Image by DWilliam from Pixabay
Sgt. Vincent Trent's father had taught him something that was reinforced by the military.
“It ain't what you can see and hear easy that gon' get you or nobody else, because you know about it – but you got to look and listen for the small and quiet things and people.”
So, Sgt. Trent paid attention to six-year-old Grayson Ludlow's reaction to Capt. Maynor and his crew running through the setup on the three green screens, with two of them showing different angles on Don Giovanni's descent into hell. Grayson was the quietest of the Ludlow grandchildren, happy to build with his Legos and clay and even papier-mache, but that did not mean that he did not sometimes need extra attention.
“It's a good thing Don Giovanni did not have carpet,” he said to no one in particular, but Sgt. Trent was near his little neighbor.
“Well, we have to take your opinion on it since you probably build more floors than anyone else around here,” Sgt. Trent said gently.
“We don't have carpet and I'm glad, and I'm glad you don't have carpet either, Uncle Sarge, because, if Hell opens up, nobody has time to sing on carpet,” Grayson said. “Carpet burns faster than wood or stone floors.”
Sgt. Trent did a double-take – because how? – but then picked Grayson up and held him.
“You've seen that happen, huh?”
“Yes, sir,” Grayson said.
The quietest Ludlow grandchild quietly began telling of a greater horror than any of the other six was known to have seen.
“When I was in foster care, I had a neighbor who liked to play with fire, Uncle Sarge, all over the neighborhood – and he was grown like you. I still don't understand because it is so much more fun to build things up than burn them down, and trash in trash cans and dumpsters doesn't smell good when it burns, either.”
“The world is a strange place sometimes, Grayson,” Sgt. Trent said gently. “Go on – what happened next?”
“Well, there were a lot of abandoned houses around where I live, and, since no one cared about them, my neighbor got tired of burning dumpsters and started burning them down, too. The houses that burned the fastest had carpet, because they kept bringing burned carpet out after, but the houses that had wood and stone floors were saved.”
“And you kept track of all this?”
“It wasn't hard because it was all on my block,” Grayson said, “but he kind of liked us because my foster mom always shared cookies and stuff with him. He was kind of weird and lonely, but he said our house felt warm. I guess it didn't need fire because it was already warm.”
“So, you and your foster mom were able to escape, and then come back, Grayson?”
“Yep,” Grayson said.
“What happened to your neighbor?”
“He forgot he had carpet, too,” Grayson said. “When the police came, he set the house on fire to slow them down, but, fire moves really fast on a carpet.”
Then Sgt. Trent remembered … the case had been in the news in Tennessee where his family was from. The arsonist had set his own house on fire and shot himself to keep from being captured. Grayson, in essence, understood that the man had killed himself, but did not understand the concept of suicide.
Grayson also understood that the arsonist was a deeply troubled man in need of love and care, and that because his foster mom was nice, their house had not been burned.
“Have you ever told your grandparents this story?” Sgt. Trent said.
“No, because I just remembered it,” Grayson said.
“That's a lot for a six-year-old to have to remember every day,” Sgt. Trent said.
“It kinda is,” Grayson said. “I feel bad for Don Giovanni because he has to sing and then go through it because he was not a good person. Fire is not fun in your house.”
“No, it's not,” Sgt. Trent said.
“Does Heaven have carpet, though? I'm sure it doesn't because nothing burns there.”
“Street made of gold, city made of precious jewels,” Sgt. Trent said.
“See, God knows what He is doing,” Grayson said.
“He does,” Sgt. Trent said.
“I feel better now,” Grayson said. “Thank you, Uncle Sarge!”
“Any time, Grayson. You never have to feel weird and lonely, because my house is warm, and yours is, too.”
“I know!” Grayson said. “Even if we all had carpet, it would still be fine because our houses are already warm and full of love!”
Sgt. Trent made a note to tell Capt. Ludlow later on about his grandson's story, and then surprised himself by shedding a tear at the memory of something else his father used to say.
“Never forget why Jesus said to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Jesus said that because He is the Savior, and He saves us every day by telling us how to treat people. You never know who gon' bless you or what evil ain't gon' touch your door because you showed God's love to everyone you met. This here world is cold, and people will burn down your house to feel some warmth if it comes to that – but it ain't gotta come to that if you do what God tell you and not pick and choose.”
This somewhat spooky story comes from a West African proverb: “The child neglected by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” Notice how in the midst of telling a tragic story, future tragedies are being prevented … the child telling the story knows his “village” is already warm, for he is not neglected.