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Humanising Language Teaching
Year 6; Issue 3; September 04
Planting Potatoes in Idaho
Sent to HLT by Cecile Marit
Belgium
An old Arab guy who had lived in Idaho for many years needed to get the plot behind his house turned over so he could put potatoes in. As he was too old to do it himself he sent his only son an email asking him to come back from his studies in France and dig the land over.
His son emailed back:
Dear Father,
GOD FOBID that you dig over the earth in that plot. I've hidden " you know what" there. Don't let anybody dig around there!
With all my love,
Ali
Next morning, at 4.00 am, the local police, the FBI, the CIA and a Pentagon delegation came and dug over the whole plot, looking, of course, for weapons of mass destruction.
Later that morning an email came from Ali:
Dear Father,
I am sure you can plant your potatoes now. It was the best I could do for you in the circumstances.
With all my love,
Ali
A Wedding Anniversary
They decided to celebrate at home: a candle-lit supper. She asked him to pop out and buy snails for the feast.
On his way home from work he bought the snails and then dropped into the local bar for a quick drink.
Some hours later he staggered back to his house:
"Shit, I'm going to be in trouble big time!"……
and then he has an idea.
He lines the snails up in neat rows outside his front door.
The door opens angrily:
"I've taken hours getting these bloody snails home!"
Whose Focus?
"I know we've been friends for years, but there is something I need to tell you."
"Oh yes,….what?"
"Well….. put it this way… I think there is something you really should do."
"What's that?"
"Well, you've got to stop all this drinking!"
"How can you say that?"
"I'm telling you for your own good…. I tell you… you're completely out of focus…your face is so fuzzy, I can hardly see who you are!"
