Every once in awhile someone asks me what Ludlow, the yellow rubber ducky is up to these days. For those who don’t have the foggiest idea what I am talking about, let me inform you. Ludlow is the world’s most resourceful rubber ducky who has had a load of adventures. These adventures occurred because Ludlow does not want to be yellow. He wants to be red or green so he can join in Christmas, Valentine’s Day or perhaps St. Patrick Day festivities. Everyone tells him, including Santa Claus, that rubber duckies are yellow and he should get used to it. Ludlow doesn’t!
Ludlow had succeeded, for short periods, in changing his color. However, every time that he did, his nemesis the little blonde girl’s mother would nab him and remove the color. Ludlow was thinking about his many adventures as he sat behind the little blonde girl who was no longer little. In fact, she had grown up to become a world famous astro-physicist. She had married a brain surgeon and they now had a young son by the name of Xander. Xander is the diminutive of Alexander. Alexander the Great to be precise. Young Xander is very precocious and even walked at four weeks. This has enabled him to be like his namesake and get into adventures at a very early age.
Xander hasn’t conquered any countries, but if he could have, he would have definitely tried. He did like Ludlow and would have his mother bring him when he was having a bath. He would hold Ludlow under water and giggle with delight when Ludlow would shoot up with a splash. Ludlow didn’t mind as it took his mind off changing his color. However, at this point Ludlow was looking over the shoulder of Xander’s mother and noticed that she was reading about Federal grants given for scientific purposes. This was of interest to Ludlow as it occurred to him that perhaps some famous scientist was developing an easy way to change the color of rubber. If so, perhaps he could figure out a way to get involved. He had after all visited the North Pole once and stayed with Santa Claus until Santa could bring him home.
He read about a CIA project to train cats to be spies. The idea being was to put implants in cats and put them in areas where they could pick up vital information. Another at a college involved placing shrimp on little treadmills. That was followed by one called “Doggie Hamlet” which used human actors chasing and hollering at dogs and sheep in an open field. Ludlow then realized that he was reading about past grant projects that had been subject to ridicule. Ludlow didn’t want ridicule. He just wanted to be red or green. What was so wrong about that? Just then, he felt himself grabbed by Xander. Xander ran with glee into a room where a painter was putting green paint on a wall. He plunked Ludlow into the paint can to see the splash effect. Ludlow was shocked and then delighted as he was now a beautiful shade of green. Happy St. Patrick’s Day he thought.
At the same time as this was happening the doorbell had rung. The blonde mistress of the house answered the door. Ludlow heard her say, “Mom. Glad you could make it.” “Oh, no” thought Ludlow, “My nemesis is here. Maybe she won’t notice . . .”
Poor Ludlow!
Villager Barry Evans writes about “Life in The Villages” for Villages-News.com.