6 July 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3156: falsify

“So, Cousin Harry, it ain't my problem but it might be my problem because I just realized: for Lofton County to be in the situation it is in in terms of its infrastructure, somebody must have gotten paid full-time and overtime to just falsify documents, and somebody must have been paid full-time and overtime to pass those documents through.”

Col. H.F. Lee, wearing his unofficial interim police chief hat for the Big Loft Police Department, was listening to a call from his cousin, Big Loft's mayor Donald Lee Garner Jr.

“My problem is, Harry, is that those persons might just be working on the city side, although I suspect they are on the county side of Big Loft being the county seat,” Mayor Garner said.

Col. Lee thought about this.

“It's actually generational someones,” he said after a moment, “because we are in 2020, and Bayard Heights was not approved under the plan that led to its disaster before 1991. Edwin Ludlow Jr. sat on the possibility until he died in 1990, and he was retirement age then.”

“Full time and overtime, generationally,” Major Garner said. “I'd cuss, but, I'm getting my life together.”

“Sometimes I am tempted, too,” Col. Lee said. “Army life is great for learning all kinds of ways to talk about situation normal, all fouled up.”

Mayor Garner laughed.

“Oh, is that what SNAFU means, given to us by a lay theologian?”

“That one along with fouled up beyond all recognition.”

“Oh, that's what FUBAR means!” Mayor Garner said.

“Edited for the 'no corrupt communication' command from the Captain of the Hosts of the Lord, yes,” Col. Lee said. “But despite my reputation, I am no angel, and coming back home to work in Big Loft tries the soul.”

“Yeah, on the criminal side it has been a nightmare, too,” Mayor Garner said.

“Which is where your realization and my specialty meet, Mr. Mayor,” Col. Lee said. “Surely by this time, generational full time and overtime work to falsify and pass falsified documents must rise to the criminal level in terms of money that never should have changed hands.”

“Yeah, that's why I called – can you pitch it to Special Investigations?” Mayor Garner said. “It is a cold case, and because Big Loft is the county seat, it is under your jurisdiction also.”

Col. Lee considered this.

“The protocol is to go to the county sheriff,” he said.

“I knew you would say that – do you think Alexander is up to it?” the mayor said.

“What I enjoy about E.P. Alexander is that he is honest, and that if he cannot get it done, he has no problem asking for help,” Col. Lee said.

“Oh … I see … we let him take the credit, because it is not politic for you to do it because we are cousins, and too many people think we are trying to take over the county as it is,” the mayor said.

“Yes,” Col. Lee said. “Also, he can call in the best county investigator there is.”

“Oh – Ironwood Hamilton – of course!”

“And, of course, I will assist if asked by either one,” Col. Lee said.

“OK; I'm calling Sheriff Alexander,” the mayor said. “Thanks, Harry – how are you so politically savvy without being a politician?”

“I am so politically savvy I don't need to be a politician, cousin.”

“Oh … uh … yeah … uh … yeah, here you are as acting interim chief of police and you didn't even have to ask me.”

“That's different, cousin. Neither of us asked to be in the position we are in – that's a Lee problem.”

“Yeah, smart enough to do the job, too dutiful and dumb to say no,” Mayor Garner said.

“Exactly,” Col. Lee said. “Messed over since Robert E. rode up and got appointed commander of a whole army, eight miles from Richmond and both a scapegoat and hero could have been needed later.”

“Yep,” Mayor Garner said. “A whole family of geniuses who also are suckers for every no-win situation there is.”

“Yep,” Col. Lee said. “155 years and counting. You and I both should be laying up somewhere enjoying life, and here we are trying to track down full time and overtime SNAFU creators from the retirement home to sitting somewhere in this town in a cushy county office.”

“Yep,” Mayor Garner said. “Cleaning up after a whole community mess, and the thing is, we're not invested in it. We don't have a plantation to protect. But we still gotta do it, because we can't let it keep happening.”

“Yep,” Col. Lee said. “Too dumb to be detached because it isn't our problem.”

Mayor Garner laughed.

“Well, the world needs people who are dumb, too,” he said.

“Yep,” Col. Lee said.