Mahogany Dreams

Harold slowed the car to an almost stall, then gunned it as he passed the driveway. It was already past midnight and he wanted to get to bed. But the red and black Buick sitting in the driveway was proof that Rufe was still waiting inside. He could just go on in and walk right past him to the bedroom but he knew that face-to-face he wouldn't be able to hang on to the advantage he had by staying out of sight.

"Come on Bubba, you gotta help me out," Rufe had pleaded at breakfast. "I've already lined up the Bailey twins to ride inside and they've promised to take off their shoes."

Harold knew Mama would kill both of them if she found out. But after hours of listening to his stepbrother's half-baked reasons for why he just had to have Mama's mahogany casket for the 4th of July parade, he couldn’t think of anymore reasons to say no. He laid the receiver on its side and slipped out the back door.

Mama was out in California visiting her cousin Marlene and wouldn't be back until after Labor Day. But Harold knew it couldn’t-and wouldn’t-be as simple as his brother made it out to be. Besides, everybody in town would know where it came from. It wasn't like you could just find a casket laying around somewhere. And Pearville folks weren't exactly known for keeping their mouths shut.

He couldn't understand why Rufe didn’t just use crepe paper flowers to cover the flatbed like everybody else did. But he did have to admit he just might stand a chance to take first place and that'd sure be worth some bragging rights.