep you're job you'll do just as I
say and remember just who is top dog around here . Got it !"
Phil was very shaken . He looked around at the inmates on the block .
Some of them ran their fore fingers across their throats . A few of
them made hand gun gestures with their fingers and thumbs and pointed
it to the side of their heads and Phil turned and said to Bill .
"Ok give me the address where the parcel is I'll pick it up ."
From that day on Phil was a slave to the very people he had tried to
help out . From that day on Phil was like a dog summoned by its master
. As time went on so did the black mail and the grip on Phil increased
to the point of no return as his fear had escalated into a full blown
phobic fuelled by guilt and insecurity . He was an emotional wreck .
After giving it a lot of thought Phil decided to seek a transfer to
another prison and so filled out a form requesting that with the
Correctional Services .
Much to Phil's surprise and delight his transfer was approved and
within a week he had started work in another prison . On his first day
on duty Phil was already marked . The ringleaders had somehow been told
about Cork0Screw Phil and it was anything goes as far as they were
concerned . Daily threats and requests from the inmates drover Phil
deeper into his nightmare world . Phil tried to forget the personal
grievances he had with some of the inmates and just get along as best
he could in the job . But Phil wasn't prepared for what was about to
take place . While the prisoner's were having lunch in the canteen a
revolt began between the inmates and the prison guards . A few inmates
had somehow gained some weapons and one or two of the guards were shot
. Phil was taken as used as a hostage in the situation . The prison was
now in the hands of the inmates . Three of the select few who called
themselves leaders of the uprising barricaded themselves in the wardens
office with Phil and began to bargain for special privileges including
their release . Like a lamb in the slaughter house Phil's life was at
times hanging on a hook . The talks between the prisoners and the
prison authorities went on for days . Phil's life was on auction in a
deadly serious market place .
Phil sat quietly hoping and praying that things would work out . He
knew he had to keep cool . He had to depend on his employer to come
through for him and the it happened . But not in the way he had
expected .
Mad Pat , one of the lifer's from the maximum security cells walked
into the wardens office and shot dead the three prisoners . Phil sat
waiting for the next bullet that never came . Mad Pat spoke to Phil in
a soft Irish accent.
"Listen here Cork-Screw . My brother Liam tells me you did him a favour
in the last place you were at ."
"Liam from Kerry ?."
Said Phil .
"That's him . You posted a letter to our Mother in Kerry . That meant a
lot to the family and I want you to know we appreciated it ."
Phil tried to talk but Mad Pat put his finger over his lips and
continued .
"Now Cork-Screw come with me and say nothing ."
Phil was taken to the roof of the prison by Mad Pat who sat on the edge
of the roof . As soon as the TV camera arrived Mad Pat winked and Phil
and began to hurl abuse at them . The he walked over to Phil and said
,
"As crazy as it might seem you're going to be a hero Cork-Screw Phil
."
As Mad Pat put his arms around him he threw himself over the edge of
the roof . On the way down he said .
"It has to look good for the TV cameras. "
Phil' s fall was cushioned by Mad Pat who slowly got to his feet and
secretly passed Phil the handgun . Then he raised his hands in the air
and backed off
"Ok I give up ."
Mad Pat said just as the cameras arrived . The police were soon on the
scene and handcuffed Mad Pat . A microphone was put in front of Phil
and questions began to fire in .
"Did you ever think you were gong to make it out alive ?"
"How do you feel now that its all over ."
Phil was just about to speak when he was put into a car and taken away
for a briefing with the authorities .
That evening it was headline news .
"Prison guard fights for his life "
Phil's reputation soon spread and not only did it earn him a big
promotion but it also went a long way in healing the hurt and paying
back some of the the dues he was owed . Now as a Chief correctional
services officer he was able to make changes in the system that could
make things easier . Somewhere between the kindness and the blindness
Cork-Screw Phil made a name for himself .

THE END
By Paul McCann