After a history exam, Mr. Johnson asked Johnny to stay behind for a moment. He had noticed something unusual while grading the papers and wanted an explanation.

Johnny looked surprised when his teacher mentioned the possibility of cheating.

“Are you accusing me of copying someone else’s work?” he asked confidently. “If so, I’d like to know what makes you think that.”

Mr. Johnson calmly picked up Johnny’s test paper.

“Let’s start with the first question. I asked who the first president of the United States was. Mary, who sat beside you, wrote George Washington. You gave exactly the same answer.”

Johnny shrugged.

“That’s hardly proof. Everyone knows George Washington was the first president!”

Mr. Johnson nodded and continued.

“The next question asked who was responsible for ending slavery in the United States. Mary wrote Abraham Lincoln, and so did you.”

Johnny smiled.

“I studied my history lessons last night. It’s not surprising that we knew the same answer.”

Mr. Johnson listened patiently before turning to the final question.

He pointed to the question that asked who was president when the Louisiana Purchase took place.

“Now, here’s where things get interesting,” the teacher said.

He showed Johnny Mary’s response.

She had written: “I don’t know.”

Then Mr. Johnson looked at Johnny’s paper and read his answer aloud:

“Me neither.”

For the first time, Johnny had absolutely nothing to say!

The lesson: Sometimes, copying someone else’s work can get you into more trouble than admitting you don’t know the answer. And when a teacher has a good sense of humor, even a simple test can become an unforgettable lesson!

The End. 😄