Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Little Amanda Ludlow, on hearing the conversation between her grandfather Captain Ludlow and their neighbor Sgt. Trent, went to find her big brothers Andrew and George. They could see that she was very upset, and so came running to her.
“What's the trouble, Amanda?” Andrew said.
“You know we want to help you,” George said. “Hey, Milton and Gracie – please come within ten feet, because Amanda needs help.”
“Well, I was listening to Uncle Sarge [the Ludlow grandchildren parsing for Sgt. Trent] talking about trust being a big part of Miss Information, and Grandpa was all mad because somebody is messing with Miss Information – when she finds out that Bad Ministration has been lying to her, she's going to be so hurt!”
“Oh, gee,” George said to Andrew. “The girls do get so mad when they find out the men are lying. When I was in foster home, Foster Mom found out Foster Dad was lying. She started throwing things and he started running – she was screaming and crying so loud I went out the window, and by the time I got back, she was burning his things on the lawn.”
“Yep, this could be a problem,” Andrew said, “but, nothing to worry about here, Amanda. We will tell Grandpa and he will transform into the Winter Wolf and go get Mr. Ministration, and then we will all comfort Miss Information.”
“Right,” Milton said, “and if she really can't take it, that's okay, because I'll make room and Gracie will rescue her like she rescued Goldie [the cat] and Goody [the dog].”
“I certainly will,” Gracie said, “because people need rescuing too, and, all lives really do matter.”
Amanda hugged her two brothers and smiled through her tears.
“I have the best big brothers in the world,” she said, and then “air-hugged” Milton and Gracie. “I feel so much better now!”
“Let's go get Grandpa started – we got this, Amanda, you can go on and play,” George said, and then he and Andrew went to talk with their grandfather, patiently waiting until there was a break in the conversation between him and Sgt. Trent.
“Permission to speak freely, sir,” Andrew said.
“Granted, Andrew,” Captain Ludlow said, and Sgt. Trent smiled at the phenomenon of the Ludlow army … given how many children he had to take care of, it made sense that the veteran grandfather had borrowed a little from his army background.
It was also fun to watch the veteran grandfather's cool self-possession be tested when the permission he gave to speak freely went all the way to the left.
“So, Amanda overheard some of your conversation with Sgt. Trent and was really upset by how Mr. Bad Ministration is breaking the trust of Miss Information, because trust is a big part of Miss Information, and she's gonna be so hurt.”
“What?”
“Yes, sir,” George said. “It can get bad, Grandpa, because I never told you what happened when my foster dad got caught lying to my foster mom.”
Captain Ludlow turned as pale as a sheet when George told his story, and then bright red …
“They ought to be glad I didn't know about any of that, George,” he growled.
“Right, Grandpa,” Andrew said. “That's how we know you can transform into the Winter Wolf and go deal with Mr. Ministration – he wouldn't dare keep lying to Miss Information after you go deal with him.”
Grayson walked up and pulled on his brother George's shirt, and then whispered into his ear before waving at Sgt. Trent – “Hey, Uncle Sarge!” and running off.
“Grayson wanted me to remember to ask you what your secret superhero name is, Sgt. Trent,” said George after that. “It's for the comic book.”
“Bronze Eagle,” Sgt. Trent said. “You don't see me until I swoop down and get you.”
“That's going to be a great double team on Bad Ministration,” Andrew said.
Captain Ludlow reconsidered his conversation with Sgt. Trent for what it was, and then acted on his deep disappointment in the administration he had voted for in 2016.
“Tell Amanda it is all taken care of. The Bronze Eagle and I have our day already set – the first Tuesday in November, we are going to take down Bad Ministration and everyone who works with him.”
“Right on,” said Sgt. Trent, with a smile. “Right on.”
Andrew and George grinned.
“Man, it is great to be raised by and around superhero granddads and dads!” George said.
“I'll say it is!” Andrew said.
And both boys said “Thank you! Hey, Amanda, guess what!” before running back into the world of childhood, as Sgt. Trent wondered at the continuing transformation of his neighbor to become who his grandchildren thought he was.