Rhiannon Richardson: The Last Day of Her Life

About a month ago I spoke about blogging at the Montgomery County Community College Writers Conference. Given that the people who were in attendance were, for the most part, writers who were thinking about blogging but had not set up a blog of their own, I offered them my space so they could see what it looks like, a literary version of “try it before you buy it.” Of the people who signed up, I’ve received – thus far – only one post, and that, from a fourteen year old girl, the youngest in that room. Rhiannon Richardson and is a freshman in high school who describes herself thus: passions include “Writing and conversing about debatable and common topics is my passion. I love to take what I hear and see in everyday life and put it into my novels. My hobbies are softball, writing, reading, listening to a wide range of music, and raising a nursery of Dalmatian molly fish.”

I remember being that young. I remember seizing every opportunity I was given with gratitude and enthusiasm, an immense love for life. It is great to see the tradition alive and thriving among this generation of writers. So long as there are girls with an imagination like hers, how can the world go wrong? Here’s Rhiannon’s post on the last day of her life.

The Last Saturday

Saturday. It isn’t Monday, the workday. It isn’t Sunday, the day you go to church. It isn’t Friday, the day you spend partying all night because “hey tomorrow’s Saturday!” Saturday is the day where you can do anything you choose. The one day out of the week that you can go anywhere and do anything, it’s the life changing day of your life! So how would you spend it? The world is going to end on Saturday and you will lose everything. What are you going to do?

The last Saturday of my life I will wake up and pray. I’ll thank God for the life he’s given me, and the last day he is going to give to me. Then my day will begin. I’ll go to the Hollister store, and buy an entire outfit, because if I’m trying to scrimp with my money I can’t normally afford it. Then I’ll take all the rest of my money and take a trip to Bali because right down there, there’s a little rocky hillside with a beautiful view of the ocean, and I’ve only been to the beach three times in my fourteen years of living. I’ll find Alex Pettyfer and kiss him, because I’ve never kissed anyone in my life, and he is my favorite celebrity. A private plane will take me to Africa because I’m African American and I’ve never seen the place of my heritage, and I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Après ce (after that) I’d go to France because I’ve spent two years learning the language and I want to go where I have no choice but to speak it. Plus, France is one of the most fashionable places in the world, and it’s a wise place to spend the last bit of money I have on my party dress… To end my most magical day, I’ll grab all of my friends and go to the world’s last party, because “Tonight is the Night” that we dance for the last time. I’d dance till my heart gives out and I’ll dance again once I’m in heaven.

A wise man once said, “Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like no one is watching,” (Randall G Leighton). So, how would you spend the last “free” day of your life?