Causin’ a ruckus at the museum
May 13th, 2009 by Kristi Stephens
As I’ve mentioned, my friend Rachel has been in town for a few days- here we are in a “botanic volcano” in Columbus. :)
Today we headed over to the McKinley museum, where we were sorely disappointed… who knew that a museum named after president McKinley would contain only one room of items related to McKinley in any manner? But, we were assured (several times) that it was the largest collection of McKinley memorabilia in the state. Good to know, considering that this is the museum named after him, the location of his presidential “library,” and the location of his memorial. I’m just saying… that’s weird.
The one room of memorabilia was made more interesting by our company. Somehow we ended up mixed in with a school group of 4th-ish graders and were in “the room” with them and their tour guide. We were first introduced to said guide as we heard her saying loudly as she walked down the corridor with them, “If you’ve never had a spanking I could give you one.” Interesting…
After we all filed into the McKinley room, she instructed the kids, “don’t touch these ropes (on the stanchions) – they make a jingling sound and my nerves are shot!” Rachel and I were already nearly uncontrollably giggling at this point and then she turned to address the animatronic William and Ida McKinley figures – “President McKinley, we have a large school group with us today as well as some young ladies wearing Malone shirts” (Rachel was wearing one, so apparently this was us) – “I don’t know if they go to Malone or would like to.” Perhaps we’re looking young today. We’ll take it as a compliment, but we found this hilarious. And then the animatronic president began to address the group. It is really too much to ask that we would be serious at this point. I mean, really.
What is one to do at an unbelievable event like talking to a mechanical replica of an assassinated president from a bygone era? Clearly, Rachel knew that the correct answer to that is “take a picture (with flash) using my wasabi green camera.” Obviously. The grumpy guide disagreed. “Grown woman,” – after this address to my camera wielding anarchist friend she apparently said something about not using a camera on the 2nd floor of the museum. I’m not sure exactly what had transpired as I was completely engrossed in reading the literature in front of me in order to avoid bursting into laughter.
Later in our visit, she took the children through the “street of shops” – recreations of late 1800s-era stores and offices. She sternly told the kids that the toys were not for sale, and immediately a little boy piped up and said, “It smells like chicken in here!” Later as they passed the dentist office replica (while we were being scolded not to touch the buttons on the exhibits [you know, the ones that say "push button to hear presentation"] while the children were trying to pass), another boy looked at the manikins of a dentist and a young male patient and exclaimed, “He’s murdering him!”
We had a great time today. Not so much because of the museum contents, and more because we laughed ourselves silly. And we were not thrown from the premises, so that’s a plus.
Sorry to end on a serious note, but as we visited the monument before we left I was struck again by the brevity of life. Here is this huge memorial built in the honor of an American president whose death was mourned nationwide. And yet, ask almost any American today who William McKinley was and what he was known for, and most will come up empty.
Ecclesiastes 1:11 says, “There is no remembrance of men of old,
and even those who are yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow.”
It is a sobering reminder to redeem the time! Today I didn’t “accomplish” much, but I sure have enjoyed having time with a dear long-time friend. How grateful I am for the life God has given me and great friends and family to cry and talk and laugh hysterically with along the way.
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
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