11 June 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3131: unhappy circumstance
“One of the things you learn as you grow up is that every unhappy circumstance feels unhappy, but it is not the end of the road unless you stop there.”
“Oh, well, Upgrade Papa, you already know I'm going to keep walking and get out of a situation.”
Capt. R.E. Ludlow was taking his weekly walk with his new (grand)daughter, ten-year-old Glendella Ludlow. Glendella had literally walked down a country road to get to him, and the captain had adopted his cousin out of her two-generation-deep bad situation.
Glendella was thriving in her new Ludlow home, and the captain had noticed about her that she had no problem talking about her past experiences. On one hand, she was too young still to understand the full implications of some of her experiences, and on the other hand...
“That Ludlow bluntness is in both branches of the family,” Capt. Ludlow said, “and Glendella is right there with Lil' Robert and Edwina in having no filter for her mouth. Glendella is going to tell you what is going on with every situation, including your own.”
“The thing about being unhappy; I feel like some people just live there because they don't want to go in a different direction if they can't take their stuff with them,” Glendella said. “But I would rather be happy and leave the stuff – you can get more of that.”
“That's actually very smart,” Capt. Ludlow said.
“See, my bio parents really believe that: they even left me, so maybe they believe it a little too much,” Glendella said, “but then again, they saw what I did a lot longer. Grumps and Bad Grandma couldn't figure out how to get a divorce and each keep all of the money, and, murder is bad, so, they just stay unhappy.”
Capt. Ludlow did not tell Glendella how right she was, but he knew about 40 years of that. Glendale and Julia's choice to abandon their daughter was inexcusable, but understandable.
“I mean, clearly Grumps wants at least three other women, and Bad Grandma is OK with that because she gets to be with her other woman while he is distracted, but they still gotta come home and make it look right for other people, and that's just not a great way to live.”
“An unhappy circumstance indeed,” Capt. Ludlow said.
“The thing I love about you and Good Grandma is, you obviously actually like each other,” Glendella said, “and so you don't need playthings on the side because you are bored.”
“Oh, that's the reason people do that?” Capt. Ludlow said, suppressing a laugh.
“Obviously,” Glendella said, “because if you knew how to occupy your time, you wouldn't be trying to live all these different double, triple, and quadruple lives. You'd just live and enjoy your own.”
“Well,” Capt. Ludlow said with a smile, “that's not wrong, Glendella. Adult life is more complicated than you think, but, basically, that's correct.”