17 January 2026, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2985: paralyzed

“OK, so a lot of the supply chain is paralyzed because of the pandemic, but the Ludlow Bubbly does not seem to be affected – can you share why?”

The Big Loft Bulletin was remotely interviewing Capt. R.E. Ludlow and Sgt. Vincent Trent, founders of the Ludlow Bubbly, and the two looked at each other.

“There is no such word,” Capt. Ludlow said, “but can we call it 'hyperlocality,' Sergeant?”

“Works for me – our suppliers are Fruitland and Gadsen Glass, our bottlers are Rhodes and Tinian, and Capt. Ludlow's family owns significant water rights,” Sgt. Trent said. “Our distributors are local as well, and all of the people along the way are classified as essential workers because although technically soda isn't essential, other things they create and distribute are, so we ride with them.”

“Wow,” eleven-year-old Velma Trent said quietly to best friend eleven-year-old Eleanor Ludlow. “Making sure you treat home right really does make a difference!”

“Yep,” Eleanor said. “Sometimes I talk to Papa about the way things were when he was all jealous of your dad, and we get down on our knees and thank God he got over it.”

“Yep, because you would have missed out on so much,” Velma said as she gave Eleanor a hug. “We love y'all, we really do.”

“And we love y'all,” Eleanor said, “and don't know what we would have done without you!”

“The money is just a bonus,” Velma said. “I don't get that people don't get that where you have real love, money is just the bonus.”

“Real love is hard to find, though,” Eleanor said. “I think some people only have money.”

“You know,” Velma said, “my Grandma Velma had to teach Pop-Pop that lesson. He made two extra billion dollars in ten years after she left just to prove he could do it, and then still had to go get her back because the money wasn't enough, and it was so hard because everybody knew they were still in love but Pop-Pop had to learn.”

“You're eleven like me – how do you know that about the last ten years?” Eleanor said.

“Quality eavesdropping,” Velma said.

“Oh, yeah – thank you for teaching us Ludlows that, too!” Eleanor said.