After spending 44 years in prison, a man reacts with amazement to seeing Times Square and iPhones for the first time.
Otis Johnson has had a unique journey after spending 44 years in prison.
Released in 2014, he found himself in a world that had changed dramatically since his incarceration in 1970.
His first visit to Times Square opened his eyes to the advancements in technology and culture that he had missed.
Ex-prisoner reacts to Times Square and iPhones in modern age after 44 years behind bars
When Johnson walked through Times Square for the first time, he was overwhelmed by the sights and sounds.
The bright neon lights and video advertisements were unlike anything he had seen before.
He expressed his amazement at the billboards, saying, “On the windows?! I ain’t never seen anything like this before!”
This fascination was a reminder of how much life had evolved while he was away.
Johnson, who was arrested at the age of 25 for the attempted murder of a police officer, spent his years in prison without experiencing the digital revolution.
By the time he was released at age 69, smartphones had become a common part of everyday life.
He was baffled by people walking around with devices in their ears.
“I was looking at the atmosphere, the new things that was happening and I seen that the majority of people were talking to themselves,” he continued.
“Then I look closely and they seemed to have things in there ears.
I don’t know with those things, the phone things…iPhones they call them or something like that?
“I thought, ‘What, everybody became CIA or agents and stuff like that?’ Because that’s the only thing I can think of if somebody walking around with wires in the ears.
That’s what they had when I was out during the 60s and the 70s.”
“I remember this when I first got out,” he smiled. “I was gonna make a call – then I seen the 1$ thing. It was what, 25 cents when I was out?”
The challenge of re-entering society
Adapting to life outside prison was not easy for Johnson.
He received minimal assistance upon his release, including an ID, documents about his case, two bus tickets, and $40.
He later mentioned that “prison affected me a lot,” noting that re-entering society was hard at first due to the rapid changes.
Johnson was surprised to see how much everyday life had changed.
He noted that the cost of making a call from a payphone had risen significantly; it was now $1, compared to just 25 cents when he was last free.
This simple detail highlighted the shift in the world around him.
“Prison affected me a lot,” he said.
“My re-entry was a little bit hard at first, because things have changed.”
Discovering modern food and culture
Another aspect that shocked Johnson was the variety of food available at grocery stores.
“There’s so many things that you can eat, so it’s a hard choice,” he stated.
He was especially intrigued by the idea of peanut butter combined with jelly in one jar, something he had never encountered during his time in prison.
The abundance of colorful drinks and “funny dinners” also caught his attention.
Despite the changes, he was relieved to find that Skippy peanut butter was still on the shelves.
This small comfort reminded him of his younger years and provided a sense of familiarity in an unfamiliar world.
Enjoying freedom
Johnson expressed joy at being free, saying, “Being in society is a good feeling, a very good feeling.”
“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.”
Unlike in prison, where he could only go outside at certain times, he now enjoyed the sun and the ability to observe people around him.
The experience of being outside and interacting with the world was profoundly different from his past life behind bars.
Reflection on modern Life
Otis Johnson’s perspective on modern life serves as a reminder of how quickly things can change.
His experience encourages people to appreciate the conveniences and technologies that are often taken for granted.
Watching people engage with their smartphones made him think deeply about the way society communicates today.
His story highlights the challenges faced by individuals re-entering society after long periods of incarceration.
It also underscores the importance of support systems for those transitioning back into everyday life.