Somerset County Jail is in Madison, Maine, which is about a two hour drive from our home in Bridgton.  I drove up there recently to do a chapel on a Sunday afternoon.   My wife, Sue, and our youngest daughter, Rose, went to our home church that day, so this was a solo gig.  I love performing at Somerset County because the chapel is beautiful, with nice high ceilings (a major plus for jugglers) and paintings of stained glass windows on the cement block walls.  These paintings, I'm told, were done by inmates.  Also, the tiles on the floor where I stand during shows has the initials "SCJ" for Somerset County Jail.  However, since our show is called the Supreme Court Jesters, SCJ could stand for us as well.  It's like the spot is reserved for me.

There were about 30 inmates and two guards that came to the show, which is the biggest group I've ever had there.  I did an hour long show, including using my new spinning ball (a Christmas gift from Rose) in my "Juggler's Creed" routine. It was also the second time I've used our new rabbit, Cotton, in a show.  He handles really well, and was wonderful with the audience when I brought him around after the performance.

I closed the show with a simple card trick based around the story of the thief on the cross who repented even as he was dying next to Christ.  I start the story with speculation about the thief's life before we encounter him in Scripture, then bring it into the account in Luke.  As I spoke about Jesus' unmerited grace and forgiveness for the thief and for all who, like him, would simply pray, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom", many were moved to tears and prayed with me at the end of the show.  One more reason why SCJ is one of my favorite venues.