Laundry Day
By Rhonda Brew
2013, 352 pages
This is an account of the worst laundry day ever. Arrested! Through Rhonda Brew’s eyes we see what would be a devastating event in anyone’s life. How does Rhonda deal with prison?—with humor, unshakable faith in her God, and a very resilient personality.
Laundry Day is a peek into the journal she kept while she was in prison. It’s filled with wry humor. There’s the food: “I think lunch is ready. It smells like burnt chicken.” There are clothing issues: “I want to go to prison so I can buy a sweat suit.” (She was still in a detention center awaiting transfer to federal prison). And gratitude for everyday things like hot water in the shower and a toilet stall with a door.
This is a “tell all and tell it like it is” account with enough detail to give insight into her daily life in prison. Rhonda wrote to help herself survive from day to day. You’ll find this the story of a funny, hardworking, kind hearted and talented woman who gained fame among her fellow inmates for her creative abilities.
She describes the boredom of baloney sandwiches, the unfairness of lockdowns, and the interactions of guards and inmates. From Rhonda’s experience, it’s not hard to imagine life in any United States women’s prison.
Being cooped up with the same people day after day, with almost no privacy, can wear on the nerves. Rhonda reveals how she and her “bunky” can barely stand one another one day only to be giving each other valued presents (a postage stamp or a pair of shoelaces) a few days later.
Ironically, Rhonda’s arrest and conviction stemmed from transporting a substance (marijuana) that is being decriminalized world wide. Twenty states, plus the District of Columbia have enacted medical marijuana laws, and two of those states have legalized recreational use. Who knows, in the near future transporting marijuana probably won’t be a criminal offense in Arizona.
After reading this book, you will know why Rhonda can hold her head high, and why she deserves respect. Rhonda is an exceptional artist, and Patagonia has benefited from her talent. Look for her lettering art at the following locations and probably some that I don’t know about: Patagonia Market, Patagonia Gas Station, Red Mountain Foods, Vivapura, Pilates Patagonia, June’s Tax, the ice cream mural by Gathering Grounds, The Tin Shed, Grayces, Ovens of Patagonia, Long Reality, Stage Stop Inn, Wild Horse Restaurant, Mariposa Clinic, Many Horses Trading Co., Patagonia Creative Arts Center, Creative Spirit Artists, Pony Tail Salon, and the Sonoita Fairgrounds.
The Patagonia library has a copy of Laundry Day, and it’s available at Red Mountain Foods, Mariposa Books, and on Amazon.