Summary

In this essay, Baldwin tells the story of his arrest in Paris for being in possession of a stolen bed sheet he had borrowed from a visiting friend. The friend is initially staying at a different hotel, but when he becomes frustrated with the service there, he comes over to Baldwin’s hotel. Baldwin borrows the stolen sheet without much thought and, later, when police are sent to investigate the theft, Baldwin and his guest are arrested. They are sent to a series of prisons, are eventually separated, and are told next to nothing about their ultimate fate. Baldwin spends a total of eight days in prison, and is only released when a lawyer he used to work for intervenes on his behalf after a released prisoner contacts him for Baldwin. Baldwin describes with great psychological acuity the details of his time...