Interview 9 · Writing
Does «Oct.» count as October?
Transcript
Rafa: Mom, write it like a text: quick, no capitals, everything short.
Lupe: Now please write the sentence I say.
Rafa: Columbus Day is in October.
Lupe: columbus day… is in… oct. Done!
Rafa: … Oct? Mom, that's not a month. That's a text message.
Grandpa: Rewind.
Grandpa: In the writing test, the officer says a sentence and you write it. Write one correctly, and you pass. Up to three.
Grandpa: What counts: the officer can read it, and it means the same thing.
Grandpa: Capitals: Columbus Day starts with capital letters, like names and months. If you miss one, that alone won't fail you. But write them right.
Grandpa: What does fail: abbreviations. No Oct, no Pres, no Wash. October, the whole word.
Grandpa: Numbers: you can write fifty in letters or with the number. Both count. Same with one hundred.
Grandpa: And the months on the list: February, May, June, July, September, October, November.
Grandpa: Okay, like at the interview. Now please write the sentence I say. The United States has fifty states.
Rafa: The U.S. has 50 states. Shorter, more modern!
Grandpa: Rafa! I said United States: you write it all out. … Lupe?
Lupe: The United States has fifty states.
Grandpa: Good. And fifty as a number counts too. Another one: Thanksgiving is in November.
Lupe: Thanksgiving… is in… November. The whole word!
Rafa: What if I add a turkey emoji?
Grandpa: No emojis, kiddo. Whole words.
Lupe: Your turn, mijo: Washington is the Father of Our Country.
Rafa: Washington… is the Father… of Our Country. No abbreviations!
Grandpa: That's it, kiddo. No Wash, no nothing.
Lupe: My eighteenth stamp in the passport!
Grandpa: Eighteen out of twenty, Lupe. Almost there.
Grandpa: Now, your pencil. The officer dictates: you write it on paper… then check it with me.
Officer: Columbus Day is in October.
Grandpa: Columbus Day is in October. kuh-LUM-bus DAY iz in ok-TOH-ber.
Officer: Presidents’ Day is in February.
Grandpa: Presidents’ Day is in February. PREZ-ih-dents DAY iz in FEB-roo-air-ee.
Officer: The United States has fifty states.
Grandpa: The United States has fifty states. yoo-NYE-tid STATES haz FIF-tee STATES.
Officer: The United States has one hundred Senators.
Grandpa: The United States has one hundred Senators. WUN HUN-drid SEN-uh-turz.
Officer: The White House is in Washington, D.C.
Grandpa: The White House is in Washington, D.C. WHITE HOWS… WASH-ing-tun DEE-SEE.
Officer: We vote for President in November.
Grandpa: We vote for President in November. VOHT… PREZ-ih-dent… noh-VEM-ber.
Lupe: October, the whole word, with a capital… and no emoji!
Grandpa: That's it, Lupe. Write one sentence every night.
Rafa: Okay, okay… I'll write my texts with whole words. Sometimes.