Image by Dean Moriarty from Pixabay
“Look, it basically is a treasure hunt gone backwards and rogue – the problem is simple. Yes, there are any number of men like me who could go get that man, but no one is going to go do it for you, because showing y'all the money before you show us accountability for how you let that happen is not going to happen. It's just not. You are out here talking about 'lead me to the riches,' and we're out here talking about if we can't trust you with that money, how are we going to trust you with anything else?”
“See?” six-year-old Grayson Ludlow said to neighbors Vertran Stepforth (9), Velma, (11), Milton (9), and Gracie Trent (8). “The adults don't know how the money gravity went wrong either. Cousin Harry is really smart, and if he doesn't know I'm not sure anyone else is going to figure it out.”
“That's not what I get from this,” Velma said. “I get the feeling the people he is talking to know, but they just don't want to tell him.”
Grayson considered this.
“I'd ask Ellie [Eleanor, age 11] and Andy [Andrew, age 10], but they are reading and Mandie [Amanda, age 7] is asleep between them.”
“We can figure this out,” Milton said.
“Ain't it the truth,” Gracie said, “because there really isn't a lot to figure. They lost something. Col. Lee is basically everybody's smart dad and grandfather; they don't want to tell him, he already knows, and is giving them a chance to get their lives together before he does what dads and grandfathers do when you try to lie to them.”
All the children considered this.
“Sounds right,” Grayson said.
“It does,” Velma said. “Col. Lee does have that done-with-you-dad tone in his voice.”
“He sure does,” Milton said. “I know all about that!”
“Pop-Pop's whole attitude is basically laughing about it,” Vertran said, “but if you know Pop-Pop, if he's laughing at you, you are in so much trouble.”
“Basically, 'you're done, son.'” Velma said.
“But they kinda need to be done if they arent telling the truth,” Grayson said. “I mean, we mess up, but they're grown.”
The other children considered this.
“Are we sure they are grown?” Velma said. “It's like you and Robert are not grown up, but you hve real tall souls and would never do this kind of stuff.”
“Yeah,” Grayson said, “and also, Papa.”
“I just think a lot of adults have real little souls,” Velma said, “and they don't know or care about Father God at all.”
“That could be a thing,” Milton said.
“Ain't it the truth,” Gracie said. “All I'm saying is, people need to go on and get their whole lives together.”
“Yep,” Grayson said, “because Andy would tell you that sooner or later, your life is over, and it can come really quick if you keep calling the Angel of Death, or Papa, but that's kinda the same thing.”