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Hill hugged the new ex-convict and said, "I love you," then turned to enter the prison yard.

"I love you, too, man," Banks said.

"This is confirmation today," he said to Hill. "Now that I'm actually out here, I've gotta take the things I said and make them work for me," Banks said, quietly.

He pointed to the public housing units where his mother lives, just a few blocks away.

"I could just go down there, but I won't," he said, still waiting for the ride.

As he waited patiently in the cold spring breeze, Banks said he knows that the road to success may be long and hard. But he knows the alternative -- before his release, he said his life "can't get no worse than here."

"That's my aim to be a successful person," as he stood outside the fence. "But nothing comes overnight."

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Other Stories in This Series:

With Little Preparation Inside Prison, Inmates Face a Shock on the Outside

For Repeat Offenders, Life on the Outside is Fraught with Uncertainty

For Prisoners, Preparing for Life Outside Can Mean Shedding Their Old Selves