Every so often, someone will ask me how Ludlow is doing. Ludlow as some folks know is a little yellow rubber ducky who doesn’t want to be yellow. He wants to enter into the spirit of holidays and believes that if he were red or green, he would fit in better. He has a number of adventures including one with Santa Claus who told him “Rubber duckies are supposed to be yellow, so get used to it”. However, until recently no one was certain where he was now. He was last seen at Easter where he tried to fall in some easter egg coloring. Naturally the little blond girl who loved him wouldn’t let him, but when she looked for him that night no one could find him. After many tears and frantic searching her little sister admitted that she had taken Ludlow outside and forgot to bring him in. Everyone rushed outside, but he was nowhere to be found!
Ludlow had been placed in a tiny brook at the back of their yard by the little sister. Ludlow was floating there with a sour disposition because he had been unable to change color again when a near-sighted hawk flew down and grabbed him. When the hawk saw what he had, he was humiliated! He did not want the other hawks to see what he had done, so he flew north and dropped him where Ludlow ended up landing on the head of a farmer in West Virginia. This particular farmer was the wealthiest man in the whole area, since he had the best still. The farmer did not take kindly to being bopped on the head by something. He bent down for his Henry rifle as he thought that perhaps one of those dirty McCoy’s was around. He was correct as just as he bent down a shotgun blast went over his head. The shooter saw that the farmer had his gun so he fled for his life through the woods.
The farmer whose name was Abe Nowery (No, he wasn’t a Hatfield] looked around to see what had hit him on the head and spied Ludlow. Ludlow was enthralled as he hadn’t seen so much excitement since Rudolph had rescued him from a frozen river in Canada. Abe picked him up, and said “little fellow you saved my life, I reckon I will take you home as my little gal might like you”. He did, and the little girl fell in love with him immediately. Abe told his daughter that the yellow rubber ducky was a good luck piece and she should take care of him. She promised that she would, and noted that she would call him, Ludlow. She had noticed the name written on one of his sides in small print.
Ludlow stayed with the little girl who had red hair for a number of years. He missed the little blond girl, but his new mistress treated him very nicely. The little red haired girl grew up and was quite the beauty. However, being red headed she had quite the temper and all the courtin’ men were not her type. [They were all afraid of her]. Therefore, she decided to go into business until a real man came along. She rented a store and set up “Nowery’s Finest Junk Store”. Now the little blond girl also grew up. She came into the town with her brother one day and while he went to the hardware store, she decided to look in the junk store. She no sooner was in the store than she saw a yellow rubber ducky by the cash register. She picked him and saw that Ludlow was still printed on his side. She cried out “This is my rubber ducky, Ludlow. Can I buy him back? I have missed him so!”
The red haired girl screamed “No, you can’t! Ludlow saved my dad’s life and he told me to take care of Ludlow. You can’t have him”. She then pulled out a gun and shouted “get out of here”
Ludlow was very worried, but just then a deputy sheriff came by and saw what was occurring.
“Rose” he said, “Put the gun down! What’s going on?” Rose, replied, “She is trying to take my rubber ducky who saved my daddy’s life”. Just then the blond girl’s brother Tim came in. He looked at Rose and she looked at him. At the same time the blond girl’s whose name was Belinda was looking at Deputy Dan who was looking at her. To make a long story short, Rose found her man, and Belinda found hers. They had joint marriages, and even worked out a shared ownership of Ludlow. Ludlow was relieved!
Naturally, they all lived happily ever after – except perhaps the time Ludlow . . . .
Barry Evans is a columnist for Villages-News.com