Double Take - The History Lesson

The History Lesson

By Vaughan Savidge

Master: Settle down! Settle down! Today, children, I'm going to give you a history lesson about

(toddler's gurgling voice)

Yes what is it Patten?

(toddler's gurgling voice)

You want to discuss China and its recent history. All right. All right. Let's talk about the massacre at Tienanmen Sq ...

(second toddler's gurgling voice)

Yes Deng, what is it boy - and put that cigarette out!

(gurgling voice)

What do you mean it was an incident? Hundreds of people were killed boy. It was hardly an incident - it was a massacre.

(gurgle gurgle gurgle)

What do you mean it may be a massacre now, but in four years time it will be an incident. History cannot be re-written boy.

(gurgle gurgle)

Well why didn't you say your father is my landlord before, boy? And that's the interesting thing about history ... it was all so long ago and things become unclear with time - it really is so difficult to be absolutely sure what happened in any particular - incident. Another cigarette anyone?