“The way stupidity is so productive in Lofton County really does need to be studied – we're going to have to push back the signing date for the Ludlow Bubbly deal because it is all hands on deck to get sandbags in place and other things to high ground.”
“Look, Captain – we out here doing the same thing that you are – see you on the Ark if this doesn't work!”
Somehow, some way, even with two hurricanes coming through, someone had forgotten that a whole bunch of other someones had forgotten to do maintenance on the southern retaining wall for Lake Esmeralda. Lake Esmeralda had held the runoff from two hurricanes, but just barely – and a strong south wind was now pushing water over the wall and weakening its too-long-since-reinforced base.
Lake Esmeralda was designed to hold 16 million gallons of water and could hold 20 million in an emergency – and if that wall went, those 20 million gallons would be rolling over goodly portions of rural Lofton County. However, excess could be released orderly to the eastern side through both Mayfield Creek and Lee Canal down to the Roanoake River by opening more gates there. Someone was supposed to have done that too, but …
Evacuations for a quarter of the county were underway, and Capt. R.E. Ludlow, his family secure far enough north in Tinyville, had showed up get sandbags and cement bags loaded up while also on the phone with the workers at the Ludlow Bubbly production centers directing traffic to get personnel and key supplies out of harm's way – or at least the serious inconvenience of a few inches of water, flowing through everything.
Everyone else in the sale deal was doing the same kinds of work, all of the sudden.
“Well, our kids aren't going to get rich today,” Sgt. Vincent Trent said to Capt. Ludlow, as one co-owner to another.
“There's always tomorrow – provided someone checks the northern retaining wall today,” the captain growled as he threw another bag of cement to the sergeant to load up on the latest truck, “and provided that Lee Canal gate actually works after not being maintained for who knows how long!”
Both the Lee Canal and Mayfield Creek gates did open, and the water level in Lake Esmeralda was let down to 14 million gallons so that the repair work in the southern retaining wall could be done.
“And for a moment, in the middle of the pandemic, near-100-percent employment was achieved in Lofton County,” Col. H.F. Lee said about it when he got back to Tinyville.
“Now if only we could get proper plans as productive as stupidity around here!” Capt. Ludlow said as he rubbed his aching knees.
“Well, there's about 20 million new reasons to get some new leadership in this county,” Sgt. Trent said. “A whole bunch of people in more exclusive little neighborhoods that would have looked up in nine feet of water are going to change their votes!”
“It's almost like the old guard is being hunted,” Sgt. Juan Gonzalez said to Sgt. Trent about it, “although I know it is really accumulated decisions made in a spirit of needing to be exclusive without understanding good engineering.”
“The rain falls on the just and the unjust,” Sgt. Trent said, “and if you don't understand engineering and don't think you need to because you are that special, reality hunts you down no matter what you think.”
