Family legend had it that Abraham Lincoln's watch had spent some time in the shop sometime before the civil war broke out. The Folks at the Smithsonian knew the story. It gnawed at them. What did the watchmaker do? This kind of arcana drives museum types into palpitations of anticipation and delight. Should they take a look inside?
Inside Abraham Lincoln's watch? Ohhh. What if something goes wrong? What if we break Abe's watch?
But... but... it's the life of one of our greatest citizens, and it's a chance to see a tiny corner of it. A chance to really see something... for the first time. And it's the Smithsonian for the love of Mike. If they can't find someone who can take Abe's watch apart and put it back together, America's really in the shit.
They find the finest watchmaker in the land. He opens the watch. Engraved on the inside of the back, engraved free hand by the watchmaker the following words...
"Thank God we have a government."
I tell no lie. That's what it says.
We are blessed to live in a time when we can agree with what that humble watchmaker wrote inside Abraham Lincoln's watch.
Praise be.