Image by Cris Ramos from Pixabay
“Look, it's Friday and I need the world to get its life together,” seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow said to her best friend eight-year-old Gracie Trent. “This is not how anybody needs to start a weekend!”
“Ain't it the truth,” Gracie said. “I thought people called my sergeant dad with some dumb stuff in retirement, but what your Cousin Harry deals with as a colonel is a whole 'nother level.”
“Look, Major, you have to get out of these provincial attitudes – even the Army is big and has many diverse parts and functions to it. The world is not the U.S. Army. The world is not even the Veteran's Lodge, and even if it were, the Lodge is not a military dictatorship, and even if it were, you wouldn't be running it.”
“I think what he would be saying, if he were hip, is, 'Check yourself before you wreck yourself, Major,' ” Gracie's eleven-year-old sister Velma said.
“Yeah, but there's just levels to it,” Amanda's big sister eleven-year-old Eleanor Ludlow. “It's not this, or this, or this, but this right here.”
“It's like he stair-steps you into getting it,” Gracie's nine-year-old brother Milton said.
“Y'all better be glad he does,” Andrew said. “That's the whole entire Angel of Death there. You want him to be on the angel side!”
“But this is what I am saying – I need people to get their life together while they still have it!” Amanda said.
“You're more of a sweet little girl than I am,” Amanda's eight-year-old sister Edwina said, “because I just think some people should just drop and find out!”
“But you wouldn't like it if Papa did that to you!” Amanda said.
“Well, yeah, there is that part,” Edwina said. “OK, OK … you can let them down easy, but get them there!”
“Look, Major, I know civilian life is tough. I've been here 20 months, and the lack of organization is really a mind-bender. But we can't order our way out of this. But you know General Ira Hamilton is looking for a project manager … if you are unemployable by civilians, you know Gen. Hamilton has got you!”
“Well, he got him there!” Velma said.
“Yeah, there are a lot of veteran-run companies like the Ludlow Bubbly, because it seems like military men don't do well taking orders in a mess,” Andrew said.
“Well, I don't really either,” Amanda said, “because that just doesn't seem safe.”
“It isn't,” Eleanor and Andrew and Edwina and Gracie and Velma said.”
“OK,” Amanda said with a smile, “because that means Cousin Harry was able to help that man like he helps us, and everybody is going to be safe going into the weekend!”