Two weeks ago, we left Ludlow the rubber ducky waiting in great consternation as to what his nemesis (Grandma) would do, if she found that he was now a green color. Ludlow, as all rubber duckies are supposed to be, was normally yellow. Over the years, he had managed to change his color to red or green so that he could enter festivities like Christmas, Valentine’s Day or even St. Patrick’s Day. However, every time someone would clean the new color off him and return him to his natural yellow. He was always told that rubber duckies are yellow and he should get used to it. Usually, it was the little blond girl’s mother, who was now the grandmother of Xander, who was the culprit in returning him to his natural yellowness.
Ludlow’s latest change in color was due to Xander who had grabbed him, and ran into a room where a painter was working. Xander dropped Ludlow into a can of green paint to see the splash, and Ludlow was now a glorious green. However, at the same time Grandma came for a visit, and Ludlow was worried that she would spot him and try to remove the green. Sure, enough she did, and she exclaimed, “How does this duck end up with a changed color all the time?” She asked Xander, but of course, he claimed that he didn’t know (he did). She grabbed Ludlow and tried to remove the green paint, but without success. However, grandmas do not give up easily.
In this case Grandma was a world renown chemist. In addition, Xander’s mother was a famous astro-physicist. Grandma was certain that the two of them together could develop a formula that would remove paint and other icky things off rubber without harm -she didn’t want to upset Xander. The two of them worked industriously and soon developed a wonderful solution. It was so good that they applied for a patent. It worked on all sorts of rubber. They decided to try it on their ultimate object – Ludlow. They very gently applied some to his bottom as a start. It had no effect! So, they tried more and rubbed harder, but with no result. They soaked him in the solution overnight, but Ludlow stayed his glorious green!
Grandma and Mother were astounded. Finally, Grandma sighed and said that she guessed that Ludlow would have to stay green. However, she went out and bought Xander a new yellow rubber ducky. Xander was not impressed since he thought that Ludlow looked great in the green color, that he had made him. He continued to take baths with Ludlow, although he would take the new rubber duckie with him once in a while. Mostly though the new duckie sat on the shelf next to Ludlow. Ludlow didn’t mind though since as soon as he saw her (rubber duckies know) he thought that she was very cute. She thought that he was very handsome and loved his green color. Xander named her, Bath-Sheba. They would snuggle on the shelf, and every so often the people in the house would exclaim and wonder where the little rubber duckies had come from. Xander said that he didn’t know.
. . . and Ludlow and Bath-Sheba lived happily ever after!
Columnist Barry Evans writes about Life in The Villages.
