Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
“Eating a lollipop is like everything else; there's a blueprint to it and it's in the wrapper.”
Six-year-old Grayson Ludlow, great-grandson of the architect and civil planner who had given Lofton County, VA its 20th century shape, was showing the giftedness that would give Lofton County of the mid-21st century its modern shape.
Grayson's big cousin Col. H.F. Lee had gotten home late from an emergency trip to Washington D.C. and so woke up tired on Monday morning … but even then, Grayson's conversation with his always open-minded seven-year-old sister Amanda riveted his attention.
“Really?” Amanda said.
“Yep, because you can see in the wrappers what kind of shape they are,” Grayson said. “It's like how you can grow roses and blackberries and even trees in different shapes by putting them on the right kind of fence – I think it's called a trellis – just in reverse.”
“You know, I never thought about that – is it kinda like Gracie trains her dog Goody and her cat Goldie?”
“Kinda,” Grayson said. “I hadn't thought about that, but yeah, because dogs do dog things and cats do cat things, and you can kinda see their blueprints too, and you gotta know the difference.”
“So basically, there are dog trainers, cat trainers, plant trainers … and you're a lollipop trainer, Grayson?”
“Basically, but, it's easier than that, Mandie. We gotta know how to build everything that can be built, and how to work with everything that is already here the way it is supposed to be worked with. I don't really know where lollipops come from, but I see that they come in a shape, and it's just easier to lick them around the shape there is. They taste better that way.”
Amanda considered this, and then smiled.
“This is why Papa and Grandma came to get all of us, so we could be raised how we were supposed to be raised, and why while they are away, we are with Cousin Harry and Cousin Maggie, because they know how too and read the same blueprints!”
Grayson grinned.
“I hadn't thought about that, but, yeah, that's it!”
Amanda gave Grayson a hug.
“I'm glad you're my brother!” she said. “When you are around people who actually know how stuff is supposed to worksin the world, you can be way safer!”
“I'm glad you're my sister, because you get it too, just in a different way!” Grayson said. “You build up the people, and I'll build the stuff to put them in!”
“Deal!” Amanda said.
Col. Lee, because of his particular mental health make up, not only sometimes saw flashbacks but flash forwards – the rumor that Lees were clairvoyant had been around ever since his ancestral uncle R.E. Lee had been able to predict the moves of his enemies in the Civil War. What it really came down to was attention to available details and being able to add them to a possible outcome … so, Grayson Ludlow, the future civil engineer, and Amanda Ludlow, future board director for the Lofton Trust, sitting and talking about the people and architecture of Lofton County and doing the best by everyone, just made sense because they were already doing it … their big cousin just saw them grown into young adults for a moment, sitting close, and applying the love between them to everything around them.
“Cousin Harry?”
That was little cousin eleven-year-old Eleanor Ludlow, first cousin and eldest sibling by adoption to Grayson and Amanda.
“I'm fine, Ellie, and thank you,” he said. “I had nodded off – got in late last night.”
“Whatever dream you were having, it must have been beautiful, but I was worried you might fall out of the chair.”
“Whenever I think of the future you and your siblings are meant to have, it is a good thought,” he said, and gave his little cousin a big hug.
“I love that you love us like Papa does!” she said, “and we love you too and want you to build a house on the empty part of the cul-de-sac so you can be what you already are: a part of our family!”
Col. Lee smiled.
“Cousin Maggie and I are thinking about it quite seriously,” he said. “There are some other things that need to happen that we have less control over to make that possible, but we are praying about it!”
“Well, I am too!” Eleanor said, and then kissed her big cousin and ran off.
Mrs. Maggie Lee came into the living room and brought her husband an extra cup of coffee.
“What do you think the chances are?” she said.
“If I thought in terms of chances,” he said, “things are lining up nicely for there to be good chances we will be able to put or build a house on that other third of the cul-de-sac. But I prefer to think that the Lord knows Robert and Thalia are 58 and 56 and have adopted seven grandchildren of which Eleanor is the oldest, and that while we work out our complicated situation around the potential of children, our Ludlow cousins big and small certainly could benefit from us being a part of their family, and would gladly welcome any child of ours as well should the Lord lead us that way.”
“I think that too, Harry. There's another point to consider with this anyhow; we already have a 'Leedlow' in the house.”
“Oh, you mean the Ludlow miniature of her great-grandmother Grandee Lee, matriarch of the Lees-of-the-Mountain – what has Edwina done now?”
“I didn't want to tell you last night, but Edwina thinks the Army needs an upgrade from green and blue to either a deep spiritual purple or a manly burnt orange.”
Col. Lee shook his head with a smile.
“What does spiritual purple even look like?”
“You're going to find out today, because she's probably going to ask for the key to the glitter cabinet so she can mix up all her purple glitter to show you.”
“Out of the mouths of babes who are Grandee Lee come again – yeah, we just can't leave Robert and Thalia out here like that, because these little ones are going to be teenagers, soon enough!”
“Things that nobody needs to think about on a Monday morning!” Mrs. Lee said with a smile.
“Well, instead of a Blue Monday, we're just having a Spiritual Purple Monday!” Col. Lee said, and they enjoyed a good chuckle about that.