Children say the darnedest things.

Today, in Grade Eight creative writing, Traveller put this picture on an interactive whiteboard, and asked the children to write a creative response. They had to explain how the man in the wall got there.

T watched as the children made themselves ready for the task; they were opening their books, taking out their pens and starting to write. Traveller continued to watch as one boy stared open-mouthed at the screen. After a couple of minutes of this, he raised his hand.

T went over to him.

The conversation went like this.

'Mrs ___________, I'm a little confused. I can't believe there is a man in the wall. How did he get in the wall? What happened to him?'

T started at him, dumbfounded.

The class are silent. Not even a breath can be heard as they await T's answer.

It finally clicked.

'Sam, that isn't really a man in the wall. (laughter arises)

'Oh, really? I thought he was real,' he replies, sure in his response.

'It's a sculpture, Sam.'

Pause. Followed by muffled laughter from the class.

'Ohhhh'.