I don’t think they’re talking about street wise. That sounds kind of thuggish and immature. I think they mean just natural intelligence. Someone who soaks things in, retains them, being capable of output it in a way people can chew it. Part of it is genetics, I don’t pride myself in being super smart, I can be dumb, but at the same time…. my dad made his mistakes, but he was smart. Interested in rocks, had a National Geographic subscription. I’d read those sitting at the table. My Saint Helens, Dinosaurs, Space Shuttle. He once showed me a slide rule. A calculator. You do this and that if you want to do this, I’m like??? I’m glad I got some of his form brain. I don’t know if he had a P****** and Penthouse subscription based on the stack??? I never saw them in the mail, but I can’t see him in a store buying a Penthouse??? That’s another story. It’s also about taking things in and asking “why?” This happened? Why? This person said this? Why is that? A lot of people would just let it go at face value, because they did. My brother who I work with is famous for that with me. We think different, I don’t know? But why? I know they said this, fine, who cares? Whatever, why?

Street smart. I guess yeah, but I’m not sure that’s what they mean. Probably something a bit deeper, but they are right. Just because you went to school, others, probably even a few genius’ out there are miles below them in education.

Like Yoda giving his speech to Luke in The Empire Strikes Back.