Where Mercy Is Shown, Mercy Is Given - Duane Dog Chapman [16]
It was sometime during my book tour that I realized I had finally fulfilled my lifelong dream of becoming a “celebrity.” I had struggled, worked, and wanted to be famous my whole life. As the old saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.” I love all aspects of my public and private life, but my manager had to explain to me that a lot of responsibility comes with being famous. Alan told me a real celebrity is someone who other people look up to and love. It may seem like it’s all glamorous and fancy—and to be honest, there are lots of perks—but there is also a certain amount of accountability too. Every action, word, or gesture belongs to the world to judge and critique. I listened closely when Alan shared those words and took his advice to heart.
Aside from the long, exhausting days, the book tour was loads of fun. It gave me a unique opportunity to go places in America that I had never been but always wanted to see. And while I didn’t have many days off during the thirty-day tour, I made sure to make the most of that time when I did.
During a stop in Washington, D.C., Beth and I decided to take in the city and see the sights. I had never spent any time in the nation’s capital. When I was growing up, we weren’t the touring type of family. My father would stop along the way to see a landmark here and there, but we didn’t take special trips or family vacations like that. We mostly spent our time away on fishing trips, something I still enjoy.
I’ve been invited to a lot of places since my show hit the air, including plenty of celebrity homes, but I was never more excited than I was to see the home of our country’s first President. I’ve always loved American history, and what would this country have been without our founding fathers, especially my hero, George Washington? I have always loved George Washington and all that he stood for. He was a trailblazer who gave so much of himself to give all of us freedom and undeniable rights.
Mount Vernon is one of the most popular historic estates in America. It was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington from the time of their marriage in 1759 until his death in 1799. He worked tirelessly to expand his plantation from two thousand acres to eight thousand, and the mansion house from six rooms to twenty-one, during his life. Mount Vernon is located just sixteen miles south of Washington, D.C., so it wasn’t far from the hotel where we were staying.
The homestead rests on the banks of the Potomac River. We were invited to tour the mansion as well as a dozen outbuildings, including the slave quarters, kitchen, stables, and greenhouse. George and Martha Washington’s final resting place is also on the grounds. They’re buried in a tomb where memorial ceremonies are held daily. The Slave Memorial and Burial Ground are also close to the tomb.
Seeing Mount Vernon was extremely emotional for me. I didn’t expect to have the type of visceral reaction to it that I did. Washington’s spirit and all that he stood for drew me to Mount Vernon, and being there deeply moved me.
When we got to the home, we were assigned a bright young tour guide to drive us around and show us the site. He pointed at an apple tree and said, “That tree has been here since the house was built.” I asked if I could take an apple off the tree. I wanted to plant the seeds at my home in Hawaii. These were apple seeds from the same tree George Washington ate from. That was huge. I knew that this visit would be significant to me, but I had no way of knowing what a huge impact it would end up having on my life.
The guide began telling us stories about George and his best friend, who happened to be one of his slaves. Even though the man was George