4 Miss Petula Perpetual-Motion

Miss PETULA Perpetual- Motion

THIS IS THE STORY OF A GIRL who would not sit still. Miss Petula Perpetual-Motion was forever in motion. Whether she was in a lesson, in church or even playing Musical Statues, some part of her would always be moving. It might be her foot, or her arm, or even her entire body.

It would start with a little wiggle, then become a waggle, before turning into a jiggle and progressing to a JOGGLE. Next she would be cartwheeling across the room, creating pandemonium wherever she went. Petula was even in motion as she slept. Sometimes the other girls at her posh boarding school, Modesty Plice would hear a noise in the dead of night. They would peek out from under their bedcovers and see Petula ballet-dancing across the dormitory with her eyes closed. One day, Petula's rather grand headmistress announced that the girls of Modesty Place were to go on an awfully special trip.

"Quiet, girls!" ordered the lady as she stood on stage at assembly. Miss Prigg's grey hair was styled in a magnificent bouffant hairdo and a pair of half-moon spectacles hung from her neck on a gold chain. If she was about to tell someone off (which was often), the spectacles would be lifted up to her eyes so she could stare her victim down and give them the willies. "Now, girls, we are going to take a school trip to somewhere I-your beloved headmistress-have chosen myself. We are going to visit my favourite PORCELAIN museum. Needless to say, I expect you to be on your absolute best behaviour. I don't want any mishaps."

Suddenly all eyes were on Petula. OH NO! thought the good girls sitting in the front row. OH YES! thought the bad girls sitting in the back: row. To make matters worse (or better, depending on whether you were a good or bad girl), Petula was bouncing up and down on her seat like it was a space hopper. "BOING! BOING! BOING!

"PORCELAIN has long been a personal passion of mine," continued the headmistress, who loved making lengthy speeches. "Now I-your beloved headmistress -want to share that passion with YOU. This museum is the best in Europe. Every single piece on display is a priceless antique. There shall be no 'accidents.' Do I make myself clear?" There was a faint murmur from the pupils. "I SAID DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" she bellowed. "Yes, Headmistress," chimed the girls in unison. "Excellent! Now, Miss Petula Perpetual-Motion, I need. to see you in my study right away." The girl glowed as red as a tomato driving a fire engine. What had she done wrong now? Surely the time when she accidentally spun backwards into the science block had been put behind her? Yes, the experiment taking place that day went badly wrong. Yes, there was still a huge hole in the floor where the acid burned through it. But Petula swore it was an accident.