Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay
"Sir, you misapprehend my response to this foolery you propose. You have the power to do what you want and I love that for you and me, because you have all the tools and connections and advantages necessary to dig your own grave and save me the trouble."
“So, explain this to me like I'm seven, which is five plus two,” seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow said to her big brother ten-year-old Andrew. “Why do people keep calling and talking crazy to Cousin Harry? Don't they know he's the Angel of Death? Why if you are safe would you call here and just make yourself unsafe?”
“You know, Mandie,” Andrew said with a big sigh, “I've been thinking about this for a while, because they call Papa, they call Sgt. Trent, they call Mr. Stepforth, and they call Cousin Harry, and you would think that all these men are like more than forty years old and people should know by now that none of them should be played with. I mean, Mr. Stepforth could get rid of you with his pocket change stacked on top of you, and Papa is just Papa.”
“These grandfather type of people are on a whole 'nother level,” Amanda said.
“Well, yeah, because there are parents, but then there are grand parents,” Andrew said. “I wouldn't mess with Mrs. Stepforth or Grandma for the same reason – they are on a whole 'nother level.”
“Right, because that would definitely not be safe either,” Amanda said. “When Papa is taking a nap, and Grandma says don't wake him up, you know you better find something else to do and somewhere else to be. She doesn't do that thing often, but, sheesh, Andy!”
“And then there are people like Edwina, and Robert on bad days, but they are both Papa-twins, so, yeah,” Andrew said.
“Yeah,” Amanda said.
“So, I've been thinking about why anybody messes with any of them,” Andrew said, “and what I realize that those people aren't safe anyhow.”
“What do you mean?” Amanda said.
“If you were really a safe person, would you go running into unsafe situations on purpose?” Andrew said.
“No – why would anyone do that?” Amanda said.
“But see, safe people like safe situations,” Andrew said. “You're super-safe, Amanda … you are sweet and caring and kind and loving, and you want to be in spaces where you fit in, and you need that, and God saw that, and so here you are.”
“And so are you because you are too!” Amanda said as she gave her big brother a hug. “I love you so much!”
“I love you too and I'm so glad we're never going to be separated again!” he said, and they both started bawling … whereupon Col. H.F. Lee put down the phone and left the person just cussing away to come quickly to put his arms around his cousins.
Later, the two siblings got back together, and Andrew finished his thought.
“It kinda works out all the way to Heaven and Hell,” he said. “You see Cousin Harry is super-safe to us, but when people who aren't safe call him, he's not safe. Life seems to be like that: everybody is getting where they are going, given long enough.”
“So, the people who really want safety to be safe in are going to get there, but … the unsafe people are going to get to un-safety?” Amanda said.
“I think that is what is going on,” Andrew said, “like Papa has worked all these unsafe jobs, but is in therapy to be safe for Grandma and us, but that politician who called Cousin Harry has a safe job but had to call here on some dumb stuff. I think what we are seeing in the world, and in the news, is people sorting themselves out.”
Amanda hugged Andrew again.
“I'm so glad we're the same sort – and we're gonna get Edwina over here!”
“Oh, Eddie is the same sort,” Andrew said, “but it just takes longer for some safe people who were unsafe to realize they are in the right place. But, the gardening is totally helping.”
“We just need Gracie to keep watering the gardens with the holy water that they bless with the food at her house!” Amanda said.
“Um, I'm not sure that's how that works,” Andrew said, “but however God is doing it, we're here for it!”
Nice one. I enjoy some the writing.I love Andrew's statements.
Thank you for reading!