LITTLE PEDRO"
It was the first day of school and a new student named
Pedro Martinez, the son of a recently immigrated Mexican restaurateur,
entered the fourth grade.
The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some
American history. "Who said 'Give me Liberty, or give me Death?'"
She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Pedro, who
had his hand up. "Patrick ! Henry, 1775."
"Very good!" apprised the teacher. "Now, who said,
"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not
perish from the earth?"
Again, no response except from Pedro: "Abraham Lincoln, 1863."
The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should
be ashamed! Pedro, who is new to our country, knows more about its'
history than you do!"
She heard a loud whisper: "Screw the Mexicans!"
"Who said that?" she demanded.
Pedro put his hand up. "Jim Bowie, 1836."
At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm gonna
puke."
The teacher glared and asked, "All right! Now, who
said that?"
Again, Pedro. "George Bush to the Japanese Prime
Minister, 1991."
Now furious, another student yelled, "Oh yeah? Suck
this!"
Pedro jumped out of his chair waving his hand and
shouting to the teacher, "Bill Clinton to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"
Now, with almost a mob hysteria, someone said, "You
little s---. If you say anything else, I'll kill you!"
Pedro frantically yelled at the top of his voice,
"Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, 2001."
The teacher fainted, and as the class gathered around
her on the floor, someone said, "Oh s___, we're in BIG trouble now!"
Pedro whispered, "Saddam Hussein, 2003."