Before we started, the President announced that a number of members had concocted excuses to avoid the ride. Some had to work (when the courts are closed?!), others helped people move (at 7:30?!), and others slept...oh sleep, lovely sleep...nevermind!
And so the President cheered the hearty few with the St. Crispian's Day speech, a speech our dear departed founder would have listened to with glistening eyes. Here is what our noble President said:
(the non-cousin McG is Westmoreland and the King of course is the Pres)
WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
KING. What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin, Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Crispin's day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
The President said something about memorizing that while watching On the Waterfront and lifting weights.
The ride went down Hopkins to South Park, around Canalside where Shark Girl was made a provisional member. See here the President welcoming her with a peck on the cheek (we had to pry her away after that).
Around and about Canalside (Sharp Girl had the music from Jaws playing as she chased after the President) and over to Exchange. Visited Larkinville and the President started to sing on the stage but thankfully the non-cousin started to howl. Then to Smith, Hamburg, the Mutual Boat House, Riverworks, and the new bike path along Ohio. Then along Route 5 to Ridge.
We ended having logged 17 miles and lot of territory. The non-cousin and judge-not toasted the President for a job well done.
