Meeting Garfield

A couple of days ago my dad suggested we go to President Garfield's house and take a tour around.  At first Jessica, Ryan and I made a loud noticeable sigh.  I'm thinking on my birthday weekend? Really?  Ryan exclaims can't we do this on a more boring weekend?  My dad says "it'll be fun" and motions us out the door.  We drive the 30 minute drive which felt like 3 hours to me.  We finally park into the grassy driveway and start walking in the building to get to our tour in time.  We are a couple minutes early.  "Great", I say sarcastically under my breath.  A tour guide from behind the front counter came closer to us looking at Jessica, Ryan and me saying "you guys can become a junior ranger if you just work through this workbook about Garfield." She hands us a glossy workbook with President Garfield's face on the front.   Ryan looks so happy and screams out YES!  I'm about to say no thanks but she says "Oh, and you also will get a prize at the end if you participate".  Well I think if it comes down to a prize then fine.  "Sure" I say not as enthusiastic as Ryan but I'll accept.  We start walking around with our tour guide she tells us all about President Garfield. He was the twentieth President of the United States, he had a wife named Lucretia and a daughter named Mollie. He died by getting shot in the back twice in 1881 by Charles J. Guiteau and much more fascinating information.  Ryan and I finished up our workbooks writing in the last few blanks.  Wow, I thought that was really sad and amazing as we started heading back to the main room to claim our prize.  The tour guide behind the desk looks at Ryan's and my workbook's and nods.  She tugs on a black cabinet and pulls out a pencil and a badge that has Garfield's face on it.  Maybe not quite what I was expecting but the tour was fun at least. "Dad that was really fun" I said. My dad smiles and looks down and says "told ya".  We go outside and laugh the whole way into the car.


Thank you
Alyssa