Super Tuesday

It was Super Tuesday today, which means we go out and vote for the least boring candidate - only Daddy didn't get to do that today, because of some sort of glitch in Forsyth County's voting system. Oddly enough, Mommy did get to vote though - we both registered at the same time (when we had our new driver's licenses issued), and yet Daddy was for some reason singled out as the one not to vote. So no "I VOTED" sticker for Daddy, despite my best efforts.

Completely random moment, but here's Madison's name in Thark, the Martian language featured in the movie "John Carter:"

Today was a Daddy/daughter day, as Mommy and her parents spent some time together doing some shopping and so forth. Daddy went to music practice with Madison, and picked her up from school as well. We had a meal at McDonald's, which featured some remarkably bad service, so we didn't get the Shamrock Shake this time around. Maybe next week we'll try another McDonald's to get the elusive milkshake before St. Patrick's Day.

We had some fun telling stories in the car - as of late, it's a collaborative effort between Madison and myself. We tell these long stories about adventure and pirates and so forth, and today's story was no different. In fact, it might have been the only thing really "super" about today! It was a story filled with St. Patrick's Day stuff, one that Madison and Daddy told over quite a bit of time. It's printed below.

Once upon a time, our friends Jack Sparrow and Angelica were sailing along, following their map to a treasure of gold. They rode in their ships until they spotted a large island, bright and green. It was Ireland!

Unfortunately, when they arrived, they had a problem: they were not wearing green. And everyone else was. And it was St. Patrick’s Day.

For those of you who may not know why this is a problem, allow me to explain: it is a law that anyone not wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day can and will be pinched vigorously.

This is the reason why Jack Sparrow and Angelica ran as fast as they could when they arrived. They ran up the dock and ran past the celebrating parades, and people dancing Irish jigs. They needed a place to find some green clothing – and fast!

Fortunately, Angelica spotted a castle! She and Jack went up to a hill and found themselves at the foot of the castle, knocking on the large doors desperately.

A good king lived inside, a decent man who understood their plight. That’s why he offered them a chance to get changed and also in Jack’s case, get a shower.

Both went to their rooms – Jack hopped in the shower and used some Irish Spring soap and smelled like a country lane. Which doesn’t exactly smell that good, but it’s better than what he used to smell like. Living on a boat can do that to you.

Soon, the two showed up for breakfast at the king’s request. And both were wearing green this time, safe from getting pinched (at least for now).

As they sat at the table, the king was delighted with what they were wearing. He called his head servant to bring them breakfast. “Oh Danny boy!” he called out.

And in the servant came with a delicious breakfast! In front of everyone was placed a bowl of Lucky Charms, of course. It was very tasty. Angelica picked all the marshmallows out first.

“So, about this treasure…”, Jack said.

“Oh, you’re after the leprechaun’s gold,” the king replied merrily. “Good luck with that one!”

“Why do you say that?” Angelica asked.

“Because you’ll need a four-leaf clover,” the king replied. “You can’t even talk with the leprechaun unless you have a four-leaf clover. And then there’s the matter of actually finding a leprechaun.”

“Where do we look for any of this?” Jack asked.

“Try the field just outside the castle if you’d like,” the king replied. “But finding a four-leaf clover is pretty rare.”

The conversation went on for a bit in a different direction, as conversations tend to do. But Jack and Angelica had it in their minds to go find a four-leaf clover as soon as possible. The king could see they were anxious, so he told them happily, “Go my friends! See if you can find that four-leaf clover!”

Jack and Angelica didn’t need any further encouragement. The king gave them a few more boxes of Lucky Charms for their travels and wished them well. They ran out the door and immediately found a huge field of clovers. Somewhere in there was a four-leaf clover.

Jack and Angelica dropped to their hands and knees and started looking, and looking. And looking. Suddenly, Anglica called out, “I got one!”

Sure enough, she found a four-leaf clover! Now all they had to do was find a leprechaun. This was surprisingly difficult.

Jack and Angelica looked all over. They looked by the river, in the river, and all over the green landscape of Ireland. They scoured the hills, the trees, the fields of clovers, and elsewhere. But they were not lucky. They went to O’Charley’s for lunch, quite depressed.

They had some corn beef and cabbage, as they talked about what they could do.

Jack said, “What we need is a leprechaun trap.”

Angelica: “And how do you catch a leprechaun?”

Jack replied, “There’s that one leprechaun that’s crazy for Lucky Charms all the time. Maybe we put some cereal in a little trap and watch it from afar.”

And that’s just what they did. After coffee, of course. They had their Irish Creme coffee, and were ready for action!

They found a quiet spot, and laid out a leprechaun trap. It was basically a box that looked like a decorative small house. A trail of Lucky Charms led up to the door, and inside the house was a big heap of Lucky Charms.

Would they find their leprechaun? Of course they did! It didn't take long at all, in fact. From their viewpoint about thirty feet away, they watched a leprechaun march right up to the trap, eating the Lucky Charms with every step. Inside the small house he went - and suddenly the door shut behind him. He was trapped!

Jack and Angelica ran up to him inside the trap.

"Hello there, leprechaun!" Jack called out.

"You caught me," the leprechaun called out from within the trap. "So, what do you want, my friend? I'll give you whatever you want if you'd just let me go."

Angelica and Jack looked at each other a moment. That's when they really started to think about what they had been doing. On one hand, yes they did want the gold. But on the other hand, it did seem a little rude to hold someone hostage until they gave you money, even if it was gold. So they both did the only sensible thing they could do.

"We just caught you for one reason," Angelica said.

"And that was to wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day," Jack told him.

Angelica added, "And to give you some more Lucky Charms!"

They let the leprechaun out of the box, to which he was very grateful. "Thank ye kindly, he said. You two are very nice! Thank ye for the Lucky Charms, and have a Happy St. Patrick's Day yourself!"

And with that, he winked - and disappeared.

Jack and Angelica were stunned! It was quite a day for them, and quite an adventure. They didn't get the gold, but they did have a good time at least. They both turned and headed back to their boat, in order to sail off, and before leaving, the good people there had one last party to wish them well. There were shamrock-shaped cookies, cakes with green icing, and of course a whole lot of Shamrock Shakes. Jack and Angelica ate until they didn't think they could eat any more. That's when it is usually a good time to leave.

And so they boarded their boat as they waved goodbye. But lo! What was on the boat in front of them? Sure enough, it was a huge black cauldron - and it was filled... with gold! Right before them was a big pot of of gold coins. Now as they looked at the gold coins, they realized that most of them weren't really gold coins: They were chocolate candies covered in gold foil. But that didn't stop them from smiling, especially when they read the note on top of the pile of gold coins. It said, "A gift of my appreciation. Thank you for being kind today, and have a blessed day. Your friend always, the leprechaun."

Angelica and Jack smiled warmly when they read the note. It would always serve as a reminder. And so the two waved goodbye to those on shore, the Irish music swelling in the distance, and Jack and Angelica munching on chocolate coins as they sailed off into the sunset - right into the green flash of the horizon...