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SHOWING OFF IS NOT NICE
07 - Showing off is not Nice
T
he class just got back an English spelling test. Rohit was upset because he had not done as well as he had expected to. Manoj, on the other hand, got a 100 on it and was bragging about it to everyone and making fun of them for not having done as well. The saying 'Pride comes before a fall' or 'Think before you leap' may be a good proverb in this case! Instead of being egotistic and bragging, a little equanimity would have been good for Manoj.
Manoj:
Rohit:
Manoj:
Rohit:
Manoj:
Rohit:
Manoj:
Rohit:
Manoj:
Rohit:
Manoj:
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(Yelling across a room, in an excited, high-pitched voice) Hey, Rohit, guess what I got on the spelling test?
I don't want to talk about it. I didn't do as well as I thought I would.
Come on, what did you get? It couldn't have been that bad.
(Angry and upset) I got a fifty-five. And I studied so hard for it.
(Laughing) Fifty-five! That's terrible. I thought you were pretty smart. I guess not. Ha! Ha! A fifty-five. I can't believe it.
(Embarrassed) I know. My parents are going to be so upset with me. I better go home and study for next week's spelling test.
Yeah, you better start studying now. I don't have to worry though.
What did you get?
(With a lot of pride) I thought you'd never ask. I got a hundred. The highest grade in the class. No one else even came close. Everybody is so jealous of me. Ha! Ha! And the best part is, I didn't even study for the dumb test.
What do you mean? You didn't study at all? I spent two hours studying for the test.
I'm just naturally smart. I think I might even be a genius. I like that title: Manoj, the great Genius. It has a nice ring to it.
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