1I figured since Josh and Becky were born in a different century, the gift of tongues might apply to them in the modern world.
Finally, after long district-wide battles on the pros and cons of foreign language education, especially the Spanish language, a trial system had been admitted into an innocent 6th grade classroom.
All held their breaths, especially Josh Plimpton. Learn another language? What would be the purpose of that? If he needed to learn another language, well, that meant he was just in a country he shouldn't be in.
The teacher stood in front of the classroom, inwardly cursing the school system that had forced her to teach something she was not trained in other than the minimal stuff her husband, who had served his mission in Chile, had taught her. "Well," she began. "Who shall be my first victim?"
One student began to cry. None of them knew Spanish.
"Does anyone know any words in Spanish?"
Somebody was brave enough to sort of raise their hand. "Hello?" she ventured nervously.
The teacher actually smiled. "Very good! Marvelous Spanish, Cindy!"
Josh stared. All Cindy had said was hello.
"Now," the teacher continued. "Here is how you say "good-bye" in Spanish. Good-bye."
The rest of the class gave sufficient awe while Josh continued in his bewilderment. Where was the Spanish? How was this different?
At least the students were getting braver. "I know how to say 'cat' and 'dog'!" a boy cried out. "Cat! Dog!"
Cindy and the teacher applauded.
Josh sighed. This was ridiculous. He raised his hand.
The teacher nodded. "Yes, Josh? Do you know any words in Spanish?"
"No, I don't," he declared. "I'm not hearing a different language. You're all speaking English!"
Everyone gasped.
"Wow," said Cindy, batting her eyes in his direction. "That was a lot of Spanish words! I didn't know you were so smart."
But he hadn't spoke Spanish.
The teacher looked ready to faint. She had listened attentively for some random simple word in Spanish, but instead an entire sentence. "But, Josh," she said breathlessly. "You just said, in Spanish, that you didn't know Spanish!"
Josh remembered his parents' mentioning something about this.
"Say something else!" a boy demanded.
Josh only groaned.
So this is what he got for being born in a different century. How would he manage when the written tests came about?
The End!