Sometimes you just have to make a date and have a plan. I have not spent much time with my sisters or mom lately. It seems we all get so busy and are all doing different things. My sisters are my very best friends. I found a date that we could all agree on inspired by my last trip to Boston. The day after my last trip, I called them all and tried to find a date we could all make it happen. March 21st would be the date. 
                     That morning I left my home in Standish at 5:40 AM to pick up my sister Carol over in Westbrook. The sky was still black when I left and I saw the daybreak on my ride to Westbrook. Carol was timely and we left for my mother’s home in South Portland. Afterwards we headed to Sharon’s home also in South Portland. I knew she would be tired as she just flown home the night before at 1130PM from a work trip. We drove to the train station and parked for the day. Our adventure was ready to begin.
                     We talked about politics on our trip down as Carol and my mom tried to do their crossword puzzles. I was also telling them about some of the stories from Studs Terkel’s book, Hard Times. I hope to share a few of those when I am finished with that book.. We also spoke of ways to market things. Another topic was Facebook and how it is a neat tool to share with others. Anyhow all of us were anticipating a fun day in Boston.
                     When we arrived in North Station, we immediately headed to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. I had forgotten how much fun it was just to get away for the day. We had a few unexpected surprises on our shopping trip. We walked again through the Holocaust Memorial and reflected on the design, and the messages we read throughout the walk. Fittingly, engraved in the granite walkway upon leaving the Memorial, in both English and Hebrew the solitary word, Remember. 
                     Across the street from the Memorial was an Irish Restaurant, Paddy O’s. We popped in to see if they had any t-shirts for sale because my mother’s name was Patty O’Donnell. She had to have one of their t-shirts. We bought one and promised we would be back later. On our shopping excursion, I found a book that brought tears to my eyes. I know most of my childhood friends recall our elementary teacher, Mrs. Jane McDonald, reading to us every day for the last half hour, from a variety of classics. I remembered one story about a little girl and her hundred dresses. She came to school every day with the same dress but told about her hundred dresses. At the end of the story, the little girl showed a friend her hundred dresses, all her own unique drawing of dresses. I always remembered that story but thought is was maybe a part of a volume of literature, perhaps the same one from which she read us the poem, The Highwayman. I found a little treasure of a book in Boston entitled, The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. I would call this my seven dollar treasure for the day. The cover was richly illustrated with what appeared to be a colored pencil drawing. I almost started to cry in the shop.
                     We all found a few little treasures on our trip and delighted whenever each of us found something we liked. We picked up some pastries, from Carol Ann’s Bakery in Quincy Market. Holy Cannoli! This was the phrase of the day when we decided we would buy cannolis for the train ride home. In an effort to use more discipline, I have been saying Holy Cannoli for sometime now. My sister Carol and I laughed all day pretending we were Italian with our fake accents. We could never truly replicate the beauty of the sound of the language but we had fun trying. Moving through the Farmer’s Market winding past the carts filled with fish with their heads still attached, vegetable and fruit vendors, we thought is might be nice to come again to shop for food. There were great deals, including fresh strawberries. It was wall to wall people moving through the streets of cobblestone. 
                    We shopped for awhile and headed back to the area of Paddy O’s to have lunch at the Bell in Hand. It was here I saw Ben Franklin wandering through the crowds along the sidewalk. I had seen him in that area on my last visit for a few moments. I needed to have my picture taken with him. After we ate, we turned the corner and saw a wooden carved Sam Adams outside The Green Dragon. We all had our photos beside him; after all he was one of my favorite Patriots. We decided we would head back for some more shopping. I had a posed photo taken in front of a monument to Samuel Adams also, beside Faneuil Hall. Boston was the cradle of the American Revolution. Though the city honors and remembers these Founders throughout the city ,I believe the city today is quite liberal, far removed from the original ideas that our Founding Fathers and Patriots embraced as a new country…. a country free of tyranny. Tyranny is power and also Taxation with NO representation. I purchased a Don't Tread on Me patch, a book by Thomas Paine entitled, The Rights of Man and also my own copy of the Constitution. I love Boston because it is the cradle of the American Revolution.
                     I love the fact that I can approach Benjamin Franklin on the street and have a conversation with him. My sister spotted him walking around the Assembly area. I ran as fast as I could until I caught up with him. I put my hand on his shoulder and said, “I have been looking everywhere for you! Can I have my picture taken with you?” He said, “I’ve been waiting for you too”  He showed me his hand with some folded one dollar bills and answered, “Of course. I charge two dollars” Well, I would have paid him five dollars as he was as real a Benjamin Franklin as I had ever seen. He then introduced himself as Ben Franklin and I said replied, “I know who you are!” We had a great snapshot. Then I asked, “How is Deborah? [Referring to his common law wife]” He replied that she was well and then winked at me. He then told us that we should not believe all those stories about the ladies in France. That also made my day to see him.
                    We entered Newbury Comics which had a large cardboard cutout of Obama near the door. In fact, I bought a pin there with Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber listed as running for office in 2012. I put it on and posed with the cardboard cutout. As I was having my photo snapped by my sister, a hoard of young girls ran over and decided they would do the same thing. Maybe the store could charge for that and give the proceeds to the panhandlers sitting curbside in the city. We were approached by many people requesting change. Didn’t they know the Change has Come? Our new president is going to fix everything. 
                    Most of the best things in life are free. I saw in the food court a man wearing a homemade sandwich board message about Jesus. He was handing out pamphlets and asked for nothing in return. He was not forceful in any  way. I told him his artwork was neat and asked if he made it himself. I asked if he would pose for a picture with me. He thanked us and told us to take care and gave me a little book of verses, which my sister later proclaimed were really not comforting at all. He was nice enough and seemed to enjoy what he was doing. 
                After we left the shopping areas, we headed to Paddy O’s to wet our whistle. From here we went back to North Station where we saw more panhandlers, somewhat upscale too. I gave one young guy a dollar coin. He thanked us and went on to ask others for help. I am trying to spread the wealth, being a good citizen. I know times are tough, but someone can be clever like Ben Franklin and make a buck an honest way. Find a demand and work it. People will support those kinds of endeavors.
                The train ride home was interesting. At one point, the switch had to be moved  manually as it was frozen a bit. We waited about twenty minutes while the interior lights flickered on and off. The technician had to use a crow bar to fix the switch. Everything worked out well and we were on our way again. It was a great day spent in Boston.

Maybe you will enjoy this Youtube video about Thomas Paine. Very interesting.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcVopcMPfSs