“The thing about Robert Edward Ludlow III; there's nothing little about his appetite. There is no food you want to eat that you can be sure that Lil' Robert has no appetite for that.”
Five-year-old Lil' Robert Ludlow was chowing down on something children generally hated: Brussels sprouts, prepared by Madame Ebene-Cerise Dubois in Cajun style. Lil' Robert's cousin, Col. H.F. Lee, had been curious and wanted to try them, and had purchased enough for himself and his wife from Dubois on the Road – a special order.
However, Lil' Robert had smelled something new from the Ludlow yard and came right over to try the new dish.
“Oh my, we need to pray!” seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow said. “They have found a way to get Rob to participate in … uh … what is that long thing we were hearing on the show … the nation of desperation?”
Ten-year-old Andrew Ludlow looked at his little sister with concern.
“Mandie, Brussels sprouts are bad, but they are not the abomination of desolaton.”
“Well, they gotta be the second-runner-up, and I still say they need to be abolished!”
“These are real good, though!” Lil' Robert was saying as he came home with a little dish that had enough in it for all ten Ludlows to get a little taste. “And if you don't want to try them, that's OK because I need seconds!”
“These actually are good, though,” Mrs. Thalia Ludlow said when she tried some.
“See? I told you!” Lil' Robert said triumphantly.
“Yes, with that much andoulle sausage and butter and spices mixed in, just about anything would be,” Capt. R.E. Ludlow said. “Madame Dubois has eleven children, and I bet she had no problem getting any of them, or any of her grandchildren, to eat their vegetables!”
