ādid ya hear?ā someone asks.Ā āwhat?ā you reply politely.Ā āweāre gettinā a whole foods!ā itās 5 years later. someone asks you.Ā ādid ya hear?āĀ āwhat?āĀ āweāre gettinā a whole foods!āĀ
youāre sitting in traffic in a parking lot in turkey creek. It must be christmas. Youāve been sitting there for days. Youāre growing old. Weak. Tired. Theyāve built a chik fil a and a new vegan cupcake place around you the whole time youāve been sitting in traffic.Ā
Youāre driving down southerland. A man in a hoveround scooter waves politely. Then another. then another. then another. they all have the same smile.Ā
Itās 95 degrees in March. Youāre talking to your friendās mom when she says, āTheyāre expecting snow tomorrow yāall might get out of school.ā It starts to snow ten minutes later.
Quentin Tarantino is in town. The air smells like a pile of burning mulch.
You see a picture of your friends at Dollywood. You turn on your tv and Dolly Parton saysĀ āCome to Dollywood in my hometown of Sevierville!ā Her eyes are unblinking and smile unmoving. In the background you see your friends. You see all your friends. You see your neighbor. You see your family. Everyone you know is at Dollywood. Are they ever coming back?
You look up at the Sunsphere. You see a body, eyes, limbs reflected in the bright yellow surface. Theyāre not yours. They might be a group of kids from a UT exchange program. No. Theyāre Bart Simpsons. You notice the sunsphere is wearing a wig.Ā āWelcome to the Wigsphere.ā is written on the reflective panels.Ā
You drive to Happy Holler. No one has changed the signs since the 1960ā²s. You drive to South Knoxville. No one has changed the signs since the 1960ā²s. They all sayĀ āNO BODY DOESNT LIKE SARA LEE.ā andĀ āREPENT NOW TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.ā with your name written on the end.
You close your eyes. You see the scene from The Shining where the blood rushes from the elevators, except the blood isnāt red. Itās bright orange. Go vols.Ā