ANCIENT& not so ancient WISDOM
offering a weekly positive perspective

July 1, 2005

"I regret that I have but one life to give for my country." 

- Captain Nathan Hale (1755 - 1776)

There’s not much you can say about Nathan Hale beyond the fact that he was a terrible spy. At little more than 21 years of age, he was hanged, by order of General William Howe, as a spy, in the city of New York, on September 22, 1776. There’s not much to say about General Howe either, except he had a foot fungus that made standing near him quite unbearable. 

When he was a little boy, Nathan Hale, was always the first one caught when playing Hide N’Go Seek. He wasn’t much good at Red-Rover either. His mother blames this on his woeful refusal to eat his broccoli. It’s difficult to know the actual facts of his early childhood, but there is a good chance his life took a turn for the worse when he admitted to writing the love note found in his lunch pail by his teacher. The note was to Mary Beth Warthog, not a hygienic girl by any standards. Her family owned the local outhouse cleaning service and well quite frankly Mary Beth was often rushing to school after helping in the family business with no time to wash up. 

Later in life, as a schoolteacher, he had difficulty controlling his students in class. So much so that he thought it a good career move to join the army (after all, the working conditions were far better anyway).  No one liked him in the army that much either because how can you like someone that won’t eat broccoli. 

Well, then that fateful day came when General Washington asked if anyone wanted to spy, and Nathan eagerly responded, obviously forgetting his childhood failures. Rumor has it, that it was lunchtime and Nathan thought Georgie was asking if anyone wanted ‘rye’. 

Well, the rest is history. 

In short, it’s safe to say. That one magical moment in a life… makes everything else seem unimportant. 

Sincerely,

Untold moments in Meeting History - 1776

Arnold: I don’t understand why we need a meeting about this. There just isn’t a compelling reason to travel that far and the cost is prohibitive

Jefferson: Just because you’re our chosen bookkeeper doesn’t mean everything is a matter of cost.

Hamilton: Really, Arnold. This is a meeting that goes way beyond the direct expense of it. Don’t you get that?

Arnold: No I don’t. How can you ignore the expense of the whole matter? Where are we going to get the money for this? What is the return on our investment?!

Franklin: Look Arnold, think of the objective we’re trying to reach. Doesn’t that prove its value? 

Arnold: Mr. Franklin, there are a hundred other ways to reach that objective that won’t cost as much. Why don’t we just talk to them at the fort? 

Jefferson: You know Benedict, that’s not a bad idea. Why don’t you look into that and we’ll get together on this in a month or so. 

Arnold: Great! Now you’re thinking. Gentlemen, I’ll see you later. 

...

Franklin: Thomas, you didn’t really mean that did you? 

Jefferson: No, of course not! Get the others together and we’ll meet in Philadelphia. Alexander, can you take over for Benedict Arnold. I just don’t believe he gets it. 

Hamilton: No problem and I’ve got some ideas of my own. Do you have the Declaration ready? 

Jefferson: Not quite. I’m still working on it. It’ll be ready though by meeting time - I hope.

Franklin: Do you think we should tell Benedict, Thomas? 

Jefferson: No, I think we should leave Arnold out of it. There’s something about that guy I just don’t trust. 

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