Numbers

I despise numbers. I've never been very good at them. I'm terrible in math. I quake with fear when it's time to calculate my grades. I glaze over when people talk statistics. I'm not very good with years. Well, except for the important ones.

When I learned history in high school, and, unfortunately in college, I hated memorizing dates. What was the point? In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue--big freakin deal. Who cares? I was more interested in learning of the mass devestation he brought to indigenous peoples. I didn't need to know "1492" marked doom for thousands of peoples. When I began teaching I resolved to never hold my students accountable for dates. Chronology yes, exact dates, no.

So I had to giggle when my race number for Broad Street arrived in the mail this past week: 1787. As a historian, I have to confess, I'm tickled. Tom pointed out that 1776 would have been way cooler. Perhaps. Maybe the big ole Ben Franklin impersonator got that one and he's going to hand out pretzels or something. Best I can tell, they figured I was the fastest historian running the race and it was the next best number they had.

As far as important years go, 1787 seriously ranks up there. It's the year the Northwest Ordinance was passed declaring the Ohio River the marker between slavery and freedom. It's the year Shays's Rebellion failed leading important white men to decide the Articles of Confederation sucked and the country needed something different. It's the year the Constitutional Convention met and eventually ratified one of man's greatest documents. Interestingly, it was also the year that William Bradley, England's tallest man, was born. He was 7'9. Take that 1776.

To wear the number 1787 in one of Philadelphia's largest races is quite a privilege. I'll try to do the number proud. In a city of important firsts, I'm thrilled to be completing one of my "firsts" with 1787 blazing across my mid-section. So much inspiration to be found in 1787. . . Daniel Shays's anger and frustration over high taxes and foreclosures--why the hell did he fight in the Revolution anyway? James Madison's brilliance and wisdom as he penned a document that inspired generations. The courage of those who forged the mighty Ohio in the hopes of freedom. And all those left behind by 1787--the people who really matter to this historian. They're the ones who were the fighters. So, there's a lot to be taken from 1787. And now I have one more reason to remember it.

Note to readers: I simply could not work the tall man into my inspiration bit. it didn't seem appropriate and, frankly, would be stretching it. Interesting though, huh?