The Fourth of July weekend was approaching, and Miss Pelham, the nursery school teacher, took the opportunity to tell her class about patriotism.

“We live in a great country,” she announced. “One of the things we should be happy about is that, in this country, we are all free.”

Trevor, a little boy in her class, came walking up to her from the back of the room. He stood with his hands on his hips and said loudly, “I not free! I four!”