Single Prompt Option - The Weekend Freewrite - 2/19/2023: Drooping branch (again)

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

“OK, so here is the thing – even though George and Milton should have asked for permission before climbing that old sour cherry tree, they and Gracie and Amanda were right: sour cherries, strawberries, and strawberry tree fruits make an incredible jam, and probably would make a great soda.”

Sgt. Trent was putting Mrs. Trent's new jam on peanut butter crackers for his family while on speaker phone with Capt. R.E. Ludlow, and Mrs. Trent handed him the second tray for the Ludlows as she took the first one out for their children. Sgt. Trent put the bigger of two jars of jam on that tray as well, and then took jar and tray to a smiling Eleanor (11) and Andrew (10) Ludlow. Andrew took the jar and Eleanor took the tray.

“Thank you, Uncle Sarge!”

Capt. Ludlow called the Trents back ten minutes later.

“First of all, my compliments to your wife, Sergeant; this jam is stupidly good.”

“Isn't it, though?” Sgt. Trent said.

“We will have to let George and Milton go back up that sour cherry tree,” Capt. Ludlow said, “and let the smaller ones clear a drooping branch or two. I will see what I can do with a soda flavor – it would have to be a limited run, and probably made with peaches instead of the arbutus strawberry fruit, but should we ever go into Europe, it would be good to have this one, particularly in Portugal.”

“Ah, yes, they do love their medronho,” Sgt. Trent said.

“Come to think of it,” Capt. Ludlow said, “forget the soda for a moment. That jam, as it is, would export well – not that either of us needs another business, but Plumpepper, Lofton County's own local jam company, is putting together a companion line it wants to promote internationally.”

“You know, Melissa was telling me about that, and we are already working with them on the Plumpepper soda flavor,” Sgt. Trent said.

“I think you have a winner with this jam,” Capt. Ludlow said, “and Plumpepper would pay your wife well to license it to them.”

“I didn't understand any of the rest of that,” nine-year-old Milton Trent said to his best friend nine-year-old George Ludlow, “except that we are going to be able to climb the cherry tree once again!”

“Yes!” George cried. “Yes!”