Passing First Grade
Robert and Piazza
This is Robert Monkey and Piazza. Piazza is the one with the black nose. Like a kamikazi pilot, Robert turned eight on December 7, 2008. He has been practicing kamikazi-like behavior ever since. The following summer, Robert accompanied his mother to pick up the Monkey grandparents at the airport. On the ride home Robert said he had graduated from first grade, and was due to enter second grade the following school year.
Consistent with grandpa’s style, he asked: “Robert, did you learn anything in first grade?”
His response was immediate: “No, I didn’t learn anything in first grade.”
For the next several days, grandpa would not let this go, and continued to question whether it was possible not to learn anything in first grade. Repeating this statement, that Robert had not learned anything in the first grade, eventually began to eat away at Robert, and he was determined to set the record straight.
At dinner the following evening, Robert and grandpa converged at the same table, removed somewhat from the rest of the family. This was the perfect opportunity for Robert to prove that he actually did learn something in first grade.
“Grandpa” he said, “I really did learn something in first grade. Ask me a first grade question”
Grandpa was somewhat startled by this sudden change of heart, and was hard pressed to come up with a first grade question, so he asked:
“Who was buried in Grant’s tomb?”
“Grandpa,” he replied immediately, “They didn’t teach us that in first grade.”
