10 October 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3252: that isn't my hyena

“Listen, I'm now politically independent, Major Stetson. I no longer allow myself to get so angry about Politician A or B. That isn't my hyena to be aligned with.”

“Ouch,” ten-year-old Andrew Ludlow said to his eleven-year-old sister Eleanor and their best friend eleven-year-old Velma Trent after overhearing that from Andrew and Eleanor's grandfather, Capt. R.E. Ludlow on the phone. “I don't know who Politician A and B are, but that hurt me for them.”

“Well, it could still be worse,” Velma said. “Grandma Jubilee was on the phone yesterday consoling somebody in the Trent family who was all upset about the election coming up and told him, “Look, son, in Lofton County, you just do the best you can, because we all know that most of these politicians are the type of mad dog we are waiting on the Lord to shoot down or give us permission to do it in His name.”

“Ouch,” Andrew and Eleanor said.

“Now, that hasn't happened since 1952, though, at least, not officially,” Velma said. “Couple of folks thought a few lynchings would liven up their campaign. Their opponents ended up running unopposed and winning.”

“Unopposed because … oh,” Eleanor said.

“Ouch,” Andrew said.

“Yeah,” Velma said. “They haven't told me the details, but, yeah.”

“It's definitely kind of a good thing for our grandparents to consider you not their problem,” Eleanor said. “Your life expectancy gets to be longer even if you are a fool, that way.”

“And you better get your life together while they still feel like waiting on the Lord, too,” Andrew said.

“Yeah,” Velma said.