THE INVITATION FROM THE PRESIDENT

That spring, the president invited Charles and me to the White House. I knew he was an important man because I heard his name a lot, especially at dinner time. I even knew his first name was President. I hoped his children were my age. I had fun with children at school – but not too much. I didn’t play with my brother Charles much. He was older.

I was a little excited when the day finally arrived. We were dressed in our Sunday clothes and were on our way to the White House. I noticed that many, many other children had been invited to the White House that day. We were at the annual White House Easter egg hunt on the Monday after Easter. Frankly, I don’t remember running around on the grass searching for eggs. If I did and my mother told my brother Charles to look out for me, perhaps that is why I got lost in the shuffle. Charles, of course, is the brother who liked to travel alone and often got in trouble. Being lost at an Easter egg hunt as large as that one was probably not uncommon, but having a small zoo on the grounds, including caged lion, was a little much.

A strange lady was comforting to me and took me by the hand and said, “They have a nice place for lost children in a little room behind the lion’s den. To top that off, I was the only lost child there and the nice lady taking care of me said, “If your mother doesn’t come, I will take you home with me.” The outcome of the experience embraces the saying, “All’s well that ends well.” Was I crying? Probably.