President Bush was visiting a school...
And went to observe one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.
The teacher asked the President if he would like to lead the discussion on the word "tragedy".
So the Leader of The Free World asked the class for an example of a "tragedy".
One little boy stood up and offered: "If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a "tragedy."
"No," corrected Bush.
"That would be an accident."
A little girl raised her hand: "If the floods in New Orleans entered the geriatric ward of a hospital, killing elderly & infirm people trapped inside, that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not," sighed the President, "that's what we would call a great loss."
The room went silent. No other children volunteered.
Bush searched the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"
Finally, at the back of the room, a small boy raised his hand. In a quiet voice he said: "If Air Force One carrying you and Mrs Bush was struck by a "friendly fire" missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaimed Bush.
"That's right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?"
"Well," says the boy "it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be a freakin' accident either..."
