Rush Revere and the First Patriots: Time-Travel Adventures With Exceptional Americans Page 2

  Right then, I felt a hand pat me on the back. I turned and saw a familiar sweet face. “Freedom!” I said. She was another favorite student with some special gifts of her own. Her long, silky black hair had a purple feather clipped in it that complemented her tan skin and dark eyes. But it was her smile that was the most welcoming.

  “Hi, Mr. Revere, it’s great to see you again!” she said. “Looks like Tommy picked you!”

  “What do you mean picked me?” I questioned.

  “He picked you to challenge the Lion,” she said, her smile even bigger than before. “It’s a school tradition. Before every game the quarterback throws the football into the crowd. Typically, he picks someone who’s walking along the sidelines. Whoever catches it gets to take on the Lion.”

  “And exactly what does take on the Lion mean?” I asked. By now it sounded like every person sitting in the bleachers was chanting Run! Run! Run! Run! Over and over, louder and louder, the crowd was clearly eager to see me in action, whatever that was. The Lion kept jumping up and down waving his large paws back and forth, encouraging the crowd to chant louder.

  Freedom continued, “Oh, that means you have to try to get the ball past the Lion. If you do, then it’s sort of considered a touchdown! It means good luck for our team if you score, and bad luck if the Lion sacks you.”

  “Sacks me?” I squeaked. “Here I thought I was only coming to the game to cheer on Tommy. Not be in the game.”

  “Oh, you can do it, Mr. Revere!” Freedom said, still smiling. “Good luck!” She patted my shoulder and disappeared into the crowd.

  “Come on! Run! Run! Run!” the crowd endlessly chanted.

  Well, I decided it was time to show Manchester Middle School just what Rush Revere was made of. My Pilgrim hero William Bradford didn’t doubt his goal of reaching the New World. He led the Mayflower ship from Europe to America, across the huge waves, water crashing on the deck of the boat. The Pilgrims learned to overcome their fear. They took every challenge head-on. They used their skills and their ingenuity to prosper and find success. If the Pilgrims could do that, I could figure out how to win this challenge and not be completely humiliated in front of the entire school!

  I gripped the ball tighter against my side and started running. The crowd erupted with cheers as they saw me fearlessly take on the football feline. I moved a little to the left; the Lion moved with me. I moved a little to the right; the Lion adjusted again. When I was only five yards from my opponent I put the football behind my back and concealed it with both hands. It felt awkward running with a football behind my back, but it was all part of the plan. I slowed at four yards, a little slower at three yards. The Lion tilted his head, obviously confused as to why the ball was behind my back and why I was slowing. In that split second of confusion and with only two yards between us I bent forward ever so slightly and flipped the ball up and over my head. Before the Lion could react, the football soared above its shaggy head. I sprinted past the bewildered beast and turned to catch the ball as it drifted down. Pedaling backward, I reached out, caught the ball, and then landed on my backside. Immediately the crowd burst into cheers. Apparently, I had scored! I looked up and saw the Lion with his paws in front of its mascot face, shaking his head. Tommy ran up to me wearing his gold football helmet and said, “You did it! That was amazing! Nice job, Mr. Revere!”

  “Whew!” I said as I stood up. “Thank you! A little positive thinking and hope for the best goes a long way!”

  As Tommy and I walked to the sideline he said, “I’m really glad to see you! I kept hoping you’d come back to Manchester. Does this mean you’re back to teach?”

  “I’m not sure yet. Principal Sherman asked if I’d stop by after the game for a chat. He didn’t say what it was about, but I knew I shouldn’t miss it! I’m really glad he called or I wouldn’t have known about the game. I was hoping you were playing today.”

  “I’m going to tell Principal Sherman that you have to come back!” Tommy said. “You’re awesome! I mean you’re the first substitute teacher that makes history remotely interesting or at all memorable!”

  “I appreciate the compliment,” I said, “but that might not be a good idea. If I remember correctly, Principal Sherman thinks you’re always up to something. The troublemaker!” I smiled.

  “That’s a good point!” Tommy said with a laugh.

  As we got to the sideline Tommy looked around and asked, “Hey, where’s Liberty? I don’t see him! Or smell him, for that matter!”

  “No, Liberty has the day off,” I said. “He’s at a horse spa! A livery, remember?”

  Tommy laughed. “That horse is so spoiled! A horse spa? As in massages and pedicures?”

  “Ha, yes! That’s what he calls it. He’s actually just getting a bath but don’t tell him that.”

  Freedom joined us from the bleachers. “Hi, Tommy,” she said, seeming happy to see him. “Good job, Mr. Revere! I knew you would do it! You told us on the Mayflower not to doubt you and you were right!”

  “Ha, I’m pretty sure I was talking about why the signing of the Mayflower Compact was a really important part of history, not about taking on the school mascot in front of a roaring crowd!” I said with a grin while brushing a grass stain off my knee.

  Tommy chuckled and asked, “Hey, are you going to stay and watch the game?”

  “Of course!” I said. “I sacrificed my body to get past your Lion and bring you good luck!” I winked at Freedom. “Speaking of good luck, that reminds me! Almost forgot!” I reached into my pocket and pulled out two musket balls given to me by Myles Standish, the military leader for the Pilgrims. “Do you remember when we all traveled back in time with Liberty to Plymouth Plantation in the year 1621?”

  “How could we forget? That wasn’t your average day at Manchester!” Freedom said.

  “Quick pop quiz! Who was Myles Standish?” I asked.

  Tommy laughed. “That’s easy! He was the cool Pilgrim guy that taught me how to swordfight! He reminded me a lot of my friend’s dad who was in the military and really strict. But Myles was still really nice. And he knew everything about fort building, which rocked!”

  “Correct, Tommy, spot on! He was the military leader for the Pilgrims! Well, I brought something with me from Myles. I forgot I had them until Liberty and I got home.” I held out my hand to show Tommy and Freedom the musket balls. They were as small as marbles but made of lead. They were round, smooth, and very shiny. “Myles told me that when the Indian Squanto stayed with the Pilgrims he taught them many things, like where to find the best striped bass, bluefish, and cod or how to catch eels or where to hunt for ducks and geese and deer.”

  “Wait! Did you say eels?” asked Tommy with his eyes wide.

  “I did,” I said, nodding. “Slimy, snakelike eels!”

  “Awesome! I wish Squanto would’ve taught me how to hunt for eels!” said Tommy.

  “You were probably busy swordfighting,” Freedom teased. “Squanto taught me how to plant corn just like the Indians did back in the early, early, early colony days. And he gave me a special necklace.”

  I continued, “Let me finish my story. After coming back from fishing, Myles was gutting a big fish and inside he found these two musket balls.”

  “Really? The fish ate the lead balls? Wow, that fish must’ve been really hungry! I don’t even think Liberty would eat lead balls!” said Tommy.

  “Sure he would,” I said, laughing, “if they were dipped in honey! Anyway, when Squanto heard the story he said that it was a sign of good fortune, a sign of good luck. He promised Myles that if he rubbed the musket balls between his fingers while making a wish, the good fortune from the balls would rub off and help him succeed in his next task!”

  “And? Did it work?” Tommy asked with excitement.

  I smiled and replied, “Myles rubbed the musket balls together each time he went hunting or fishing, and every time he had great success!”

  “But that doesn’t necessarily mean it was caused by—”
Freedom tried to say before I discreetly elbowed her in the shoulder as Tommy reached for the musket balls.

  “I’m going to try it,” Tommy said. He rubbed the balls between his fingers and said, “I want to have my best game today. No interceptions!” He handed me back the musket balls.

  “Good luck, Tommy,” I said.

  “Yeah, good luck,” said Freedom, smiling.

  “Thanks, guys! Gotta go!” Tommy ran off toward his team.

  Freedom and I headed back to the bleachers and found a place to sit. When the game ended, Tommy had completed four touchdown passes, a rushing touchdown, and zero interceptions! The Manchester Lions beat the Benedict Bulldogs 35–14. Call it luck or coincidence or whatever you like, but the fact is, Tommy had a super game! It’s amazing what a positive mental attitude can do. Of course, a little bit of luck never hurts!

  Soon thereafter, Freedom left with another friend and I decided to head over to the principal’s office. As I was leaving the stadium I saw Tommy run over with his helmet off. His curly blond hair was matted to his head but his blue eyes were as lively as ever.

  Tommy said, “Thanks for coming, Mr. Revere. It was great to see you. I think those musket balls must’ve worked! Tell Myles ‘thanks’ the next time you see him. By the way, have you gone back to see Plymouth Rock or visited your friend, William Bradford?”

  “No, I haven’t recently,” I said. “I’ve really wanted to see how everything is progressing in the colonies, but I just haven’t had the time.”

  “Are you working at the iced-tea company?” Tommy asked.

  “Yes, and I’ve been helping a friend start a small business. I tell you, starting a business isn’t easy! It takes a lot of long hours and hard work!” I said.

  “Well, if you ever do time-jump to visit the first Pilgrims again, I want to go!” said Tommy. “I’d love to check in with all those guys, including Squanto! In fact, I made the coolest fort in my backyard with my new buddy, Cam. He just moved here from Colorado. I told him that I learned fort building from Myles Standish.”

  “And what did Cam say?” I asked curiously.

  “He thought I was totally full of it! He said, ‘Yeah right, and I bet you learned how to skateboard from Tony Hawk!’ ” Tommy said, imitating Cam.

  “Do you blame him?” I asked, smiling. “Does Cam go to school here?”

  “He just started. I’m trying to get him to try out for the football team. Hey, maybe you can get him into our Honors History class!” Tommy said.

  I looked at my watch and realized I needed to hurry or I’d be late for my appointment with the principal.

  “Well, it’s great to see you, Tommy! You were a star out there today! I better get going and see what Principal Sherman wants.”

  “C’mon, Tommy!” yelled one of Tommy’s teammates. Tommy waved goodbye to me and ran off while I headed into the school.

  Although it was late in the day, there were still several students in the hallways. I saw Principal Sherman speaking to a couple of students near his office. I’d forgotten how he towered over everyone else. I’ll admit that he made me a little intimidated. As I approached, the principal excused the students he was talking to and said, “Hello, Mr. Revere, thank you for taking the time to meet with me.”

  Principal Sherman was all business and got right to the point. He said, “Mrs. Borrington is going on vacation to the Caribbean to celebrate her wedding anniversary. Therefore, Manchester Middle School would like to invite you back to teach her class in the interim. We are low on substitute teachers and most of the kids seem to like your style.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “History is my specialty and I think the students are wonderful.”

  “I say ‘most of the kids’ because there is one student that doesn’t like you much.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad,” I said. Even though I was sure the disgruntled student was the principal’s diva daughter, I asked, “What’s the student’s name?”

  “Well, it’s actually my daughter, Elizabeth. She strongly encouraged me to not have you return. However, I interviewed several other students who are enrolled in Honors History and they vouched for you as a competent teacher.”

  “I’m encouraged that the students feel this way and I’m happy to return to teach Honors History,” I said. “And I do apologize that Elizabeth did not have the same experience that the other students shared. She’s more than welcome to attend my class, if she would like to try it again.” I decided it probably wasn’t the best time to tell him that his daughter can be a bit of a brat!

  “I’ll see you tomorrow then, bright and early,” said Principal Sherman as he excused himself.

  I was excited about the chance to teach again. My first lesson covered the journey of the Mayflower from Europe to the New World! Personally, this had always been a favorite part of American history for me. It always amazed me that a group of 101 people would decide to set sail across the wide, scary ocean without really knowing where they were headed! It’s not like they had an airline ticket and knew which airport they were landing at with a welcoming committee! They set out to find a new land of true freedom, where they could be themselves and improve their lives. I’m sure they couldn’t have done it without strong leaders, like William Bradford, who rallied them together just when the journey was looking to be a lost cause! My mother used to do that on long car rides. Every time my brother and I thought we were going to go crazy waiting to stop for McDonald’s, she would say, “Rusty, remember, it’s mind over matter! Just think how much better that Happy Meal is going to taste knowing you went through long hours of pain and suffering to get it!” I always knew she was exaggerating! We weren’t really suffering in the back of the car. The Pilgrims, however—they really struggled. They spent sixty-five brutal days with little food, cramped into a very tight space, in terribly hard conditions, with waves crashing all around them in the dark of night. I get a little seasick just thinking about it. Just like my mom, William Bradford encouraged the Pilgrims to keep their faith and trust that God would help them survive and prosper. When they finally landed in the New World, sadly many of the Pilgrims died that first winter due to the freezing temperatures, starvation, and disease. But William Bradford held their heads high, reminding them that they had set out on the journey to build a better life in a new place and that is exactly what they did!

  William knew that the best way for each of the Pilgrim families to prosper in their new way of life was for each family to have a plot of land where they could build a home and work for themselves. Instead of putting all of their goods into a communal chest, William Bradford encouraged the Pilgrims to be on the same team, yet work hard to take care of their own families. He knew they would try their hardest if they knew they could keep the rewards of their hard work and labor. It’s a lesson I’ve always tried to teach my own students. What if they all studied really hard for a test but no matter how hard they worked they would all get the same B grade as everyone else? Why would they ever try for an A?

  Under William Bradford’s leadership the Pilgrims quickly prospered. They befriended and traded with the Native Americans. Soon after, other ships like the Mayflower came to America after hearing the success that the Pilgrims were having. In only twenty years, that first colony, known as Plymouth Plantation, grew from fifty people to two thousand people, with new colonies being built throughout New England. Of course, this was just the beginning—the beginning of America’s independence from England.

  As I walked down the hall, my mind raced thinking about what the next lesson should be! It can’t be boring, I thought. Why not just pick up where I left off? Absorbed in my own thinking about exceptional Americans like Benjamin Franklin and Patrick Henry, I was surprised to hear someone say, “Mr. Revere?”

  I didn’t recognize the voice at first until I looked down the hall and saw the principal’s daughter, Elizabeth, in a purple pleated skirt and a pristine white blouse with her hands on her hips. Her long blond hair had been expertl
y curled and there was a purple headband perfectly placed on the top of her head. She looked surprised to see me and said, “I thought my dad said you weren’t coming back? Ugh. I guess this means you’re teaching Honors History again.”

  “Oh, hello, Elizabeth, great to see you,” I said in the most positive way I could.

  “Don’t you have some horse stalls to clean or something? I mean, really!” she said in a feisty tone.

  I ignored her insult and while smiling I said, “As a matter of fact, I’m all done cleaning today and was just thinking about my next history lesson. And I do hope you’ll choose to be in my class!” Win them over with kindness, I always say! I was determined that this little diva was not going to get the best of me.

  Elizabeth huffed and said, “I see you still have your outfit on. You do know it’s not Halloween, right? That’s not until October, the month after September.”

  I forced a smile on my face and nearly had to bite my tongue so I wouldn’t say something I would regret.

  She continued her insults and said, “Seriously, the 1700s called and they want their clothes back! In fact, why just send the clothes? You should seriously consider getting a one-way ticket.”

  Ever so charming, I thought. I took a deep breath and said. “Yes, Paul Revere is still my hero and I must say I like this colonial jacket a lot. I know you don’t like me much, but I’d like to propose a peace treaty. Similar to what the Pilgrims proposed with Massasoit and the Pokanoket Indians when they first arrived in the colonies of the New World. What do you say?” I asked.