The call that I always have to answer
“HELLO. THIS IS A COLLECT CALL FROM… [SOME VOICE that sounded like my brother’s], a prisoner at the Michigan Department of Corrections. If you feel you are being victimized or extorted by this prisoner, call customer service at [some number rattled off too quickly for me to catch].” The digital woman gave more instructions: “To accept this call, press zero. To refuse it, press one. To prevent calls from this facility, press six.”
Why was Jeremiah calling collect? I’d added money to his account, or at least that’s what I thought. “Sh-t!” I hissed out loud, but not quite loud enough for my young son to notice. I fumbled through papers and moved books to find my wallet under a coffee mug.
In Michigan, people in prison make calls using prepaid accounts. Those calls in 2016 cost 21¢ per minute plus a $2.95 processing fee. I spent $80 per month on my brother’s calls.
