MARCH 21, 2020 – When our sons were cub scouts, I volunteered to be co-leader of our younger son’s “den” of “cubs,” who, being eight-years old, resembled more a dray of squirrels. For a den meeting landing on President’s Day, we hatched the idea that one of the tall dads would dress up like Lincoln and one of the not-quite-as-tall dads would impersonate Washington.
Soon after we’d herded the squirrels, Washington made his entrance.
“Oh my gosh!” I said. “If it isn’t George Washington, our first president, from 200 years ago!”
“Yes, ’tis I,” answered the dad in white wig, breeches, and long-coat.
“What an honor for cub scouts to have you here in the flesh!”
“‘Cub scouts?’” said George.
“Yes. Think, ‘young frontiersmen of the future,’ Mr. President.”
“I see.”
George greeted the cub scouts, who, curious, were now seated at the foot of the first president. He ad libbed beautifully from an outline I’d prepared. The kids soaked it up.
Then, on cue, “Lincoln” entered. “Say hi to the 16th president of the United States,” I said. He obligingly tipped his stovepipe hat.
“You mean the country held on that long?!” said George.
“It almost didn’t,” Abe said. “In 1861 we got ourselves into a doozy of a civil war.”
“No! Over what?” said George.
“Slavery. States in the South wanted it. States in the North didn’t. States in the South, called the ‘Confederacy,’ decided to separate. The North, called, ‘the Union,’ said, ‘No!’ The result: a terrible war that raged for four years, killing many people.”
“But the country survived?” George asked.
I then intervened. “The country survived, but sadly, Abe here, who was the president who held the country together, was killed just days after the awful war ended with the Confederate surrender.”
George gasped. Abe hung his head.
I figured that was enough heavy drama for our cub scouts, so I switched to good news. “After that terrible time in our history,” I said, “the country pulled itself together. It went through many more rough patches, but here we are today, as strong as ever, right kids?!” They emulated my applause.
My co-leader and I then turned the little show into a Q and A. I led with an example question.
“President Washington, President Lincoln, what surprised you most outside as you found your way to our den meeting?”
George: “Well, it was kind of dark out, but I didn’t see a single horse! Not a single one! Where do you keep them all?”
Abe: “Yeah—no horses, no wagons of any kind!”
This worked. A kid waved his hand in the air vigorously.
“Yes, Steve,” I called on the eager kid.
“Do you guys know what a car is?”
“A car?” Abe asked. “You mean a railroad car?”
“No, a car car,” said the cub scout.
“Hmmm. Tell me more,” said Abe.
“Wait,” George said. “I’m confused. First, what’s a railroad?”
We dads stood back, amused as our cub scouts described the future to George and Abe.
Perspective.
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© 2020 by Eric Nilsson
