"Once they go through detox they come to their senses and feel genuine regret," says
Debby (not her real name), a Carlisle resident and former mental health worker with the
Department of Corrections, now in private practice as a therapist.
A patron on many occasions at the Fife and Drum, she notes that, "The great thing is the
quality of the food at the restaurant. There are always plenty of choices and the service
includes a genuine will to please. The prison staff takes enormous pains to help inmates
prepare for release, and the restaurant plays a genuinely positive role in that process."
People like you and me
So what really brings the public – people
like you and me — to a place like this?
Martha, a retired computer programmer
from Concord who discovered the Fife and
Drum while running a weekend play group
for inmates' visiting children, puts aside her
soup spoon to reflect on her reasons. "It's
not a gourmet dining experience, but the
food is always fresh and tasty," she says.
"The atmosphere is very upbeat, and the
people I meet here enjoy the opportunity to
be part of something that helps the inmates."
On further reflection she adds," I've spo-
ken to some of the instructors (of many
vocational and self-awareness programs in
which inmates can participate) and gained
a sense of how pleased they are in their
work with the men. Frankly, coming here
makes me feel good about the way the facil-
ity is run. I get genuine satisfaction from
volunteering."
In talking with the prison staff and diners
I gain a sense of engagement and caring, of
people realizing that lunch can be some-
thing more than just a tasty meal at a really
good price. Instead, one can sense pride
and commitment are at work here, along
with a shared understanding that lives can
be straightened out and dues paid in full.
There is even a taste of freedom about
the place, and that is a delightful dish,
indeed.
★
P E T E R G O L D E N writes about the American
experience.
30
★
north bridge magazine
★
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