 | It wasn't President's Day |
I was stunned to learn that whatever we celebrated today, it wasn't Presidents Day because there is no such federal holiday. Well, my first thought was, so how come I didn't get any mail? That's because today is officially the combined Lincoln-Washington Birthday. THAT's the Federal Holiday according to Greg Joyce in the St. Petersburg Times. I kind of like the idea that this is holiday the people created - if by people you mean car salesmen and mattress dealers, but still. I've always loved stories about the presidents and I love to think about how ace reporter Nellie Bly got an interview from Grover Cleveland by sitting on his clothes while he was having his morning swim and refusing to give them back til she got her story. I love the story of President Theodore Roosevelt becoming convinced that no one listened to what was said in reception lines so he began saying outrageous things in reception lines: "Good Evening, Mr. President." "I have just murdere d my Mother in Law." "Wonderful news, Mr. President!" "She is upstairs in the bathtub." "Bully, Mr. President." And if you've ever stood in one of those lines, you know the chances are he was right.
My favorite president story right now though, comes from when my daughter and I visited Mount Vernon, and we toured the home and heard the stories of all of the years that President Washington and his wife lived there. We also heard how even after he left office for many, many years their dinner table was crowded with visitors seeking his advice. And then, after, I think, about ten years an unprecedented event happened and the occasion was entered in General Washington's diary. It is also painted on the dining room wall. This is what it says: The date is listed and then, "Tonight, for the first time in the history of the Republic, General and Mrs. Washington dined alone."
Can't you just see them together at that great table? Did they sit at either end or close together? Did they have anything to talk about. We know now that President Washington's many physical problems would have made it impossible for him to get into the army today, but there was a time when there were giants among us - and we miss them today.
No comments:
Post a Comment