Prison Meat

I'd like to pass along an email we all received at work last week:

"The 2003 legislative session made it possible for the Agri-Services Division of the OK Department of Corrections to make products produced at our meat processing center available as a benefit to state, county and city government employees, retirees and public school staff at all levels of education.

"On THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2008 the meat truck (white tractor-trailer) will be at the Expo Center from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to sell meat products.

"Due to the short time frame and the time of day that some of the sales are being held, it is acceptable to send one or two people from a location with several orders and checks for those individual orders. All we ask is that you put your driver’s license number and date of birth on the checks and leave the amount blank (it is not possible to know the amount of the order prior to purchase) and the person picking up your order can finish filling out your check and we will give them a detailed receipt for the amount.

"Attached is a sale flyer/price sheet that can be broadcast e-mailed and distributed to your employees and co-workers and posted throughout your office/school/agency.

Thank you!

Agri-Services Division
Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections

While the thought of buying prison meat out of the back of a traveling white tractor-trailer meat truck is undeniably intriguing, I must say thank you, but no.

The most interesting part of this email, however, is that we are told to send a blank check containing our driver's license numbers and birthdates with someone else to pick up the meat. Really?!? This is a suggestion from the Department of Corrections? Oh, the irony.