A group of 20 Mexican immigrants crept into the “English for Beginners” classroom at the “Shakespeare School of English” in a Texas town. As the students settled into their seats scattered around the room, a tall man wearing a suit and tie entered. He headed for the teacher’s desk in the front with a stack of papers. He looked at the students and said, “Hello!” The students repeated “Hello” in their best American accents. “Very good!” The teacher said. “My name is ‘Peter Baker’.” The class said, “My..name..is…” he Suddenly he stops and points to himself, “Peter Baker.” He then called each student in the class to say: “My name is…” and each one said his name.

Peter called out to a student dressed in a smart industrial suit. “Okay…sir…my name is…” Before the teacher finished his sentence, the man said firmly in a British English accent, “What nonsense! My name is Juan Carlos II from Mexico , Hidalgo state. I speak English very well.”

Peter stared at him, his mouth open in disbelief. “You speak English??”

“Are you dumb, man? Of course I speak English!”

“So why are you doing in this beginner’s class and how do you speak so well?”

“My good man, when I started learning English many years ago, I knew as little English as everyone here. I moved from Mexico to London, England, on a scholarship to King’s College. When I went to my first ‘beginner’ class ‘, I made the unfortunate mistake of sitting in an intermediate class on the works of William Shakespeare. I barely understood any English, but I quickly realized that I was a prodigy. I continued to take more English literature classes and graduated from the University of Oxford”.

Peter and the rest of the class looked at Juan Carlos in amazement.

“Then why are you in this beginner class?”

“I’m here to apply for a teaching position here in advanced English and I decided to observe a class.”

“Are you a US citizen? Do you have a “green card” to work here in the United States?”

“No, but it’s being handled.”

Peter said, “But sir, you must have a ‘green card’ to work in this country.”

Juan Carlos proudly said, “I don’t need a ‘green card’ to work in this country.”

“Then, you leave me no choice but to report you to the authorities.”

“You wouldn’t dare, sir!”

“Sit down, like everyone else!” Peter said angrily.

Juan Carlos looked concerned and looked around, understanding his situation. His only response was:

“I don’t speak English”.