Alcatraz Island Getaway

Ever since I was a little hatching, Grandpa Moe would tell me stories about Alcatraz.

He says that he would circle around the recreation yard when the prisoners were let outside to play baseball and basketball. He learned how to play chess with Capone, and says that George “Machine-gun” Kelly would sneak him some rolls from the cafeteria every once in awhile. He even swears that he saw 3 convicts escape on a raft made of raincoats, but I don’t believe him. Grandpa hates going out at night.

Today, I finally decided to fly there and take a look for myself.

The island was enormous, but it didn’t stop people from walking all around it. I sat perched on a window sill and peered inside. I was surprised to find out I was looking in a cell. Windows must have been placed there to torture the inmates. You look out, and you can see freedom was only about 3 miles away. They could see it, hear it, and even smell it. But they knew they could never touch it.

Lucky for me, I have wings.

I flew over to the recreation yard. I imagined the sounds of balls bouncing against the cement, and the muddled voices of friendly conversation between past prisoners, and the light breeze ruffled my feathers as I gazed across the bay to San Francisco. I could understand why this was Grandpa’s favorite spot.