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John Quincy Adams In The First Photo
Taken Of An American President |
Of all the American Presidents the one I have the most in common with is John Quincy Adams.
Until George W. Bush came along, almost 200 years later, John Quincy Adams was the only President whose dad had also been President, that being American President #2, John Adams.
Like me, John Quincy Adams preferred reading in seclusion, rather than subjecting himself to social engagements. Often John Quincy Adams would only attend some social event after extreme prodding.
Like Abraham Lincoln, and me, John Quincy Adams suffered from depression and melancholy. There was nothing like Prozac or Wellbutrin to help John Quincy Adams get through the day.
Like me, throughout his life, John Quincy Adams felt inadequate and socially awkward. John Quincy Adams, like me, was also bothered by his physical appearance. And being so short. Both of us turned into domed bald heads at an early age.
Another thing I have in common with John Quincy Adams is liking to skinny dip.
Benjamin Franklin also was a skinny dipper. As was Theodore Roosevelt, years later. Teddy routinely went skinny dipping in the Potomac with this "Tennis Cabinet". Whatever that is.
Like me, John Quincy Adams was a creature of habit. Almost to the point of obsession. Again, like me.
John Quincy Adams wrote on his blog every day, just like me. Only back in John Quincy Adams' day a blog was called a diary. As President, John Quincy Adams got up before the crack of dawn, made a fire (I make coffee), read his Bible ( don't have one), and then took a morning walk. Or a skinny dipping swim in the Potomac.
There are a few stories of John Quincy Adams having slightly embarrassing moments whilst skinny dipping.
One story has John Quincy Adams refusing to grant America's first female professional journalist, Anne Royall, an interview.
So, Anne went to the river, waited for John Quincy Adams to take off his clothes and get in the water and then proceeded gather up John Quincy Adams' clothes and sit on them until he agreed to grant her an interview.
Where was the Secret Service during this woman's outrageous behavior?
Another John Quincy Adams getting caught naked story has him and his servant going for swim in the Potomac where they find an old boat. The President suggests they row the boat across the river, then swim back.
Halfway across, the boat sinks, which supposedly, somehow, causes the men to lose their clothing, after jumping off the sinking ship and swimming ashore. The servant puts on wet clothing and makes his way back to the White House, leaving John Quincy Adams sitting naked on a rock. Five hours pass before clothes arrive. John Quincy Adams' wife, Louisa severely scolded him after this incident, and his doctor advised less hazardous exercise.
However, John Quincy Adams ignores his wife and doctor and continues skinny dipping in the Potomac.
Another supposed incident had John Quincy Adams in the Potomac for his regular skinny dip, when someone steals his clothes, which has the naked President soliciting the help of a passing boy to run to the White House to fetch some britches.
Though the parallels between myself and John Quincy Adams are all sorts of uncanny, I have never ever gone skinny dipping in the Potomac River. That'd be like going skinny dipping in the Trinity River.
I also have never had a female journalist sit on my clothes til I agree to grant her an interview.
America must have been a much more free-spirited, liberated place back in the early days of our Republic. I really can not picture Barack Obama, or George W. Bush, for that matter, going skinny dipping in the Potomac. If they did, and were caught with their pants down, I am sure a big brouhaha would ensue.
Sad, repressed times we live in.
