20 December 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2957: appeal to them

"Appeal to them on the basis of what now?"

“Uh oh,” 21-year-old Melvin Trent said to everyone in his home in particular. “Whenever Dad or Grandma Jubilee comes out with that 'what now,' the person on the other end of the phone is getting their last opportunity before they get told about themselves, their mama, their daddy, their grandparents, their friends, their driving habits, and if it is Grandma Jubilee, their likelihood of a rapidly decreasing lifespan … .”

“Yeah, that's not even about to be a popcorn situation even it if it is just Dad,” Melvin's days-from-18-year-old sister Vanna said, “because remember: Dad can just throw on the drill sergeant badges and have you drop and give him 50 for even bothering him.”

“Oh, the memories – not to mention the suicide sprints, the burpees, the laps around the house!” Melvin said. “But hey: Dad loves us. That's nothing compared to what can happen – see?”

“Listen, we don't even know each other like that, and that's a good thing, because if you knew me and came to me with this foolishness this would be ten times more unpleasant than it is about to be, because here is what we are not going to be doing, catching a case in Lofton County. Penal Code Section 5, subparagraph 3 says … .”

“Oh no – this is one of our cousins running out of money with Covid and trying to pull Dad into a scheme,” Vanna said. “You would think they would learn by now.”

“Yeah, and you would think Milton and George wouldn't be indefinitely grounded again after all the grounding incidents they have had, but they are nine, and they don't know any better. They are going to learn, but the problem with the older Trents beside our grandfather's branch is that they don't want to learn.”

“See, cousin, if you had listened to me a year ago, you wouldn't be broke, but noooooooooooooooooooo... so now, you want to sweet-talk yourself into a second-class felony and want me to co-sign?

Vanna sighed.

“Do you think the rest are ever going to get it?” she said.

“Well, if we could appeal to them based on common sense, since sin, righteousness, and judgment hasn't worked since V.T. Trent our grandfather walked the earth … but probably, if you don't deal with the big three there, in two generations, common sense is probably going to say goodbye to you, too.”

“Yep,” Vanna said. “As much as our family is involved in crime, you figure somebody would have learned the penal code by now just through experience.”

Melvin laughed.

“You would think Milton wold have learned through experience, too – nope. There are too many possible experiences, Vanna, unless people add something to it – little Amanda Ludlow often says it right – people gotta learn to go inside, sit down, shut up, and think about the life they are living.”

Vanna laughed.

“That's so bad, Melvin – Amanda has more sense than –.”

“Listen, cousin, get saved. I have neighbors raised by a whole recovering racist that have more common sense than you – you need Jesus to give you a whole new mind so you can go somewhere, sit down, shut up, and think about how to live a better life before you get snatched up, locked up, and get the time anyway to do that – and you can ask Cousins Trenton or Darnell if bothering me is what you want to do in the meantime.”

“Nope, that ain't what Cuzzo wants to be doing!” Vanna said.

“I hope he knows that,” Melvin said. “Dad keeps a file, and you know he's going to go look at it and be ready to get somebody caught up on a warrant.”

“You know it – but hey: it could be worse,” Vanna said.

“Yep,” Melvin said. “Could have called Grandma Jubilee!”