23 June 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3143: a new kind of fuel
“So, why was Cousin Tiberius so upset, Robert?”
“He is mad that I am selling what was the Ludlow Winery to Cousin Tarquin IV as what I have made it into: the Ludlow Historical Soda Company, and that our family history of selling fine wine and high-class alcohol addiction at a ridiculously high price is over. He, too, was getting a kickback.”
“Oh,” eleven-year-old Eleanor Ludlow said to ten-year-old Andrew her brother and eleven-year-old Velma Trent, their best friend from next door, from their quality eavesdropping spot.
“Well, I mean, the winery really wasn't doing that great,” Velma said. “My great-grandfather was out-selling y'all's cousins with moonshine even back in the day, and some of my relatives are still selling way more drugs. I mean, if you are selling death, and you are losing, why not give it up?”
“Tradition,” Andrew said. “I've done some research on this … lots of tobacco, lots of alcohol, but it makes money and the Founders were doing it, so … .”
“So everybody still is dealing with the consequences, all the way,” Eleanor said.
“Yep, because Trents have been going in and out of jail for a century,” Velma said, “and then there's stuff like losing the Civil War and losing to civil rights and all that.”
“Loser decisions lead to loser outcomes,” Andrew said, shaking his head. “I'm just glad both our families have gotten sense enough to both be doing something right: good soda with quality ingredients and not too much sugar is a good thing.”
“Yeah,” Eleanor and Velma said.
“The challenge about my Tarquin-line family over all,” Capt. R.E. Ludlow was saying to Mrs. Thalia Ludlow, “is that they are still struggling with the coming of the 20th century, much less the 21st. They don't get that you can't keep going on the same old thing forever. If you have a horse and carriage, you feed the horse hay. But if you need a rocket, you need a new kind of fuel. You can't put hay in a rocket and get anywhere. The Ludlow Winery has been losing money for years. You can't run that engine into the 21st century on tradition – so Tarquin IV and I are swapping out the engine and the fuel, and that leaves the old drivers out. That's why Tiberius is angry.”
“He really wants you to give him and some of the others back a dying business,” Mrs. Ludlow said.
“They don't see it that way,” Capt. Ludlow said. “They think they are so important, time will eventually change back in their favor. But that's not how any of this works. Tarquin IV has wanted this change for 40 years, and will go on and put the willing ones back on the board in the minority so they feel involved – but we cannot go backwards.”
“The beautiful thing is that the delay will allow Glendella to receive her inheritance directly from the sale,” Mrs. Ludlow said.
“Yes, instead of having to split the Ludlow Bubbly amount into smaller portions, Glendella will get the same robust portion I intended for all of them because the sale of the former winery division accounts for that part. Tarquin IV said to me, 'That was worth waiting forty years, Robert.'”
“Aw,” Eleanor, Andrew, and Velma said together.
“I'm so happy for Glendella – our families choosing to do the right thing blesses her too!” Eleanor said.
“Ain't it the truth,” Velma said.
“A happy ending for everybody sure is nice,” Andrew said.