On the windows ...
I've never seen nothing like this before.
Look ! On the windows ?
You aint see nothing on the windows but people.
Walking by. Not on video !
I Told you I stand out here for a long time watching this crazy stuff
[Laughing]
Wow !!! Alright !
My name is Otis Johnson.
I went to prison at the age of 25 years old
and when I came out I was 69 years old.
I went to prison - or jail
for the crime of attempted murder on a police officer.
Assault on a police officer
Prison affected me a lot.
My re-entry was
was a little bit hard at first
because things have changed.
I got off Times Square
and I was looking at the atmosphere.
The new things that was happening
And I seen that everybody
or majority of people were
talking to themselves.
Then I look closely and they seem
to have things in there ears.
I don't know with those things?
With the phone thing?
I phones they called them
or something like that?
I thought to my mind
"What everybody became CIA
or agents and stuff like that ?"
Because that's the only thing
I can think of !
somebody walking around
with wires in the ears
That's what they had when I was out
during the 60s and the 70s.
And then some people are not even
looking where they're going !
So I'm trying to figure out
how people do that.
Control themselves to walk
and talk on their phone without
even looking where they're going.
That was amazing to me.
[music]So what's the next move
Where do I go
Where do I stay
Where do I work
Where do I rest
Where do I play
It feels as though I've been up in this gridlock for days
Still I'm hoping that this shit stops, but hey [music]
I remember this when I first got out.
I was gonna make a call.
Then I've seen the 1$ thing.
It was what 25 cents when I was out?
[laughs]
I found out
when I got on the street
they don't use these.
Like I said I'm used to
being by myself
But majority of the time
I like the buses because
you see diferent things and
you also communicate with
less people.
You know bumping into people
when you're riding the train and stuff
because that thing's packed.
But the bus is not really that packed.
Even if it is packed
you know you still have
room enough to
You know maybe talk to somebody
or listen to what's happening
with other families on the bus.
[music] Already 20 years old, now that can't be right
Why do I feel like I've already lived half my life [music]
Being in society is a good feeling.
A very good feeling you know?
Other than being inside the prison.
You only can go
outside at certain times.
So I like being in the sun
and also observing people.
It's nice.
It's nice to be free.
I think in 1998 or something like that
I lost contact with my family.
Coming out of prison
I was mainly alone.
Like I said I had no birth certificate.
Nothing like that.
I had no family.
No girlfriend.
No sisters. No brothers.
No people that I could communicate
that I had years ago.
Bothers me a lot because I really
you know
I really miss my family you know.
I remember I had two nieces
and they were twins.
Everytime I'd come over they'run.
They'd run to me and one of them
used to get behind me and hide.
And the other one would be looking for the other twin
And so sometimes I'd just
you know just moved to the side so the twin can see the other twin.
And she'd say "you crossed me!"
So I remember that still.
I used to love children.
and that's one of the
good memories I have.
I eat different things now.
Because I'm looking at all this
crazy stuff they got.
So I try it out.
You know once in a while.
The funny dinners.
Different colored drinks.
What do you call that ?
The gator stuff.
Pink. Blue.
All these different colors so
I started thinking that
once in a while.
Just because it looks funny.
There's so many things that you can eat !
So it's a hard choice to pick out
really the food that you want.
For instance the peanut butter.
It had jelly in it
And I ain't never seen nothing
like that before
Definitely wasn't in the
prison system you know.
So peanut butter and jelly
in the same place in a jar ?
That that was strange.
Still here!
1960's skippy still around.
When I don't have nothing to do
maybe a six o'clock at night
you know I might
Since it's nice out
I go out in the park.
You know I might just meditate
You know you gotta
let things go because
hold on to anger will only
stagnate
your growth and development.
You know a lot of people
say society owed me
because I did all this time.
Even though I did the crime.
I don't think like that.
I don't feel that
society owes me anything.
Everything happens for
a reason I believe
So I let that go
and deal with the future
instead of dealing with the past.
I try not to go backward
I try to go forward.
That's how I survive in society.