Dining with a Bull Moose by Noah

Dining with a Bull Moose by Noah - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

Admittedly, my first introduction to President Theodore Roosevelt was through the movie “Night at the Museum”. Robin Williams played a wax figure of our 26th President of the United States and his performance was enough to catch my interest. In my mind, dinner would be at a large rustic lodge, somewhere out west and close to a national park. The menu would probably consist of wild game and potatoes, because he strikes me as the type who would avoid a fancy dinner. A true meat-and-potatoes man with a hearty appetite and a love of the outdoors would be my choice for a dinner companion.
Perhaps my first introduction to the President Roosevelt was as a child, when I received my first teddy bear. What kind of president would be so beloved to have a cherished childhood favorite named after him? I would ask him how he felt about the teddy bear connection. As a leader of the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War, I wonder how he feels about inspiring a fluffy child’s toy. Roosevelt’s advocacy of our natural resources leads me to believe that he would be pleased with the association. First of all, I would like to thank him for conserving our natural parks and monuments. In my opinion, very few presidents have left a legacy that touches millions to this day. Afterward, I would ask him which park was his favorite and why.
As we first begin our meal, it would be a great time to ask him about his time in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. The Rough Riders were actually volunteers, who risked their lives to protect our interests. The Panama Canal would be our next topic of discussion, because I am fascinated by the engineering and manpower that it took to build the canal. To think that his life began as a sickly boy from New York and he became a tough soldier, a nature lover and the President of the United States, is as impressive as the Panama Canal. Somewhere along the way, someone affected him and changed the course of his life. I want to know who and how this happened.
One of the more interesting facts about Teddy Roosevelt is that he was shot in the chest during an assassination attempt, but went on to deliver the speech that he intended. A 50 page copy of his speech and a steel eyeglass case saved his life. According to reports, he refused to go to the hospital and insisted upon giving his speech. Historical accounts quote Roosevelt as saying, “Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” I would be curious to know his thoughts on modern-day gun culture and the gun control issue.
Dinner with Teddy Roosevelt would be fascinating and entertaining. Perhaps, we could finish by walking around the bottom of Mt. Rushmore. How strange it would be to see your face carved out of the side of a mountain? Would he laugh at the sight or would he be more concerned about the effects on the natural habitat surrounding it? All in all, I hope he is proud of his legacy and how later generations have preserved our parks, natural resources and history.