Ah yes, back to our newest, semi-regular feature here at Why Daddy Drinks, the Conversation Of The Day. And being that this is February, the month with the Presidents’ Day holiday, it’s altogether filling and proper that this conversation involve a discussion of our nation’s chief executives.
And, being that that this conversation involves my daughters, it’s also altogether fitting and proper that a certain degree of insanity and tattling is also involved.
Did you know that four presidents were born in Februrary? In addition to George Washington [Feb. 22, 1732], Abraham Lincoln [Feb. 12, 1809], there was also Ronald Reagan [Feb. 6, 1911] and William Henry Harrison [Feb. 9, 1773, and the holder of the record for shortest Presidential term, as he died just 32 days after taking office due to a both of pneumonia. Shows what giving a two-hour-long inaugural address in a Washington, D.C. winter of 1841 could get you.]
In any case…My daughters went at it the other night over just the kind of topic you would expect would rile up a pair of four-and-six-year-old girls…
Little Sis: DADDY!
Me [Internally]: Oh, Jesus, NOW WHAT?
Me [Vocally]: Yes, sweetie…
Little Sis: MADDO’S BEING MEAN TO ME!
Me [Internally]: Oh, this should be good.
Me [Vocally]: Maddo, what’s going on?
Maddo: She said all the Presidents had weird names!
Me [Internally]: Let me guess…Obama’s involved.
[Keep in mind the age of my kids. They don’t know the names of that many presidents.]
Me: [Externally]: What did she say?
Maddo: She said Obama had a funny name!
After this, I could reply in the only way I immediately knew how..
Me: Well, obviously, she’s never heard of Millard Fillmore.
Maddo: Does he know Obama?
And thus, our latest civics lesson came to an end. Happy Presidents’ Day, everyone!
REX CRUM 