Presidential Confusion

During the time that George Bush Sr. was president, my son was about seven years old.  He had been studying about all the different presidents for history class.  He came home one afternoon and announced he was going to write a letter to the president.   I was glad he was taking an interest in government and told him that writing a letter would be a nice thing to do.

While he began to write his letter, I was getting supper and occasionally would look to see how he was doing on his letter.  After awhile, I walked up behind him and I saw he had written "Dear President Washington".  That was my first clue that he had missed something in his history lesson. 

I said, "Son, you can't write to President Washington."   He asked me why and I answered, "Because he lived a long, long time ago and has been dead for over 200 years." Not to be dissuaded, he got another paper, and it wasn't long until I saw he had written, "Dear President Lincoln."  I was beginning to feel really sorry for him and I felt bad that I hadn't explained the situation more fully.  This time I sat down beside him, telling him that President Lincoln was also dead, and explained that George Bush was now our president.   He got out yet another sheet of paper and I saw he had written "Dear President Bush", and I was relieved that we were finally getting somewhere.  

A few minutes later, he came running up to show me his letter, wanting me to read what he had written.  I was proud as I saw he had even included the proper date in the upper left-hand corner, but then I read the rest of what he had written: "Dear President Bush, I'm glad you are not dead."

By

Pamela R. Blaine

© 2002