22 June 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2775: innovation

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“See, I feel safer because there's at least one person with sense out there – hey, Cousin Harry! Don't go to work yet!”

Eight-year-old Edwina Ludlow and seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow ran over to Col. H.F. Lee as he was heading out for work as a police captain in Big Loft, VA.

“We had this idea yesterday after voice lessons and it is so amazing – I'm going to give you snugglecouragement and Edwina and I together are going to give you singingcouragement!” Amanda said.

“At the same time!” Edwina said. “See, Col. F.V. Wozniak taught us about head voice and we can sing really high now and showed us how to use old tunes and we can add new words!”

“And we love this,” Amanda said, “because we like Old MacDonald and we like old people but we need to do … uh, hold on … what's the word, Eleanor?”

“Innovation. I-N-N-O-V-A-T-I-O-N,” eleven-year-old Eleanor said.

“Yeah, innovation!” Amanda said. “We need new songs!”

“And boy do we have one for you – we want you to be encouraged and we know there's a lot of dumb stuff out there because of dumb people but we know we can count on you!” Edwina said.

“You ready?” Amanda said.

“Aw!” Mrs. Maggie Lee said as she walked up with her camera phone on. “How sweet – isn't it, Harry?”

Col. Lee was taller, and he could see the Ludlow grandparents – Mrs. Thalia Ludlow was laughing and Capt. R.E. Ludlow put his head in his hands.

“Of course!” he said to Amanda and Edwina, and they just grinned.

Amanda ran up and hugged Col. Lee, and started dancing him around as she and Edwina sang in the tune of “Old MacDonald”:

“Give those bad guys all the smoke – we are here for it!
Shut them down and drive them broke – we are here for it!
Snatch 'em up here, catch 'em up there, break bad on them everywhere!
Give those bad guys all the smoke – we are here for it!"

She and Amanda took deep breaths and went for their new high notes.

“WE ARE HERE FOR IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!”

“Oh no!” nine-year-old George Ludlow said. “Edwina is corrupting Amanda!”

Mrs. Lee could barely keep videoing she was laughing so hard.

“Listen to those little ones with their high notes – saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang, babies!” Mrs. Velma Stepforth said next door and started waving her handkerchief at them while Mr. Thomas Stepforth shook his head and grinned.

“The triumph of innovation in the modern age of creativity,” he said. “Col. Lee can take out any bad guy in Lofton County now – just have them listen to that and laugh themselves to death. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!'