“So, the thing is, cousins, and write this down for when you are old enough to vote: a lot of politicians are hyper-partisan, meaning, if you're not putting them into office, you're the enemy. That's not the right way to think about this. The people of Lofton County, individually, vote about 4-6 times in as many years. Each of them is not an ally or an enemy: they are a constituent, looking to get their needs met through electing a representative who they hope will represent their interests. My job, even though you three are too young to vote, is to represent your interests in Big Loft, which is to make sure that when you visit, you are as safe as the children who live here, who need to be as safe as I can make them as mayor.”
Donald Lee Garner Jr., mayor of Big Loft, VA, was tickled that his three oldest Ludlow cousins, Eleanor (11), Glendella (10), and Andrew (10) had called him about what they understood about politics and wanted to bounce their ideas off him.
“Robert,” he said to his cousin, Capt. R.E. Ludlow, grand(father) to these three small but highly engaged Ludlow citizens, “I don't know what you and Thalia are doing, but I need you to adopt a bunch more folks and get them in gear, too!”
“And most of those people are over 18, too, and too many are our ages,” the captain said with a chuckle.
“So true!” the mayor said, and both had a good laugh before the mayor continued, “but seriously, Robert: the way you and Thalia have given your little ones a framework to engage with everything happening without burdening them too much really needs to be studied!”
“It's actually not complicated, although because life is complex, it would be difficult for many: Thalia and I are almost always present with them, and we allow them to eavesdrop more than they know, so then when they come with questions we are here to talk honestly about things. I'm definitely more conservative and Thalia is definitely more liberal, but we obviously don't hate each other, so that gives the little ones room to explore different viewpoints safely as current events keep happening in Lofton County.”
“You're right – not complicated, but life is complex, and raising good citizens is hard work by itself,” Mayor Garner said. “They are all ridiculously intelligent, too – they have really good questions that people our ages don't think about enough.”
“Oh, the little Ludlows will question you half to death,” Capt. Ludlow said, “because these are some curious little somebodies who want to understand the world they live in, and the people they are around.”
“It sounds like you have replicated good times on the mountain with our ancestral Lees-of-the-mountain,” Mayor Garner said. “Sitting around a big mountain campfire, you might hear of and could ask about anything.”
“Yep,” Capt. Ludlow said. “I think of that a lot. There is not a one of us who came through that way who is not at least a decent citizen, and you, sir, are a statesman where none would ever have been expected.”
“Look, Big Uncle Horace came for me, and God sent him – so what do you think I was going to be doing!” Mayor Garner said.
“Getting your life and your afterlife all the way together and thanking God He didn't send my grandmother and your Big Aunt Hilda back to get you, but let her gentler younger brother just live that long!” Capt. Ludlow said, and they both cracked up laughing.
“Yeah, when Grandee Lee had to come to see you … nobody needed those kinds of problems!” Mayor Garner said.
“Wait until you talk to your little cousin Edwina – aka Grandee Leedlow!” Capt. Ludlow said.
“I heard from Cousin Harry – she will have him laughing until he is blue in the face just trying to tell me the latest!” Mayor Garner said. “You think that after that many generations, Hilda Lee would have gentled out through her heirs – but here comes Edwina her great-great-granddaughter!”
“That Lee blood is warrior blood back to the time of Sir Henry Lea and Richard the Lionhearted,” Capt. Ludlow said, “so, Edwina comes by it just like I do … a lot of me seeking peaceable ways to live and work is so she can see it is possible, too.”
“You and Thalia are doing a great job,” Mayor Garner said. “Keep up the good work!”
