In Mrs. Parker’s classroom, every morning began the same way — with a warm smile, a cheerful greeting, and her never-ending mission to teach her students a little bit about life.
But today, she had something special planned: a lesson in good manners.
As the bell rang, she clapped her hands.
“Class, today we’re going to learn how to behave politely in real-life situations,” she announced.
Little Johnny — the boy known for wild answers, unexpected comments, and a sense of humor far too advanced for his age — grinned mischievously. Whenever Mrs. Parker talked about “manners,” Johnny usually turned the lesson into comedy hour.
Mrs. Parker smiled at the class.
“All right, imagine you’re on a nice dinner date. The food is served. What would you say before you begin eating?”
She looked toward Michael first. He always gave the safest answers.
Michael sat up straight.
“I would say, ‘Ladies first,’” he replied proudly.
“Excellent!” she said.
Then she turned toward Little Johnny.
The class shifted uneasily. They all knew what was coming.
“Johnny,” Mrs. Parker asked carefully, “what would you say if you were having dinner with a nice young lady and the food was served?”
Johnny tapped his chin, pretended to think very hard, then looked up with innocent eyes.
“I’d say…” — he paused dramatically —
“Hey, don’t touch my food!”
The entire class erupted. Even Mrs. Parker tried not to laugh, but her smile gave her away.
“Johnny,” she said through giggles, “that is not good manners.”
Johnny shrugged.
“Well, ma’am, it depends who’s hungrier.”
Laughter filled the room once more.
And although the lesson didn’t go exactly as planned, Mrs. Parker couldn’t deny it — sometimes the funniest moments teach the most unforgettable lessons.
That day’s takeaway?
Good manners matter…
but Little Johnny will always be Little Johnny.