Gunpowder and Tea Cakes: My Journey with Felicity

I shout at them to stop. The men are so surprised they freeze. They’ve probably never heard a girl holler like that. I tell them they’re not being fair. Patriots decided merchants can no longer buy goods from the British, and they stated a date that change would take place. The man nods. That date was this past January.

I nod, and inform them that Mr. Merriman’s goods don’t always sell quickly. Some of these things have been on display for months. It’s not fair to punish him for trying to sell things he purchased from the British before January. The men look at each other, until one man says that I make a fair point.

I keep going. I tell them that Mr. Merriman was trying to sell the china, which had been sitting on a high shelf for months. If someone had bought it, he’d have money buy Virginian goods. But now he can’t sell it. I ask who’s going to pay for it. I glare at the man in front who swept it to the floor. He stutters. Felicity grabs the account book and says she’ll have to make a note of the destroyed merchandise and mark to the Committee of Safety.

Another man steps forward and says they have a right to seize British goods, unless they can prove which ones were purchased before the new rule took effect. Felicity says her father keeps excellent records. I mention that it will take a lot of time to go through months of records…

The oldest man says this is enough. They don’t have time to go through meticulous records. It’s time for them to leave. Before they do, the first man points his finger at Felicity and says to tell her father they’ll be watching. But it sounds more like bluster than a threat. As they leave, the elderly man pauses and tells us well done. He says he hopes we’re Patriots, because they need more like us.

When they leave, Felicity runs around the counter and hugs me. She says she was so addled she couldn’t think straight. I tell her that she spoke up first. I was so shocked at the beginning I couldn’t think straight. We look down at the mess. Felicity says it’s best we clean up. We may still have other customers today. I crouch and begin picking up large pieces of broken glass. Felicity says she can’t wait to tell Father and Ben that I saved the day. Who knows what other mischief they would’ve gotten to if not for me.

A part of me wants to stay in 1775 and see what happens. But another part desires to return to my own time and think about everything that happened.