Weekend Freewrite -7/11/2020 - Single Prompt Option: Hot Water

in Freewriters4 years ago

Just about the time Captain Hamilton hung up the phone, Captain Lee pulled up in his pickup truck, but he wasn't alone. Sitting with him in the cab was a couple who appeared to be in their early to middle sixties, the man of which bore an eerie resemblance to the captain...

“Surprise – reinforcements!” Captain Lee shouted.

“Yeah, it looks like you've got yourself into some hot water down here, Major,” said General Ira Hamilton as he jumped down from the cab and helped his wife out. “Figured you'd like a little more reinforcement at the house.”

“Yes,” said Aunt Sally. “If your bunch eats like you and your sisters used to eat, I know Aggie needs some help!”

“Does Addison know how to shoot yet?” General Hamilton said.

“Yes, sir, he does,” Captain Hamilton said, “and so do Aggie the Younger and Iris, but I'm not opposed to you, under the circumstances, helping them touch up on their defensive skills.”

The two men saluted each other, and then dissolved right into a big hug in which Aunt Sally was included.

“Get in it,” General Hamilton barked to Captain Lee.

“Yes, sir,” the retired army colonel said, and got in it.

“Now, look,” General Hamilton said when all the love was done, “I'm a general. I give orders. It's what I did for a living. I know I am retired and I'll try to ramp it down, but boys, we have to get past the stupid stuff. Harry, you need hugs too – it's scientifically proven that you'll be able to get and keep that blood pressure down better if you are touched in an appropriately loving way more often. And yes, Sally and I are going to look over this woman you are seeing to make sure she understands the whole spectrum of what you need even when you don't.”

“Yes, sir.”

“All right – I'm good and warmed up now, so nephew, what is this I here about you just letting folks come and cuss you out at work? I know humble is the way, but this is a police station, and you're the captain. You gotta reinforce respect for the office! They asked you to come back to this place that you were well out of – for what? To make you their whipping boy? Yes, I know you feel terrible about what had to happen in July, but we are not Catholics and you're NOT doing penance by letting these people disrespect you. You don't need the stress or the formative PTSD being kicked up. Cut that whole mess out – if people can't act like they have some sense, then you tell them they can come back when they come correct. That's it. That's all. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“All right – onto the house – Harry gave me y'all's shopping list, so we just filled up his truck bed. That means you can go home and relax.”

“Great – that means we can swing by the home of a friend who will show us something that will bless us all,” Captain Hamilton said.

“Okay – I'm always up for an adventure!”