RUSH: Here’s Siggie. Siggie, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Hey, Siggie, it’s great to have you on the EIB Network. Hello.
CALLER: Hi, Rush. I’m so honored to speak to you. Thank you for taking my call.
RUSH: It’s a pleasure to have you here.
CALLER: I wanted to let you know that I bought Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims for my kids right before Thanksgiving ’cause we homeschool and I thought it would be, you know, a great history lesson for them. Anyway, so I bought it before Thanksgiving and I was rushing to get it done because I heard you say on the show that you had the history of the first Thanksgiving in there.
RUSH: Yeah.
CALLER: And I always have my kids listen to your story of the first Thanksgiving. Anyway, I couldn’t get to the story the first Thanksgiving, before Thanksgiving. My voice would give out after reading two chapters. So we’ve been doing one chapter a day, and finally today we just finished the book, and then right when we finished, my kids said, “Where’s the next book?”
RUSH: They did?
CALLER: They did.
RUSH: Your kids want the next book.
CALLER: They want the next book.
RUSH: Hmm. Hmmmmm! Well.
CALLER: I don’t want to give away the end of the book, but there is a little picture of you, and there is a blurb saying, “Where do we go next?” But, yeah, they want the next book.
RUSH: But the blurb doesn’t say where we’re going next.
CALLER: It does not, but the last page of your book kind of gives an idea but I’m not gonna say what that is, because I’m sure there are some people that haven’t read it.
RUSH: Well, that’s a precious few who haven’t read it, but it’s supposed to be an intriguing, open-ended proposition, and it looks like it’s worked with you and your kids. That’s cool. You know what? I need to send you the audio version of the book, if you’d let me. If you’ll hang on and give Mr. Snerdley your address, we’ll FedEx you the audio version of the book so that you have to worry about your voice going out.
CALLER: That would be so awesome.
RUSH: Yeah, I must tell you, you’ve made my day here. I have gotten so much satisfaction, I am so thrilled when I have gotten feedback from people like you, mothers, even some of the kids who call here to talk about it. If you woulda told me 25 years ago that I would be taking phone calls from kids praising a book that I had written — ha-ha-ha — I wouldn’t have believed you.
CALLER: Well, you got my kids when you spoke about the Mayflower and the parts of the body. You got them at “the poop deck,” and that was it.
RUSH: Well, they didn’t know what a poop deck was?
CALLER: Well —
RUSH: Or they thought they knew what it was?
CALLER: They love that you mentioned things that kids love to talk about, ’cause they think it’s funny.
RUSH: Yeah.
CALLER: You know something adults wouldn’t necessarily, you know, grab hold of the kids characters.
RUSH: That is the key. That’s what was a challenge, and I had a lot of help here with including things that kids think are funny that maybe adults would look at and be entertained by it but wouldn’t actually be entertained by the kids laughing at it. Well, you are making my day here.
CALLER: I’m so glad.
RUSH: You know, your kids wanting to know if there’s gonna be another book? See I know the answer to that.
CALLER: Are you gonna share it?
RUSH: No. I think I kinda am here, but I can’t specifically. I’m not prepared, not yet ready to do it. But the fact that you’re asking is an indication.
CALLER: Well, I’ll let you know that I’m sure it’s not just my kids but I’m sure you have a lot of little fans out there that are probably asking the same question, because my kids, you know, they’re great kids, and we homeschool, and my kids now love history.
RUSH: Well, there are a lot of kids writing. I’ve got a collection of some letters, e-mails, that the children who have read the book have written, and a lot of them are asking Liberty, “So where are you guys going next?” I mean, there is this ingrained hope that there is another adventure, and so your kids are right in line with that. I don’t think they’re gonna be disappointed. Let me just put it that way.
CALLER: Okay, that sounds good. They also asked if you can make a movie on it.
RUSH: A movie?
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: You know, you are really making this hard on me. You’re really, really making it tough. (long sigh)
CALLER: You know, Mike Huckabee has these videos out on the history of this country and —
RUSH: Who?
CALLER: Mike Huckabee.
RUSH: Huckabee… Huckabee…
CALLER: He has a set of videos out for kids about events that happened in history. So if he can do it, I think you can do it.
RUSH: Huckabee… Huckabee… Huckabee… Oh yeah! Well, I’ll tell you what you do. You tell your kids that we are going to be giving life to the poop deck.
CALLER: (laughing) That sounds great.
RUSH: You’ve had two requests today — one a suggestion, one a request — and you’ve basically had both of them answered if you’re listening carefully.
CALLER: I did.
RUSH: All right. Now, hang on, because Mr. Snerdley will get your address and we’ll FedEx you or somehow we’ll get it out. You’ll probably have it next week. We’ll get you the audio version. It’s about 4-1/2 hours, and my voice does not give out as yours did, so you don’t have to worry about that. Why do you think your voice gave out right before the Thanksgiving story?
CALLER: Well, what happens is, we start school at eight in the morning, and so I’m constantly talking, and by the time we get to history, it’s about 12 o’clock.
RUSH: Oh, wow.
CALLER: Yeah, so.
RUSH: How long is your homeschool class day?
CALLER: It depends on the day. I mean, we do about eight, nine subjects a day, so it depends when how fast the kids are with their studies.
RUSH: Yeah?
CALLER: Right now we have it set up where I change things up a bit, and we’re getting done at least by 12:30.
RUSH: For the day?
CALLER: Yeah.
RUSH: And what age-group are your kids now? Is it just your two, did you say, or you have others that learn?
CALLER: No, I’ve got four kids. My youngest is 3, but I’m homeschooling my 6-, 10-, and 12-year-old.
RUSH: OK, 6, 10 and 12. For how long will you homeschool them before you send them somewhere else?
CALLER: Well, the plan is until they’re graduated from high school.
RUSH: Wow.
CALLER: And actually, I’ve been getting a lot of feedback from my friends. I have a lot of friends that are teachers, and they’re teachers in New York, and they think what I’m doing is great, and they see what’s happening with the government running the schools.
RUSH: Yeah. No argument here.
CALLER: My friends are liberal, you know, very liberal, and my girlfriend said, “You’re so lucky that you can homeschool your kids.”
RUSH: Now, let me ask you a question about this. Are you worried, ’cause I have read some of the critics of homeschooling have said that if you don’t send the kids outside the house for some other schooling, they’re not going to learn certain socialization skills.
CALLER: I don’t buy that. I think the best socialization they could get is seeing two parents who get along really well, and my husband and I get along famously, and they see the relationship that we have, and we have relatives where the parents do not get along well, and you can see it with the kids, that the kids misbehave. They don’t act well. We were actually in Disney World earlier this year, and we’re at the World of Disney Store, and we were buying a whole bunch of stuff for the kids. You know, the first day there you get all excited. You see Mickey Mouse everywhere and you just want to buy stuff. Anyway, we’re at the cashier’s desk and the lady says to me, “Do you homeschool your kids?” And I said, “Yeah, how did you guess?” because, of course, we don’t know this woman.
RUSH: Let me guess, let me guess. Because they were well behaved?
CALLER: Because they were well behaved. Me and my husband were thinking, “Really? They’re well behaved?” But apparently they are.
RUSH: Is your husband involved in the homeschooling?
CALLER: No. He’s working so I can homeschool.
RUSH: A-ha.
CALLER: But, as you were saying —
RUSH: So your husband’s doing the man thing during the daytimes.
CALLER: Yeah, he’s done the man thing. I’m okay with that. I used to work but when baby number three came along, we thought it was best that I stay home with the kids and the kids were still in public school, the two older ones.
RUSH: Well, let me just say something to you here, Siggie. The fervent hope is that one day you can take your kids to Rush Revere World.
CALLER: Rush Revere World.
RUSH: Yeah, instead of Disney World.
CALLER: Well, we’re kinda stuck on Disney World, but we would definitely give Rush Revere World a try.
RUSH: There’s nothing wrong with it. I’m just giving you another hint here.
CALLER: Oh, oh, my gosh. Well, you’re a very busy man.
RUSH: Right, and I finally figured out who Hucklebee is. He was in a Mark Twain book. I didn’t know who you were talking about. Hucklebee was in a Mark Twain book, Tom Sawyer.
CALLER: No, you’re thinking about Huckleberry Finn.
RUSH: Yeah, that’s what I was thinking about. Okay, now, also, in addition to the audio version, I’m gonna send you and your kids this new little thing that we put at the Two If By Tea website. Ted-Tea Bear. It’s a little white bear, and we put it in there as a gift item for people, and it’s just the cutest thing. It has a little patriot hat on there. You ought to go to the website and take a look at it, ’cause I’m gonna send you one of those, too.
CALLER: Oh, thank you so much. You’re the best.
RUSH: Thank you so much, Siggie. It’s great to talk to you.
CALLER: Let me just real quick, in regards to the socialization… I have my kids involved in dance and gymnastics and anything else that they can meet other kids with, so they’re socialized plenty.
RUSH: Cool.
CALLER: At least they’re socialized with kids who have the same interests.
RUSH: And values. That’s excellent.
CALLER: Yeah.
RUSH: That’s great. Well, you’re doing a great, great job, and let me tell you something. I am really — in all seriousness, now — I’m honored that people like you are in this audience and that you have found value in my little book. I really appreciate that.
CALLER: Well, thank you so much.
RUSH: You bet. And hang on so we can get your address.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Folks, I mentioned earlier that I wanted to share with you some of the mail the characters in Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims are getting, ’cause they melt your heart. I’ve just got a couple. Here’s one from Katie. This fan mail is actually to Mr. William Bradford. “Mr. Bradford: When I was in high school a decade ago, I only knew you as a distant name, a faceless man with no personality who did some boring things that my history book thought important enough to write about.
“After meeting you through this book, my eyes have been opened drastically. You, sir, were the true definition of a man, a patriot — an example of hard work, unwavering faith, rugged individualism. I had no idea that you left behind your son, nor did I know you lost your wife. I didn’t know what a remarkable leader you were, something this country and its decaying culture know little of anymore.
“Most importantly, you revered God, and, as a result, you revered duty and perseverance. In fact, you remind me of my own husband, one of the few true leaders left in the country. In a nutshell, Mr. Bradford, I’m honored to have truly met you. Thank you for not giving up.” Now, she was in high school ten years ago, and never knew the truth, and William Bradford is who wrote the actual real history of the Pilgrims, the first Thanksgiving.
I wasn’t taught about William Bradford, either. So it’s not surprising. Let’s see. We even got a horse that wrote a fan letter to Liberty, a horse named Elmo. “Dear Liberty: My person told me about you and your abilities and adventures. Sounds like a good life, except the food availability. I’m a former cavalry mount. (It was interesting, but loud at times.) Next trip you guys go on, how about late June 1776 or November 1863? Your fan, Elmo.”
There was a picture of Elmo grazing in a pasture, who had sent the letter to Liberty (laughing), and, of course, Liberty wrote back. “Dear Rush Revere: I want to thank you for taking Liberty back to the day of the Pilgrims. Okay, I know Liberty takes you. Tell him to settle down. My ex-mother-in-law’s ancestors were on the Mayflower. Thomas Rogers signed the Mayflower Compact, page 106 of your book, fourth name, third column. He died shortly after they landed, and his son Joseph lived with Governor Bradford.
“I ordered your book to give my grandson, along with the information about his Mayflower ancestors for his 14th birthday later this month. Having read it as soon as I got it on Thursday, I can guarantee that he will love it. A book like this brings history to life far better than a grandmother can telling stories at the Thanksgiving Day table.” They are just rolling in here. I tell you, folks, it’s really heartwarming, and I wanted to read just a few of these things. I won’t overdo it, but I wanted to thank you so much for taking the time, and, if you want to send one of the characters a fan letter, you can do so at TwoIfByTea.com at the Adventures of Rush Revere portal.
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