~Third & Quartered Conversations

While discussing what Eamon learned in school today...

Eamon:  "So today, in Social Studies, we talked about the amendments."

Mark:  <knowingly> "Amendments to what?"

Eamon:  "Um, America?"

Mark:  "The amendments to America?  Are you sure?"

Eamon:  "Something about the Constitution?"

Mark:  "Ok, amendments to the constitution and then what?"

Eamon:  "Well, we had to pick an amendment and then draw a picture of it so I picked the 3rd amendment about not quartering soldiers."

Me:  "Cool!  <punnily>  But they can still be drawn, right!?"  

Eamon:  <innocently>  "I drew them being quartered!"

Mark and I:  <realization dawning>  "Wait, what?  Did you turn that in already?  We need to see that."

Mark:  <trying to choke back laughter> "Um, ok, good attempt, and good vocab skills by the way but 'quartered' has several different meanings and in that case it meant to house the soldiers.  People couldn't be forced to house the soldiers."  

Eamon:  "Oh."

Mark:  <still failing in his attempt to choke back his laughter> "Um, you're going to have to redo this.  But you should still show it to your teacher.  He'll... appreciate this."  

Aww, poor Eamon's vocab skills landed him in a little bit of trouble with this assignment.  ;) 

"No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, 

without the consent of the Owner,       

nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."