Student: Miss Jallow, I am going to build a storage building.
Me: A storage building? What will it store...what will you keep inside of it?
Student: Things that people like.
Me: What kinds of things that people like?
Student, starting to look confused: Things like…things that people like.
Me: Food?
Student, still looking confused: Ye-es…
Another Student: Miss Jallow, he is not saying “storage” building, he is saying “storied” building.
Me: Oh! Like a building with many floors! Now I understand. I was very confused; I did not understand why he wanted to build a storage building.
Student: But I do not want to build it in America.
Me: No?
Student: No. I went to America and everyone called me a Negro.
Me: Oh, I’m sorry.
Student: It is not nice to call people Negro.
Me: No, it isn’t. Some people in America are not nice.
Student: And my house is going to be the top floor.
Me: That will be nice.
Student: I will build it out of grass.
Me: Grass? Oh, glass? Won’t you be afraid of your house breaking?
Student: Because you know they say people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
Me: That’s too bad because I like throwing stones.
 |
| Not a storage building |
Another day…
Student: Miss Jallow, I want to go to America.
Me: Yes, a lot of people want to go there.
Student: It is a nice country.
Me: Yes. What will you do in America?
Student: I will work.
Me: What kind of work?
Student: Hard work.
Me: But…what kind of work? What will you be doing?
Student: I will be a gangster.
Me: A gangster?
Student: I will be a gangster, like Akon, 50 Cent…
Me: Please don’t be a gangster.
Student: No I want to be a gangster, I want to make a lot of money.
Me: But I think, to be a gangster is very dangerous.
Student: But it will give you fast money. That is what they say.
Me: It will also give you a fast death.
Another student, laughing: Miss Jallow says being a gangster will give you a fast death! It's true!
Student, shrugging: But I will have fast money.
 |
| Not a gangster. |
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