4 May 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2726: aluminium frame

Image by jacqueline macou from Pixabay

“So, in the U.S., we say aluminum, but in England, they say, aluminium, and that's one thing when you are talking about big things like cars and planes that might have an 'aluminium frame,' but there is nothing like being at the church potluck talking about covering your food with some aluminium foil and having everybody looking at you like you have had a stroke and can't even say your words right.”

“Ain't it the truth, Glendella, ain't it the truth.”

Ten-year-old Glendella Ludlow was talking with eight-year-old Gracie Trent about life and about being authentic, although they didn't know that term yet.

“All I'm saying is,” Gracie continued, “is that if grown folks would try harder to be something than trying to convince people that they are something, the world would be a better place. Down where we live now, we have had three water main breaks because people are pretending to be plumbers, and now, there goes the neighborhood around the corner!”

“But see, if you're gonna be something, then you gotta be that, and people aren't trying to work that hard,” Glendella said. “Me and my Ludlow cousins have parents that don't want to be parents, and grandparents that don't want to be grandparents – but I'm telling you that you would get shot if you ever tried to tell my old neighborhood what was really going on.”

“Yeah, I know about that, but my dad's mom that you're going to meet soon is a Jubilee-of-the-mountain, so, we do the long shooting since 1854,” Gracie said. “One thing you are not going to be doing in my family if you want to not get sent to Heaven or Hell from a mile off is playing about some kids, and your big cousins about to be your adopting Papa and Grandma don't play that stuff either. They are like my parents and grandparents: they are 'bout it, 'bout it, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because it gets bad out here when people aren't.”

“Tell me about it,” Glendella said. “That's why I had to get over here, because no.”

“It's not even just with kids either, speaking of aluminum stuff,” Gracie said. “My cousin Terrance was working a job in Big Loft the other week and he called here all upset because when you put aluminum foil parts where there is supposed to be steel in an elevator shaft, it doesn't matter if you say it the uppity British way.”

“Oh no,” Glendella said.

“God be praised, nobody was in the elevator,” Gracie said, “but you know Cousin Terrance had to fire everybody involved because he also is about doing his job and is not with the foolishness.”

“Wait a minute – hold on,” Glendella said. “Grayson, when you get the etouffee juice off your fingers, can you help us figure out how much aluminum foil it would take to make an elevator?”

Six-year-old Grayson Ludlow, master Lego engineer, cleaned up his hands and started counting on his fingers.

“I don't think we have that much in our kitchen, and I don't think you have that much in yours either, Gracie. I'd ask to see the blueprints, but, if you're building an elevator out of foil, then you need to be fired like the folks who are making these aluminum foil water mains.”

“Ain't it the truth, Grayson, ain't it the truth,” Gracie said. “Folks just don't take pride in their work any more.”

“Too busy taking pride in acting like they are working,” Glendella said, “but when it gets so bad that you think aluminum foil is for everything, you're just lost.”

“And you know ain't none of these people ever heard of duct tape,” Gracie said.

“Exactly!” Grayson and Glendella said as they shook their little heads.

“I was good until she came with the duct tape!” said Gracie's grandfather, Thomas Stepforth Sr. as he all but fell out in the kitchen laughing. “I was doing good!”

“The Gracie Trent Experience strikes again,” Gracie's 21-year-old big brother Melvin said.

“Ain't it the truth, Melvin,” Gracie's days-from-18-year-old sister Vanna said. “Ain't it the truth.”