Ramon Delgado rises before dawn to thoroughly scrub his cell each morning. In this episode, an inmate describes his obsessive cleaning routine in a space caked with dust and dirt.

Written Inside is a podcast about life inside a maximum-security prison cell. Adapted from essays written at Stateville Correctional Center near Chicago, these intimate stories speak to the everyday experience of being incarcerated. Ramon Delgado’s story was voiced by Chicago actor Allen Gilmore. Created by journalist Alex Kotlowitz and produced by WBEZ Chicago’s Colin McNulty.

This project is made possible in part by generous support from The Field Foundation of Illinois