12 July 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2431: dirty collar

Image by GrumpyBeere from Pixabay

“So, this is kinda deep … the thing about white-collar and blue-collar jobs is that people who did hard physical work wore blue collars because they did hard work all day and maybe had a dirty collar at the end, and all the people who didn't had white collars because they didn't work that hard with their bodies.”

Eleven-year-old Velma Trent was sharing this with her friends eleven-year-old Eleanor Ludlow and ten-year-old Andrew Ludlow, while Mrs. Maggie Lee quietly observed their discussion.

“Well, I mean, I get it in laundry terms,” Eleanor said, “but just because you are sitting in an office all day doesn't mean your collar isn't dirty. It's hot down here in the summer.”

“Yeah, but it's just not as obvious – I get it,” Andrew said, “because people look for ways to look down on other people for every reason.”

“Yeah, but, that doesn't make sense,” Velma said. “We need everybody. Your brother Grayson and your sister Edwina want to redesign Lofton County, but when they get past Lego, they are going to need people to build houses and roads, put down plumbing and electrical, and all that.”

“Yeah, but,” Eleanor said, “people who don't do that stuff think they are better because they don't have to … but you really find out you are just another human being with no place to go when you don't have someone to fix the toilet or take out the trash.”

“Ain't it the truth,” Velma said. “My grandfather is a whole billionaire, and we were once on this vacation where there had been a party with a lot of chicken bones eaten the weekend before. Four days and some chicken bones and workers on strike – would have ruined the whole vacation, but Pop-Pop got involved because he knew somebody who knew somebody, and the workers got their raise. He said about it that “We've been trying to get this across since Dr. Martin Luther King: sanitation workers and custodians and maintenance personnel are human beings, and we have to treat them right. I'll guarantee their raise for a year.”

“So what happened after the year was up?” Andrew said.

“Pop-Pop bought the hotel chain and reorganized it, and then sold it to the workers,” Velma said. “Nobody, white-collar or blue-collar, has been underpaid since – they own the chain.”

Eleanor and Andrew looked at each other.

“You almost have to own the stuff to be treated right,” Eleanor said.

“I wonder if the workers that make the Ludlow Bubbly now would like to own the company if Papa sells,” Andrew said.

“My grandfather loves setting up those kinds of deals,” Velma said. “The way it worked with the hotel chain was that Pop-Pop bought it, and then sold it over time to the workers. He could do that with the Ludlow Bubbly, so that way, the people working hard to get the soda out have a stake in it, and that's a lot of fellow veterans that would really help. So then, y'all have your money to grow up on, and they get money to support their families going forward, and Pop-Pop does whatever billionaires do when they are happy and don't really need to collect businesses and money to be happy any more.”

“Let's go talk to him,” Andrew said, and thus the two oldest Ludlow grandchildren opened up negotiations for how the Ludlow Bubbly would become not just a soda company, but a blessing to Lofton County.

“Better get back home soon, Capt. Ludlow,” Mr. Stepforth said to Capt. Ludlow that night as they laughed about it. “My grandchildren and yours have decided to take over the 21st century together, and if we old men don't stay sharp, they will not even need us, sooner than we thought!”

“It is the perfect plan, though!” Capt. Ludlow said. “I was actually talking to General Ira Hamilton about this – the workers want to buy it, and the Lofton Trust is willing to help them!”

“Well, the Lofton Trust and I, working together, can easily set things up in a way that will make everyone happy, beginning with you and yours and of course my Trents, the Duboises, and the Gonzalezes – we literally can bless every community in Lofton County with this deal!”

“Well, sir, let's get about doing it – I'll be home in 11 days!”