29 January 2026, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2998: crystal ball

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“So I don't believe in any of that stuff because – well, there was this thing that Bad Grandma was wanting to do at the house while Grumps was visiting Mistress 2 or Mistress 3 …"

“Good Grandma,” Mrs. Thalia Ludlow, always knew to stop what she was doing when ten-year-old Glendella Ludlow, the newest adopted (grand)child to the Ludlow bunch, started talking about what she was adopted out of with her cousins and new adopted siblings. Eleven-year-old Eleanor and eight-year-old Edwina and five-year-old Lil' Robert were all listening, because Glendella was a dynamic young storyteller with some interesting stories...

“I forget which one right now, but anyway, Bad Grandma wanted to do a séance, which is when folks who don't really like each other alive hope they can get the dead to come tell them how to do whatever fool thing they need permission to do to each other but we all know God doesn't play that so they gotta try another way – but anyway, she was going to do it but got a phone call and had to cancel because the psychic dropped her crystal ball and broke it. Bad Grandma was going to reschedule, but I said she really shouldn't, because if you are a good psychic, why didn't you see in the crystal ball that you needed to buy a spare crystal ball for emergencies?”

“That's actually a really good question,” Eleanor said.

“That's because it was a scam!” Edwina said.

“Even I know you gotta have backup stuff!” Lil' Robert said. “That's why I always ask for seconds at dinner, and sometimes thirds!”

“So, I just ignore all the people who talk about seeing the future,” Glendella said, “and they oughta be good with that because if they can actually read the future they should have already seen me ignoring their ads, and if they can't see it, well, they can't do what they are advertising, so, that's that.”

“You would think the psychic would have called ahead – hi, Bad Grandma, I foresee that I'm going to break my crystal ball today, so – Glendella, this is worse than you even thought, because what the psychic needed to do is something Andrew can do without needing all that – a 9-2-2-Where-We-Call-You pre-emergency call!”

Glendella considered this.

“But Andy is a very special boy in his way like Rob here in his way – Andy actually can tell the future. He coulda saved Grumps so much trouble, because if you try dumb stuff on Upgrade Papa, the future is certain.”

“Yep,” Eleanor, Edwina, and Lil' Robert said together.

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes – no crystal ball needed!” Edwina said, “and I just love him for that because sometimes people gotta know there's consequences for doing dumb stuff. He is Problem Papa and I am Problem Child and we love handing out consequences – that's a definite future for anybody who brings mess over here because we don't play about ours!”

“And that's the other reason nobody really needs a crystal ball,” Glendella said, “because you can just do whatever you are doing and let the future take care of itself. Do the right thing and the good consequences will eventually show up.”

“I think people get tired of waiting,” Eleanor said, “and then you don't get to choose your consequences, and sometimes people want to pick what they think is good, so it all gets very frustrating.”

“It's like me trying to figure out what's for dinner,” Lil' Robert said, “although all of it is good so, see, I just hate waiting!”

Glendella went and put her arms around her beloved new baby brother.

“We'll get there in a little while, Rob – I mean, we do need to give Good Grandma time to cook it all.”

“And that's what people don't understand about God and the future,” Eleanor said. “Things for us take time to get here, and He will not be rushed.”

“But at least God is nice about it,” Edwina said as she reached up her arms for a hug from Eleanor. “At least He gave us big sisters.”

“But see, that's the other thing,” Glendella said. “Grumps was off giving Mistress 2 or 3 a hug instead of Bad Grandma, and Bad Grandma really wanted hugs from her mistress anyway, and none of those people care anything about God.”

“Well, if hugs are there from people God sends, and you don't want them, that's your problem!” Edwina said.

“That's not quite how this works, Eddie,” Eleanor said, “but then again, in another way, that's exactly how this works.”