Fraoch grunted. “Tis not for yer stories, tis because ye are a king.”
Magnus grinned. “Let us agree tae disagree and hear more of the gentleman Franklin’s tale.”
James said, “Actually listening to you to bicker is a little like Franklin and Adams.”
Fraoch said, “Yer point is made, Master Cook.”
James continued, “Franklin told us that he and Adams were on a trip and sharing a tiny inn room.”
Magnus and Fraoch nodded in agreement.
“And Adams shuts the window at night because he’s afraid of the evening air. But Franklin throws it open. Adams complains, but Franklin insists, he says, ‘The air in our chamber is worse than without! Open it, ye bothersome man, or we’ll suffocate in our own fumes!’ Adams shivered through the night, but Franklin wouldn’t hear a complaint, he lectured about respiration, perspiration, and how nature’s breeze is the best medicine. Adams said that he fell asleep at the beginning of the lecture and woke up in the morning and Franklin was still going.”
Quentin added, “Franklin said it wasn’t the first night he spent talking to the wall, that if you can’t sleep you can just start talking and sleep soon comes.”
Zach pretended to talk like Ben Franklin, “You awaken refreshed with a strong constitution. Even if you spoke all the night through!”
Lochinvar said, “He is right about the snirl, tis far more likely tae get it from breathin’ in yer bunkmate’s flatulence than a cold breeze from the highland moors.”
Magnus said, “Franklin needs guard duties, ye ken, if he has trouble sleeping he could go tae the walls and stare up at the skies, if ye can talk tae the breeze, twill tire ye out.”
Fraoch raised his glass. “Ye are right, Og Maggy, the night breeze on the high walls is good for yer constitution.”
James chuckled. “To Franklin and his strong constitution! He was ahead of his time and completely nuts.”
All of us raised our glasses. “Hear hear!”
Archie said, “Da, could Franklin do guard duty naked if he wanted? Sounds like he loves being naked.”
Magnus shrugged. “Nae one would mind much, Archibald. The other guards would likely move tae the other end of the walls.”
We ate for a moment then James cleaned off his hands with his napkin. “The next day we went back to watch the assembly.”
Emma said, “You really stood outside the windows and listened in?”
Zach kissed her on the cheek. “Yep, the birth of our country, right there. I watched it!”
Ben said, “Daddy did you name me after Ben Franklin?”
Zach said, “Not really, but kinda — it’s a good name.”
James said, “We heard so many stories.”
Zach said, “Basically we just acted casual and eavesdropped.”
Emma laughed, “It’s hard to imagine that you were able to blend in.”
“I wasnotthe gangliest one there. A lot of Ichabod Crane-looking fellas.”
James said, “These guys would go to the Hall until early afternoon, then head to the taverns to eat and drink until all hours. One night, after a big meal, kind of drunk, one of the guys said, ‘Hey, would you like to see the whole city?’”
Zach said, “I said, ‘Hell yeah.’”
“We were all stuffed, feeling patriotic, we walked through the moonlight, someone was singing, all three of us and three other guys.”
Quentin said, “Thomas, Cooke, and Sammy.”
I asked, “Where they Founding Fathers?”
