"Wait, wait, hang on," America held his hands up in a stop-everything gesture. "What do you mean you're going to change the time?"

"I mean precisely that," the President replied once again to the confused nation. "I thought I'd just explained all of this to you, Alfred. Weren't you listening?"

"Well, yeah, I was, but it's just – you're going to change the time? Just like that?"

"Yes, Alfred. Just like that."

"But, Boss, with all due respect, it's time. It can't just be changed!"

Franklin Delano Roosevelt rubbed his temples and let out a sigh. No matter how many times he'd explained it to the young nation, no matter how many times he'd protested that, yes, the time could in fact be changed, Alfred simply wasn't getting it. It had already been over an hour and a half of constant questioning, and the President found that his patience was beginning to wear thin.

"We've already been over this, Alfred," President Roosevelt said, his voice weary with exasperation. "Yes. The time can be changed. I don't see what you're so concerned about; after all, we're just setting the clocks forward by one hour."

"One hour?" America groaned, obviously upset by this new piece of information. "That's one hour less of sleeping in, or eating, or staying up at night! It's already bad enough that the days are only 24 hours long; what am I supposed to do with 23?"

By this time, the President was about ready to just get up and walk away from the situation, but he held his patience for the sake of the nation.

"Might I remind you that you're near enough to immortal," he said, "so, technically, you have all the time in the world."

America didn't look the least bit reassured by this, and turned to look at the President with wide, innocent eyes.

"But… But why?"

"It's merely an experiment," President Roosevelt explained. "I figure setting the clocks ahead would allow us to save energy and make better use of the daylight. It gives us an advantage, really."

Upon seeing the nation open his mouth in retaliation, the President quickly sighed.

"Relax, Alfred. It's just for one year."

However, Franklin Roosevelt soon realized that his words had the opposite effect than he had intended, as America's expression suddenly contorted into one of desperation.

"I need to put up with this for one full year?" the young nation pouted, putting his head in his hands. "Boss, I don't think this is going to work out so well."

President Roosevelt stood up then, ready to end the conversation once and for all.

"What's done is done," he stated. "There's nothing you can do about it now, so I suggest you simply deal with it."

He turned to walk out the door, but found himself interrupted once more.

"Wait!"

The President turned around to face America, who currently had his hand outstretched.

"Just one more question," the country said before his boss had a chance to protest. "How come none of the other nations are doing this?"

"Oh, but some of them are," Roosevelt remarked. "Germany has been doing it for quite a while now, as has France. Just be glad you aren't Britain; his clocks had to be set forward two hours."

Turning his back on the dumbfounded nation, President Roosevelt strolled out the door before America could ask any more questions.

This year had better go by fast.

Author's Note:

On February 9, 1942, Congress imposed the first daylight savings time (which, at the time, they'd called "war time"). It was indeed suggested by FDR, and was meant to be a temporary thing (And, yes, Great Britain did in fact follow a "Double Summer Time" that set its clocks two hours forward instead of one. Haha). Although it was repealed on September 30, 1945, Congress passed official legislation in 1966 that set a permanent daylight savings time.

And there's your history fun-fact of the day.

XOXO,

Cora