9 November 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2916: characteristically quiet

“So, I brought all this over here, Cousin Maggie, because I really need to get some stuff done today to rebuild Lofton County, and the usual things are happening at my house and it's quieter here.”

Six-year-old Grayson Ludlow had brought his little red wagon over to the home of his cousins Col. H.F. and Mrs. Maggie Lee. The Lees left their back door unlocked, living between their Ludlow cousins and their friends the Trents, and so for the 12 little children living around them, the Lee home was safe 'third space' to do jigsaw puzzles, play slow board and card games, have conversations, or just get quiet time.

Grayson was often in his Lee cousins' home, but his Cousin Maggie was a little surprised to see he had not brought a single Lego these day, but instead had one of his great-grandfather's architectural guides, a whole box of white crayons, a ruled notebook, and lots of blue construction paper in his little red wagon.

Mrs. Lee knew Grayson was characteristically quiet, but his mind was always working, and his heart was as big and passionate as any of his louder siblings. He was not happy about the adults in Lofton County letting whole neighborhoods get washed out and the high school having asbestos, and about the clinic he had gone to while in a good foster care home being threatened with closing. Grayson knew he had inherited his great-grandfather's ability to build, and had more heart than a lot of other people.

“I'm six years old – so what?” he had thundered one day in frustration, and Mrs. Lee had heard him.

Grayson was not taking no for an answer...

“How Ludlow of him,” Col. H.F. Lee had said with a gentle chuckle about that. “He's quiet, but when he gets ready to let you know what is going on, be ready!”

So, Mrs. Lee watched her little Ludlow cousin carefully and even sequentially unpack his things.

“No one is using the coffee table right now, so you can,” Mrs. Lee said.

“I appreciate you,” Grayson said, “but I'm going to need this whole corner of the room that nobody usually walks in because it's a lot.”

“Well, sometimes people walk there, so I'm going to put a sheet down for you,” Mrs. Lee said.

“I appreciate you, Cousin Maggie,” he said. “Thank you. Y'all let me know when you and Cousin Harry need a bigger house. I've got you.”

Grayson was still working hard when Col. H.F. Lee came home, and the colonel greeted his cousin gently but did not disturb his concentration, looking on with astonishment at what the little boy was doing.

“He has taken the drawings of buildings in his great-grandfather's guide and has reproduced them, and then labeled the best ones – he has replaced the clinic and the high school,” Col. Lee said to his wife when Grayson had gone home to dinner.

“I saw that!” Mrs. Lee said. “Look at his notebook – he's got notes like his great-grandfather does by his mini-drawings!”

Col. Lee looked and read.

“I know Great-Grandpa built this as a mansion, but, this should be the new high school because it has big windows and tall ceilings – light and air and space and good shapes because big kids need that even though they don't want to act like little kids,” the colonel read.

“He's right, though,” Mrs. Lee said.

“Yes, because Grayson observes with love, and so he sees things as they are,” Col. Lee said. “Grayson, and many quiet people, epitomizes some wisdom often lost in the hustle and bustle of our lives. Who observes us the most, and the most quietly, knows us the best, and when He speaks, will be heard?”

“God,” Mrs. Lee said.

“And that would be terrifying, except that God is Love,” Col. Lee said. “Little Grayson knows things about his family, his local bubble, and Lofton County that the people involved don't know anyone knows … but he looks with love, and from there, he works to create solutions. When the time is right, he will be heard!”