TMI

“I’m a whore for Teddy Roosevelt!”

Those words just popped out of my mouth yesterday. Even I was taken by surprise. It was not new news to me, but the ease with which it left my mind, and I put it out into the ethers startled me. The person on the other end of the phone just allowed the silence to fill the space.

I acknowledged my blurt but then felt overly compelled to explain. This resulted in an onslaught of “TR” statements, viewpoints, contributions coupled with a personal analysis of his life. Let me be clear, this was a business conversation and while I feel comfortable with this person, I do not think it had been on her agenda to have a history lesson broadcast through her work phone. She was polite, as she always is, but then made the mistake of asking a question. This opened the floodgates to record highs. From the death of his wife Alice and mother on the same day to his time in the Bad Lands, whipping around to the governorship of New York and then somehow dashing off to his post presidential safari to Africa which I happen to own an original copy of his chronicle. Then of course there was the nearly fatal trip to the Amazon and then back for a brief stop in Sagamore Hill, his relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt and the loss of Quentin in World War One. Finally, I came to rest on his time at Harvard and the Lee Estate where my great aunt and her husband worked.

The entire thing was precipitated by my statement that I was going to North Dakota as it is the final state for me to successfully complete seeing all fifty. Her simple, “Why North Dakota?” unleashed the dam. My above statement was preceded by announcing the opening of the Theordore Roosevelt Library and before she had time to breathe, I explained my fascination and evidently rather personal connection to TR.

That is really all I have for this week and I guess I thought you should all just know.