Image by Brian Merrill from Pixabay
“You know what I don't miss about life before we came here and Covid and stuff?” seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow said to her five-year-old brother Lil' Robert and six-year-old brother Grayson.
“What?” they said.
“Busy streets and traffic!” she said. “People get mean in traffic, and when you are small, you worry about being stepped on!”
The two boys were designing a Lego raceway for their toy cars, and Amanda had noticed that they had kept all the Lego people out of it.
“Well, yeah!” Grayson said. “Crowds are not really a good build for the streets!”
“I'll say they are not, because if they get too noisy, nobody can even hear you, much less see you!” Lil' Robert said. “Although y'all know now why I am so loud. I practice. You gotta be ready to deal with these streets.”
“Yeah, because, we're not as tall as Papa yet,” Grayson said.
“And not as rough, either,” Amanda said. “When folks do stupid stuff in traffic and we're in the car, you just know Papa would really hurt them if they tried to hurt us – those looks he gives people who start stuff!”
“I'm so glad he doesn't ever look at anyone here like that!” Grayson said. “Papa is a real soldier, so, he can be rough when he needs to be.”
“We've seen that a couple of times since coming here,” Lil' Robert said. “No fun for anyone, although they certainly got what they were supposed to get!”
“Which is why we build peaceful streets with peaceful drivers and walkers,” Grayson said. “Sit down and play with us, Amanda – we have an extra car!”
“I think I will!” she said, “because when people build it right, I can trust it!”
“And that's all we need!” Lil' Robert cried, and threw his arms around his sister.
“Robert,” came the softly booming voice of Capt. R.E. Ludlow, their grandfather.
“Yes, sir,” Lil' Robert said as he snapped to attention.
“I know that you are here. Inside voice, please.”
“Yes, sir – I mean, yes, sir in my inside voice, sir!”