Just Pass

Define: Genius 

A "C" student with a Jewish mother. 

There are many times when the SJG has prayed for a "C."  "Dear God in heaven, please, we don't ask much, but please, just let him get a 'C' in Bio-Statistics."  The mantra in this house:  Just get a "C," honey.  You can do it.  Come on.  Just Get A "C" has been the theme of many a tricky college course.  Anything math or science-related?  We become very religious.  We dial-up 1-800-RABBI.  All we ever wanted for our boys was a passing grade. For without a passing grade, they faced the ultimate shanda -- repeating the class.  The eldest took Algebra 2 at least 2 two times in high school, maybe 3, but who's counting.  Hubby and I will never forget the time we attended Back To School Night and introduced ourselves to his math teacher.  "Hi, we're Billy's parents." Whereupon she dropped her head, sighed heavily and said, "Oh, Billy... Billy... Billy."  We took this as a bad sign.  Still, a "C" by us has always been acceptable.  An "A" or a "B"?  We'll take that too.  But slapping the "genius" label on a son who got a "C" or, God willing, better?  Sorry. That's where we part ways.  Our policy is simple.  We try never to call any relative, close or distant, alive or departed, a genius.  The repercussions, the swelled egos, the I'm-better-than-you-bitch would be endless. So we don't go there.  Unless your name is Einstein, you aren't a genius. Or, to quote my go-to source of humor, "You Don't Have To Be Jewish,"  "To a captain, you're no captain."