Set against the backdrop of Arizona’s unforgiving yet vibrant terrain, Desolation Walk by Jonathan Olvera follows a day in the life of a man seeking purpose amid the struggles of economic uncertainty and social displacement.
I wake up in the morning, drowsy. The bright sun fills the room. I need water. I feel the heat on my forehead, enduring the pounding headache. The bills are due. I get up and make my way to the bathroom. I wash my face with a green bar of soap and look in the mirror. “Good morning!” I say to myself. “It’s so hot! Oh, it’s exhausting!”
I step out of the small bathroom in my sheet-metal trailer home, dizzy and a bit afraid. I take two steps into my room and grab a towel, fresh underwear, and clothes for the day. After undressing, I turn on the shower, thinking about women and my need to impress an employer. I shower, feeling a small pleasure in completing the task. I continue to get ready, preparing my boots—it’s a new day out in our territory. I speak aloud, “Oh goodness, another day.”