Bump, Bump, Thud. It was the worst landing I ever had in this time machine. The hatch popped open and flung me to the ground. My stomach felt like Meat Lovers’ night at the local Pizza Hut. I looked around, but no sight of the lovely Mount Vernon depicted in Edward Savage’s painting. I checked my GPS. It read, Westmorland County, Virginia, 1738 AD.
Teaching history is my passion. Time travel brings the past to the present. This voyage is the one I longed for my entire life. What will he look like? Will he be the dignified statesman that I always admired? Will he understand that I live in a future time and place that he could only imagine? Will the awe of my favorite hero be elevated or diminished? My pulse quickened in anticipation of the encounter.
A vast cherry orchard appeared in the distance, ruby orbs dripping from every branch. A petite child ran over to me wearing a long white cotton smock with a blue sash. Grubby, dirty bare feet and a face covered with some kind of pink juice were in sharp contrast to the dress.
“Who art thou, kind Sir?” the youngster asked, spitting a cherry stone that landed on my boot.
I kicked my foot and the pit rolled back like a boomerang. “I’m not a sir, my name is Lucy” I responded. The kid’s eyes widened when I whisked off my space helmet and long brown tresses spilled out.
“If you be a gentlewoman,” the child asked, “why do you not weareth a negligee instead of that silver suit?”
“I’m not going to bed.” I replied a bit confused. ” What’s your name, little lady?”
“I beggeth your pardon. I shant be a lady, my name is Georgie.” he said and pumped up a budding bicep.
I giggled, “Why are you wearing a frilly dress?”
“I weareth this clothing until I get my breeching next February 22nd. Then I am six years and will weareth the little man’s pants.”
“I stand corrected and eat humble pie,” I responded.
“Oh I liketh humble pie, too, especially with venison.” he said and began sucking on a hand-rolled cigarette.
I scolded the precocious imp.”You shouldn’t be smoking at your age!”
He took one long drag, threw the butt down and replied, “Pater Augustine owneth all the tobacco crops around here, and I rather like the fag.” He picked up a shiny hatchet and began swinging it around.
I shook my head, ” Whatever…I’m a history teacher from the future. I’m here to meet the Father of our Country. I have an important message to give him. Can you help me?”
“I do not know of what you speak, Madam.” he replied and picked his front teeth with the hatchet.
I gasped, “Stop that..You’ll ruin your teeth!”
He ignored me. “Pater says, we getteth new ones from the darkies if ours fall out.”
“Geesh,” I cringed, “What did you say your name is?”
“Georgie,” he shouted through browning teeth , “George Washington!” and began pounding his weapon against a cherry sapling, drumbeats echoing through the plantation fields.
I thought to myself, “Are you kidding.. this little monster? ” I asked, “What are you doing?”
“I choppeth down this tree,” he said with a snarl, ” like the head of King George III!”.
I admonished the brat, ” You’ll get in trouble if you destroy that beautiful cherry tree.”
Georgie continued violent hacking until the seedling was a stack of crumbled twigs. He pitched the hatchet, missing my head by the width of a dollar bill.
“I always doeth whatever I want. Furthermore, who will ever knoweth this fine secret except for me and thou?”
Shaking my head, I handed over the wrinkled, frayed envelope. “Read this important letter. It is crucial to your future and the future of our nation.” Georgie opened it, read it, then crumbled the note and threw it where the cherry tree once stood.
“Me thinks you should leave or I must tell Pater to do away with you!”
I retrieved the trashed letter and gingerly placed it in my space pac. Frustrated and disappointed, I beamed back to Florida, 2075AD. As my gyrating capsule approached the River City, I retrieved the note. With the realization that my mission failed, I read it again, mouthing each word to myself.
“In the year of our Lord 1796, I write my farewell address to friends and citizens of these United States. This being my final communication following 138,000 deliberations, documents and decrees. Hitherto, it is being my ardent wish that all future holders of this austere office be required to ensure honesty and integrity. Hereby, if one caught in a prefabrication or untruth, be immediately removed from the Presidency.” GEORGE WASHINGON, PRESIDENT
I exited my spacecraft with the painful knowledge that one cannot change the course of history. Considering the encounter with Georgie, my teaching philosophy was reinforced: “Kids today are not all they’re ever going to be.”
I smiled when I checked my calendar. No school tomorrow, Presidents Day. Thanks GW for the holiday, and a happy belated birthday!
- About the Author
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Living my personal mission statement, “Each One, Teach One,” my greatest blessing is being the mother of two, grandmother of three and a lifelong educator. A graduate of UF and UNF, I am the former principal of St. Paul’s Catholic School in Jacksonville Beach, Florida and executive director of Tree Hill Nature Center in Jacksonville.
Since retirement my avocation is now my vocation – freelance writing. The technical writing of past professional life evolved into more creative genres of poetry, short fiction and memoir. My goal is to invoke the entire spectrum of human emotions in my reader: longing to laughter, pain to promise, despair to discernment.
One Response
I enjoyed another great one Lucy!