The Lookout
Volume 7 Issue 1 | 2019
Among the Roses Miranda Cox Sweat drips down Benny’s brow as he tries to keep it together for just a little bit longer. The late summer sun burns white-hot as the boy leans
through his hair. “This ain’t gettin’ nothin’ done. Guess I’ll use good ol’ Pat and Charlie. They ain’t failed me yet.”
over the engine of a beat up ’69 Ford truck. That
Benny pops the passenger door open and
sun would’ve roasted any other kid’s skin, but this
rummages through the glove compartment for
young man lucked up for once. He had been evenly
something to wrap his hand in. He only finds a
cooked by that sun while working in the fields,
dirty, old rag laying limply towards the back, and
and now his formerly pasty skin is a deep orang-
he decides that’ll have to do. Locking the truck up
ey brown. Taking a step back from the truck, he
has a weird sense of finality to Benny. As he starts
shakes his head. It had been his Pa’s when it was
the trek to work, he can’t help but look back at
new, and now it’s his piece of junk.
the truck. He isn’t sure why, but a wave of anger
Man, what am I gonna do? He thinks. I gotta get to work real soon, and I can’t afford to call in.
washes over him. Daggone stupid piece of crap, why’d ya have to
Not t’mention there ain’t no one t’ cover for me. I
breakdown now? I got school and work t’ worry
dunno if I can even do anything else for this thing
about and now this. What am I gonna do? Fixin’
as is.
ya’s gonna be a bitch . . .
Deciding to take another look at the truck,
Waving a dismissive hand at the truck, he picks
Benny plunges his hand into its open maw, only to
his pace up to a jog. He needs to make it to work
reel back cursing. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s
on time if he’s going to do anything about this
lost to this truck. Damn thing loves to bite.
truck.
“God bless America! Can’t catch not nary a break with this damn truck, can I?!” Benny looks over the newfound gash trailing blood down the palm of his hand. The color makes
Benny fumbles around with his coins trying
him think of his roses back at home. He’d love
to get the payphone to call home. He has to tell
nothing more than to tend to those for a short
his Pa what just happened and hopefully get that
while. Just to sit among the roses. Benny heaves
damn truck home somehow. It’s not like he can just
another sigh before running his uninjured hand
leave it there. He also needs to give a call to his girl
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