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12
THE GOVERNOR

My lawyers made contact with the judge. Unfortunately, he had said the case would definitely have to go to trial, but for ten thousand dollars I could be found innocent. I agreed to pay the money, although it would take a few weeks to get that amount together. My lawyers said that would be acceptable and they issued me with another bill. They promised to have me out by Christmas.

With the frequent visits from my lawyers, my new room, my new friends, a new stereo system and these small parties we were having, everyone knew that I now had money. And no one was shy about asking me for a loan. Other inmates asked to borrow ten bolivianos here and there, and the police were always asking for a colaboración for their wives, who were sick in hospital, or for their children, who couldn't afford school books. None of the money was ever for them personally. I don't know whether that meant the payments were technically not bribes or whether they thought it made them seem like nicer people. The amounts weren't large, but they asked every time I saw them. I didn't feel that I could refuse them until Ricardo gave me an invaluable piece of advice: 'Don't waste time with these small guys. You've got to control the head and the tail will follow automatically.'

I had to try to get the boss of the whole prison - the governor - on side. They changed frequently so this didn't always work but some actually became good friends. Every now and then one governor would call me to his office to practise his English. He spoke with a terrible accent but he had mastered one expression, which he repeated to me every time we met: 'Life is expensive.'

I couldn't disagree. Everything cost money and life was expensive, especially for those around the governor. Whenever I visited, I would take