This story has been told before. By many people. And read before. By many people.
Harvel Holloway was a young man when he married Martha. He loved motorcycles, drugs, guns, and hookers (not necessarily in that order). She loved him.
They lived in the south suburb of Chicago with the rest of the white trash community and spent most of their time trashing black and Mexican folks. Kathryn Holloway was conceived shortly after.
Kathryn was born with big blue eyes and the perfect fringe framing her forehead. Her smooth white skin stretched over her tall body like a fresh canvas. She was beautiful. Harvel fell in love with her instantly.
She grew up into a fine teen. Frail and bothered. Her fringe remained her identity. Harvel stopped riding motorcycles and starting riding his daughter (this might sound crude, but it was the truth). Martha drank all day and beat her daughter for being the ‘other woman.’
Kathryn spent most of her free time getting raped or battered. I think she preferred battered.
When Kathryn turned 16 she decided to leave the incestuous nest and find her own. She moved to the city and met a young girl from India with a fringe similar to hers. “You make me like brown people,” said Kathryn hiding behind her fringe. The brownie blushed.
Kathryn introduced the brown gal to the only world she knew. The world of opium and ecstasy. The world of Charlie mixed in with Jack. And a-bit-o heroin as the cherry on top. The brownie was hooked and cooked. They spent most of their free time injecting and ingesting and inhaling and singing Kurt Cobain’s “where did you sleep last night.”
Kathryn spoke only when under the influence. She described the ‘hide and seek’ games she played with Harvel. She told her of the ‘doctor doctor’ games that seemed to be his favourite. The brownie stayed tuned.
They had boyfriends but they didn’t last long. Until one day, the brownie found one that wanted to stay.
Kathryn was bothered.
Brownie and her boy were very happy together. He introduced her to the land of sunshine and poetry. She learnt to exhale for a change.
Kathryn went home for a bit. She needed attention. Harvel and Kathryn injected together. Each other.
He continued raping her. She continued ingesting.
That day Kathryn stole Harvel’s gun and stood up the local liquor store for drug money. She was caught.
She hid under her shivering fringe when the cops handcuffed her. She was thrown in maximum-security prison with the badass women. The good thing was that she was unafraid of being raped.
She spent most of her time writing letters to brownie describing her prison tattoo ideas. Brownie visited her once. She picked up the beaten orange phone and spoke to Kathryn through the glass wall. They sang just like old times. “My girl, my girl, where will you go? My girl, my girl don’t lie to me, tell me where did you sleep last night…” The badass women watched. That night Kathryn was gang raped and beaten with baseball bats. She could not move for 4 months. Brownie never went back to see her.
Kathryn went on parole after 2 years of prison life. She ran to the only life she knew. Harvel welcomed her with loving arms.
Brownie was at home that night when her phone rang.
“Harvel is dead. He shot himself in the head ten minutes ago. I….I…I…need you.”
Brownie found Kathryn and Martha sitting on the floor howling. This was the first time they were seen so close to each other. Harvel’s body had been taken but his brain lay splattered across the room. His blood still dripping from the bed to the carpet weaving a story of ruin.
This was the last time Brownie saw Kathryn.
Harvel escaped.
Martha moved in with Harvel’s best friend a week later.
Kathryn went back to prison for breaking parole.
Brownie became a hairdresser and gave all the women a fringe to hide behind.
-Sapna Bhavani
Labels: Sapna Bhavani- For Kathryn |
posted by Ruckus at 
