Mechanical Memories Magazine

Arms. Fortunately, some of the parents had come along as helpers, so we were not
totally without supervision.
"Hey, you lot! Glad to see you've made it then." It was Penny, running to catch up, with
Swotty in tow.
"We jus' don't understand it," said Henry, "The vicar was ever so nice. He said
somethin' about bein' too harsh, and boys will be boys!"
Penny and Swotty smirked at each other "We sorted him out, didn't we Swotty?"
giggled Penny, "and it was all due to this." She took a photograph from her bag and
handed it to us. The picture wasn't very clear, but it was good enough to make out the
vicar and Miss Sweetlove. It was all very innocent really, but it was possibly enough to
raise the eyebrows of the Bishop, not to mention the vicars wife.
"How did you manage it?" said Itchy.
"Simple!" said Penny. "Swotty hid in the cassocks cupboard, with the camera.
Fortunately, there's a couple of air hole in the door, just enough for the camera lens."
She giggled, "Poor old Swotty was in there for two hours!"
"An' what about Miss Sweetlove?" said Henry. "She won't be very happy when
she finds out."
"Oh she's alright," replied Penny, "Actually, it was her suggestion!"
We were confused. "Oh, I forgot to mention," said Penny, "She's my cousin!"
Henry suggested that we each give her some of our pennies to show our thanks, but
she wouldn't hear of it. "No!" she said, "It's me goin' to give you some money." And
handed over a pound note. "The vicar gave me five pounds for his photo," she giggled,
"now I'll tear this copy up." She neatly deposited the pieces into the litter bin. "C'mon,"
she said, ''the arcades are waiting."
At that moment the verger happened to peer out of the window of the Railway Arms,
and saw what Penny was doing. "What are those kidsh up to?" he slurred, "Up to no
good, I know." He staggered across to the railway station and up to the litter bin and
looked inside. Had the bin been full, there would have been a good chance the pieces
would have been lost amongst the rubbish. But it was empty, except for the pieces of the
tom photograph. The verger rescued and assembled the pieces on the wall, and began to
snigger. "Oh my!" he said, as he slipped the pieces into his pocket, "Very Usheful! Very
usheful indeed!"
The verger didn't like the vicar either.
The End
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