|
It is a little known fact that Edward Madison is the
one who invented the electric light bulb. Edward or Eddie as he
was known to his immediate family, spent many hours in his electric
lab trying all sorts of materials for the filaments of the bulb.
Finally, Eddie's old friend, Franklin Benjamin suggested he use
goat hair as the filament.
This in itself was not a good suggestion since goat
hair burned and smelled like old goats. The suggestion, though,
got Eddie to think about using natural fibers for filaments such
as asbestos and polyurethane. Eventually, Eddie would settle on
copper, brass, tin and rin tin tin filaments creating what we know
today as: light.
When Eddie was young, he experimented on other kid's
hair, often setting it on fire. He was given the name Little Pyro,
then Pyro Eddie by one of his classmates as he continued lighting
up his soon to be ex-friends' hair. Pyro Eddie was brought to the
Principal's office many times for this behavior and told to stop
lighting other kids on fire. Eddie acquiesced and instead started
lighting the neighborhood pets on fire.
When Eddie's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Madison caught wind of this,
they grounded Eddie for a year. He was not seen beyond the walls
of his house during this time. Fortunately for Eddie, this gave
him ample time to set other things on fire like his little sister,
the curtains, the carpeting and his parents' temper.
Eventually, Eddie grew out of this penchant for setting people,
places and things on fire and returned to school to the chagrin
of his dubious classmates. With time, Eddie started to fit in and
lost the nickname Pyro Eddie, which was replaced by Ed Madision,
then shortened to Edison.
Well, little Edison liked his new name, but when he finally came
of age, he decided he would keep this nickname and legally change
his name so that he would have a first name. A first cousin, whom
Edison respected immensely, suggested he take on the name Thomas
Alva. But what is Alva, he thought? Is this short for Alvatross,
the bad luck bird? No, he rejected this suggestion and decided to
call himself Madison Edison or Maddy for short. So, Maddy Edison
invented the electric light bulb and anyone who disagrees with this
historical interpretation of the facts is simply wrong.
|
