Last Meal

"You've gotta be kidding me. This many scheduled on one day?"

"We're gonna need to order an electric bench."

Hank removed his hat and wiped the sweat off his face. "Cut the small talk, fellas," he said. "We're just here to do our jobs." He pointed at the two other officers in turn. "Davis, you on the right. Jim, you on the left. Go down the rows and get their orders. The chefs are gonna be busy with all these specials."

Davis pulled his pen and pad out of his pocket and went to the first inmate. "Your number's come up, Slim. What do you want for your last -" He was cut off as Slim ran to the bars and grabbed them.

"Don't, man, I ain't ready! Please don't!"

Davis rapped the bars with his billy club. "Order, dammit!"

Slim snapped his hands back, biting his lip. He closed his eyes. "Cheesy grits. Topped with a sunny side egg and some buttered toast."

Davis sneered at him. "You want any hollandaise with that?"

Slim nodded, leaning closer to the bars. "And some hot sauce and black pepper?"

Davis rapped the bars again, making Slim jump back. "If that's what you want, that's what you'll get. And oh, you'll get it, you sumbitch."

On the other side, Jim was trying to console Sammy, whose reaction mirrored Slim's.

"It's whatever you want, Sam, old boy. Make sure the last thing on your taste buds makes you smile, right?"

Sammy was weeping openly. "My mama made the best French toast you ever tasted...but she's dead now...I don't wanna taste nothing but her French toast."

Jim put a hand through the bars to rest on Sammy's shoulder. "We'll get you some French toast to make your mama roll over in her grave, just you wait."

Ten minutes later, Davis and Jim came back to Hank with their lists.

"You ain't gonna believe this, Hank," said Jim. "I got three separate orders for breakfast tacos, and Davis here got two of his own. We also got some grits, and a couple orders of French toast."

"We got an omelette a piece, waffles, a bagel, and one order of biscuits and gravy," added Davis.

"Dadgum," said Hank. "These boys trying to conspire to be taken out for the Last Breakfast?" He looked around to their desk jockey. "Hey Frank? Better order up a bus to IHOP for these boys."

---

I recently watched the Green Mile for the first time, which may have inspired this story. Great movie, super hard to watch. Give it a shot if you haven't seen it yet; it's so very worth it.

Thanks to Thomas, Laura, Jennifer, Lori, John, Jennifer, Chris, Annalee, Amber, Leslie, Cliff, Michael, Anna, Fay, Allie, Emily, Ed, Allison, and Theresa for sharing your breakfast. I want some breakfast tacos of my own now!

For next week, in celebration of a certain scar-head's birthday, I need two things: rate each Harry Potter book on a scale of one to five, and say whether you prefer the book or movie. If you haven't read the books, what are you waiting for!?

Please make your submissions in the comments section below, and if you would also be so kind as to scroll all the way to the bottom and hit that subscribe button.