Memories of Summertime Greed

Rhett sat on his metal bunk, his calloused palms resting on the knees of his thick canvas gown. Looking between his scarred knuckles and the thin metal trey as it rested atop of his steel table, Rhett wondered to himself why for the life of him he asked for it. The one meal where he could have anything, absolutely anything and he had chosen it. Sitting out in front of Rhett was a steaming pile of scalloped potatoes. The smell of pepper and cheese wafted into the air, invisible and still the scent pierced into his memory, a memory of summer not to unlike today. No, it was exactly today. Blue skies fading into dusk, clouds speckled holding off the curtain of the setting sun, painting the sky with colors of red, violet, and maroon.

The peppery smell brought Rhett back to his childhood, a time where he lay on his families poorly quilted blanket. It was a blanket fabricated from small bits of handkerchief and denim pants. There he sat, his palms flat on the thick blanket, his skinny shoulders slumped under his weight as his elbows bowed only slightly barely exposed under his tan and red striped t-shirt. The scent of newly cut grass gave the festival a perfume that would only last a second. A scent that hopefully soon would be replaced by fireworks and other festivities. Rhett looked out from atop the grassy hilltop as a parade of cars drove by below. Each vehicle was fashioned with décor sporting red, yellow and orange lettering promoting businesses from downtown Springville, AZ. 1950’s panel vans drove the town’s only blacktop as women stood atop each vehicle of the slow-moving motorcade sporting the summers hot wears. Despite only being eleven, Rhett was unable to look away. Though it wasn’t from the appeal of women, it was the colors. The vibrant appeal of greed.

Rhett swung his head side to side swinging his sandy blond hair out of his eyesight. It was the only night of the year he wanted his attention uninterrupted. Normally Rhett was too busy to be bothered with anything but this. This was what he lived for. It wasn’t until his mother Diane sat down legs crossed on the blanket beside Rhett that he shut his eyes for a brief second. For that brief moment he could still see the colors, the colors of desire.

Slowly opening his eyes, Rhett noticed his mother as she sat, blond hair braded tightly with glass beads of color woven within. She sat looking at the passing cars and trucks wearing blue bellbottoms with her new red tall heel boots made from faux leather. She couldn’t be bothered supporting a company who was known to harm animals, at least for now. At least as long as Dave was around. Rhett often wondered why his mother, with her charm, her clean smile and charismatic attitude, would stoop so low as to indulge Dave. However, Rhett knew better than to ask. It was always the same answer. Smiling, Rhett could hear his mother answering the same question over and over, “he’s just so interesting.”

It wasn’t until Diane ducked her head low, leaning forward to match Rhett’s green eyes with her own, that he shuttered and arose from his inner dialogue.

“Rhett, did you hear what I said?”

However, when Rhett replied with only a slanted look. Diane slumped her shoulders. Her kind loving smile creased her lips, “I brought you some scalloped potatoes.”

BANG, BANG, BANG!

The warden struck the door with his baton. Once again Rhett was alone. Looking away from the now cold potatoes, he looked around at his cell. The light had faded from the tall, barred window. The vibrant colors replaced by the black sky illuminated with spot lights each hiding the twilight above. By now the scent of pepper and cheese had faded from the room, replaced not by anxiety or regret, but by that of disappointment. A muffled but familiar voice reverberated from the opposite side of the door.

“Rhett, it's time.”

The small rectangle trap dropped open from the other side of the door.

Rhett sighed audibly, the only thing he could see was the tan uniform and the basket-weave belt of the Correctional Officer as he stood on the other side. And though Rhett knew his time had been accounted for, he could not stop staring at the Officers brass belt buckle as it sat just off set from the belt underneath. Shaking his head side to side with a greedy smile, Rhett felt the clumped rags of hair swung from side to side, his green eyes hidden beneath their white lids.

“Oh, Warden. Just a bit longer. It’s summer after all.”