24 april 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2716: mail it to him

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“So, I think when we get this puzzle done, we should take a picture with it and mail it to him or her to who made this, because, see, if I cut something into 100,000 pieces, I would feel better if I knew people enjoy it, because, that's gotta hurt your hands, and that's not safe.”

Seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow was talking with her big cousin Col. H.F. Lee, who had dedicated a room of his home as a puzzle room for his little Ludlow cousins and their friends.

“Well, they use a special machine to do the cutting, so no hands were harmed in the making of this jigsaw puzzle,” he said gently to Amanda, “and it is a him and a her – my cousin Harold and his wife Amber – and so we can mail them a letter when it is done, but we can also call them and let them know how much we are enjoying the puzzle. Would you like to do that, Amanda?”

“I would, because this is fun, and it's safe, and it keeps us out of drama, and the world needs more of this, and I got ideas!” Amanda said.

“Check with your grandparents, and I'll make the call.”

Amanda went and got permission, and her grandfather smiled … he remembered Harold Lee, also his cousin, and a magnificent photographer even in childhood … the things he did with his first Polaroid astonished the Lees-of-the-Mountain. But Harold, and Amber, an equally magnificent photographer, were among the most humble and kind people anyone could ever meet.

“Go ahead, Amanda,” Capt. R.E. Ludlow said, and Amanda was soon talking her little head off to another set of big Lee cousins about puzzles and how they were made and how her second set of cousins used their many photographs to make the pictures people would put together and see.

“See, I got ideas,” Amanda said, “because my friends Gracie, Milton, Velma, and their mom Mrs. Trent have a business in which they do medicine reminder cards with grandkids' pictures so their grandparents will remember to take their medicine, and so, I think that you could do puzzles of people's families and friends, and we have a great picture of all of us but we have to do a new one because Glendella is here now, but, I think there are a lot of families that would want a family puzzle picture too, because it's like an album, but, more fun!”

“The Family Legacy Puzzles – well, there could really be something to that as a customized service, especially with everyone at home right now,” Harold Lee said.

“You're hired, Cousin Amanda!” Amber Lee said. “That's a great idea!”

Amber Lee called Capt. Ludlow later.

“If Amanda's idea works, Harold and I are going to take 5 percent a year and bump a college fund for her and the rest, but you know we don't have any grandkids and we'd love to have somebody who gets it to take over.”

“Well,” Capt. Ludlow said, “it's time for me to get Amanda her first Polaroid, then.”