I Never Thought

As I sit here on (Death Row) at the age of 23 year old, I never got to see my 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd birthday in the free world with my family or friends at all. I never thought and it never crossed my mind, that I would ever end up on death row or spend the rest of my life behind steel doors, walls that don't talk back or even taking a shower on someone else time.

Sitting here everyday, missing all my friends and family, missing all the things I use to do and the fun that I use to have. My friends, I don't got to see, unless they come see me, and my family come when they can and there is no more fun to ever be had. All the nights that I have cried, hoping that the next day, they roll my door and say "Wimberly, get your stuff, you're going all the way!"

It still hasn't happened yet and it may never happen. I never thought it could be me, me out of all people. At the wrong place at the wrong time, now I've got myself in a situation, where if I’m lucky enough not to be executed, I could spend the rest of my life in prison. Missing and wanting momma, sisters and brothers, but none of them can help me at all, bad as they want to, they can't. Never thinking it could be me.

Even when I wasn't going to school cause I didn’t want to or hanging with the one's I "thought" were my friends. Staying out all night, wanting to be my own man, when I should have been at home, safe and sound. It never crossed my mind, that this would be where I would spend and live the rest of my 1ife time.

All the people I use to laugh and joke with. Who I "thought"' were my friends to find out the hard way that they wanted what I had to give, that day. The don’t even write to see I'm doing or come to see me on visiting day, not even a birthday card to say "Hey". During all that time I was with them, the ones I called "friends" it never crossed my mind, that they would forget all about me, doing these hard times.

Now, I worry if I will live or die, when will I go home, worried if I will ever sleep in my own bed, If I will ever go outside on my time and, if I'll get to live in another place that's really mine...

I never thought...

Shaber Wimberly
Holman 3700, 5-U-2
Atmore, AL 36503

Written, July 2002

Something to think about

Words from death row......

For a full list of articles written by Juveniles on Alabama's Death Row, go to the complete list of titles at Stories.