The Note

There was once a boy called John.

John, as a child, was extremely dull. When he failed his first grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to second grade.

When he failed his second grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to third grade.

When he failed his third grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to fourth grade.

When he failed his fourth grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to fifth grade.

John asked his father what the note said, but he refused to answer. He said he'd tell him when the time was right.

When he failed his fifth grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to sixth grade.

When he failed his sixth grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to seventh grade.

When he failed his seventh grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to eighth grade.

When he failed his eighth grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to ninth grade.

When he failed his ninth grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to tenth grade.

When he failed his tenth grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to eleventh grade.

When he failed his eleventh grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher, and he was promoted to twelfth grade.

When he failed his twelfth grade test, his father came to school and showed a note to the teacher. His report card showed that he was a straight A student. He got the best college possible.

All this time, John had no idea what was written in the note. His father refused to tell him, saying he'd tell him when the time was right.

John wanted to marry a girl he had a crush on, to which she obviously refused. His father showed up and showed the girl the note. They got married the next day.

Once John was arrested for drunk driving. His father shows up with the note and he's freed on the spot.

Throughout his life, John failed everywhere, only for his father to show up with the note.

John's curiousity was getting the better of him. Day and night, all he thought about was what the note could have written in it. Slowly, John fell into depression even though the note had made his life better than what it would have been otherwise.

At last, when John's father was living his last moments in the hospital, he called his son who came rushing and said, "John, here's the

note. You deserve to know what's written in it, after all these years."
He gives John the note with weak hands, just before he breathes his last.
With tears in his eyes, John starts opening the folded note when the nurse rushes into the room and a gust of air blows the note out of the window.