But… Who Came 50th?

Back in the 1990’s I am having lunch in a diner in Louisiana. A guy and his friend sitting next to me at the food bar are talking to each other, and one of them is holding a newspaper.

Guy #1: *Reading an article headline out loud.* “Louisiana is ranked 49th in education out of all the United States.”

Guy #2: “Wow, how many states are there?”

They both looked at me as I choked on my coffee.