Fete: A 4-Letter Word

School is for learning. So today I learnt a new 4-letter word from an esteemed colleague, although it was in fact the same 4-letter word I learnt off a different colleague of approximately the same height only a month ago, but had forgotten. This is why schoolwork involves repetition, because sometimes our little minds leak and the facts have to be reinstalled. Incidentally, it's amusing how the shorter the word gets, the greater its value: John McLean can have as many Yippee Ki-Yay Feather-pluckers as he wants, but none of this one at all. Apparently it's quite old-fashioned, how quaint.

First, we got to show off our work to those who are paying for it with all those lovely taxes. I stand here beneath my explanation of how life survives on the Taiga, which is nothing to do with fleas. Then it was the School Summer-Fayre, or Fete depending. Jof has been severely roped into helping out which is why I've been on several stalls now: this time all the kids were goaded, encouraged and coerced into helping by the official Nudge Unit so there were stalls everywhere which all needed float money and prizes and organization.

I was on the Jarbola again but when we got there, it was already occupied, so we offered what little advice we had and pretty well bogged off again to win sweeties.

I found the pick-an-envelope stall where you pay for the privilege of choosing which envelope to open, knowing it contains a coin. I made a serious profit twice and took my booty (and the prize money) over to 3 other sweet stalls where I soon amassed a bagful of assorted teeth-damagers.

My teacher is a Good Sport and he volunteered to be the target for "Sponge a Teacher" which does not involve bedbaths but does involve aerial wet sponge attack. Of course this was a very popular stall and we all had a go, I got 2 headshots in my 6 attempts, not as good as I do on the Scout coconut shy at the Picnic-on-the-Green (only 2 weeks away) but it was cathartic nonetheless.

Jof had to stay late and sell burgers and collect oodles of cash but I went swimming and ate too much and watched True Lies. No quaint words there, either.