Image by Yevhen Buzuk from Pixabay
“One thing about Amanda on Sunday morning – she's going to get the love from everywhere!”
“This is good, though, because, see, they look at her and that big smile, and give us the food from everywhere.”
Mrs. Maggie Lee, having heard about how nine-year-old George Ludlow and five-year-old Lil' Robert Ludlow used to fight a lot, smiled to hear their take on the Sunday fellowship as it was in the first summer of the pandemic. Since the Lee cousins, Col. H.F. and Mrs. Maggie, were caring for the Ludlow grandchildren for six more weeks, they were all in the same big Covid bubble as the Trents next door, so, the two families had gotten into the habit of bringing a big screen on the yard and participating in the Good Neighbors Fellowship remotely together … it seemed a lot of people in Lofton County, VA, were doing that.
But not everyone got their very own kiss and squeeze from seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow, though. That was unique to the local fellowship.
The cost-benefit analysis from George and Lil' Robert was equally unique.
“I kinda think we should get over there too and get and give some hugs,” George was saying, because love doesn't really run out, but then we are going to have to sit there while somebody talks on and on and on – although Rev. Stone and a couple of the ministers do try to keep the kids involved.”
“But, see, Rev. Stone is like Papa, see, because, he has a lotta grandkids too, so he knows if we don't get it, we're going to sleep,” Lil' Robert. “People who don't know get up there and bore people and then boom: nap time!”
“I remember some preachers used to bore grown folks like that,” George said. “While Papa and Grandma were getting us all rescued and stuff, remember that time we went to that church with the big, high steeple and the choir and the orchestra?”
“Oh yeah!” Lil' Robert said. “The music was real good!”
“And that was about it,” George said. “I mean the place was full because you know how people love free stuff and didn't have to pay to go to the symphony, but, even though we were in court out there for a while getting Edwina and Amanda's stuff straight, we never went back.”
“Yeah, I napped a lot there,” Lil' Robert said. “Music go bye-bye and then boom: nap time!”
“I will never forget what Papa said to the minister's face, because you know
Papa fears no man,” George said. “ 'Someone needs to tell you, Reverend: you have a fine building, and fine music, but if you don't believe what you are preaching about, no one else will either. Your delivery is lackluster, and your preparation is shameful, and neither God nor Satan care for a shabby performance. Better pay your music director more as a retaining bonus, or get saved.' ”
In her head, Mrs. Lee went, “Oop – but then, that is Big Robert for you – that's where Lil' Robert gets it!”
“OK, that's a lot of big words,” Lil' Robert said. “I need you to bring that to me where I can get it.”
“Basically, Rob, he told him the building looks good, the music is great, but you're a bore that doesn't care about what you are doing, God and Satan are both sick of you, so you need to keep your music together because otherwise folks are leaving – or get saved so you know the One you are talking about.”
“Oh – that's still a lot, but I get it,” Lil' Robert said. “I can't really say anything because I was asleep and missed it, but if it really was that bad, it's probably good that I napped.”
“It was,” George said. “I stayed awake just watching Papa's facial expressions – Papa is funnier than people know!”
“One thing about Papa that is the same about me – we're not going to be afraid, and we're going to let you know what is really going on!” Lil' Robert said.
“I'm going to get there,” George said, “although words like 'lackluster' are Grayson-type of words and I'm not into all that. I guess he really gets all that from Papa too, and is just ahead because Papa put him in the spelling bee.”
“And that's the thing about Grayson,” Lil' Robert said. “You notice I don't bother him – like at all? Bothering any one of us in the Ludlow man-training unit until gets you the same problems, every time. It's just that Grayson will get you with those big words, and I'mma hit you with a ton of little words, and then we're shoving the Lego pile over you and leaving you there until you say sorry. Simple!”
Amanda came streaking across the yard to Mrs. Lee.
“Cousin Maggie – Mrs. Trent says that she bought way too many yellow raspberries because she forgot that half her family really doesn't like raspberries, so she wants us to have them!”
“See?” Lil' Robert said to George as Mrs. Lee went with Amanda. “Amanda is going to give the hugs and find the food!”
“Lunch is about to be good,” George said. “When we have yellow raspberries I love playing 'red berry, yellow berry' into my mouth, but yellow raspberries aren't often in the stores here.”
“I like red raspberries because they are red,” Lil' Robert said, “but the yellow ones are good too!”
“The red ones do taste different from the yellow ones,” George said, “but they are both real good”
“All we gotta do now,” Lil' Robert said, “is see if the sermon makes sense, see, because, we know how to get lunch here quicker if it doesn't!”
The two little boys looked at each other.
“Boom: nap time!” they said, and laughed hard before going to get their hugs from the Trents, too.
I have never seen yellow raspberries.
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I've seen them maybe once or twice, but I'm not a raspberry lover and am surrounded by wild blackberries ... so I've never purchased any.