Abbot & Costello at our Breakfast Table

"Daddy, who is that man with George Bush?"



"Hu."

"That man there?"

"He's the President of China."

"What's his name?"

"Hu."

"That man you just said, from China, that's who?"

"Right."

"Daddy, who is the President of China?"

"You've got it!"

"Mommy! Daddy won't tell me who is the President of China!"

"Tell Daddy to stop teaching old bits and hack material!"

"Daddy, Mommy says you are a hack and need new material."

My wife doesn't understand. You can't teach small children material. Material comes and goes. But you can teach them timing - timing is forever. And you can't teach them too early - because if they are going to Carnegie Hall, the only way to get there is practice, practice, practice.