Mr. Pickles was having a very bad day.
First, he woke up late because his alarm clock did not ring. (He later found it in the fridge. He did not remember putting it there.) Then, he put salt in his tea instead of sugar. It was horrible.
“Today will be better,” he said to himself, spitting the tea into the sink.
It was not better.
Mr. Pickles was a teacher, and today his class had a very important test. But when he arrived at school, he realised he had forgotten the test papers at home.
“Oh no!” he cried. “The children will be so happy!” (He did not want the children to be happy. He wanted them to suffer, just a little, like he had suffered with the salty tea.)
He ran back to his car, but his keys were not in his pocket. He checked his bag. No keys. He checked his shoes. (Why? He did not know.) Still no keys.
Then he saw them, in the lock of the car door. The car was still running. “Ah! At least one thing is going right!” he said.
It was not.
As he pulled the keys out, the car made a loud BEEP BEEP BEEP noise. The doors locked. The engine was still on. His phone was inside. His test papers were inside. His dignity was inside.
A small crowd of children gathered to watch.
“Mr. Pickles,” said a little girl, “is your car stealing itself?”
“No,” he said. “It is… a science experiment. About… patience.”
The children nodded, impressed.
Mr. Pickles called a mechanic. The mechanic arrived one hour later.
“Sir,” said the mechanic, “your car is locked and running.”
“Yes,” said Mr. Pickles. “That is why I called you.”
The mechanic scratched his head. “But… the window is open.”
Mr. Pickles looked. The back window was wide open. He had not noticed.
The children laughed. The mechanic laughed. Even a nearby pigeon laughed. (Probably.)
Finally, Mr. Pickles got his test papers and went to class. The children were waiting.
“Good morning, class!” he said. “Today, we have a—”
SPLASH.
A bucket of water fell on his head.
The room was silent.
“Who did this?” Mr. Pickles asked, dripping.
A small boy raised his hand. “It was for the school play, Mr. Pickles. We’re doing The Wizard of Oz. You’re the Wicked Witch.”
Mr. Pickles closed his eyes. “I am not a witch. I am a man. A wet, salty, tired man.”
The children took the test. Some cried. Some fell asleep. One drew a picture of Mr. Pickles as a witch.
At lunch, Mr. Pickles sat alone in the teachers’ room. He ate a sad sandwich. (He had forgotten the filling.)
Then, the headteacher walked in.
“Mr. Pickles! The children loved your science experiment with the car! They say you are the funniest teacher in school!”
Mr. Pickles blinked. “I… am?”
“Yes! And guess what? The local newspaper wants to interview you! They love funny stories!”
Mr. Pickles thought about his terrible, horrible day. Then he smiled.
“Tell them to bring a camera,” he said. “And a new sandwich.”
Vocabulary Notes
Alarm clock (noun)
Meaning: A clock that makes a loud sound to wake you up.
Example: “His alarm clock did not ring.”
Similar words: Wake-up clock, timer.
Spitting (verb, -ing form of “spit”)
Meaning: To force liquid out of your mouth.
Example: “He spat the tea into the sink.”
Similar words: Splutter, eject.
Important (adjective)
Meaning: Something that matters a lot.
Example: “His class had a very important test.”
Similar words: Significant, serious, major.
Realised (verb, past tense of “realise”)
Meaning: To suddenly understand something.
Example: “He realised he had forgotten the test papers.”
Similar words: Noticed, understood, figured out.
Dignity (noun)
Meaning: Self-respect; feeling proud and in control.
Example: “His dignity was inside [the locked car].”
Similar words: Pride, self-worth.
Crowd (noun)
Meaning: A large group of people.
Example: “A small crowd of children gathered to watch.”
Similar words: Audience, group, gathering.
Mechanic (noun)
Meaning: A person who repairs cars or machines.
Example: “Mr. Pickles called a mechanic.”
Similar words: Technician, repairman.
Scratching his head (phrase)
Meaning: A gesture showing confusion.
Example: “The mechanic scratched his head.”
Similar words: Puzzled, bewildered.
SPLASH (sound word / onomatopoeia)
Meaning: The sound of liquid hitting something.
Example: “SPLASH. A bucket of water fell on his head.”
Similar words: Splat, plop.
Wicked (adjective)
Meaning: Very bad or evil (but sometimes used in a funny way).
Example: “You’re the Wicked Witch.”
Similar words: Evil, naughty, mischievous.
Dripping (verb, -ing form of “drip”)
Meaning: When liquid falls slowly, drop by drop.
Example: “Mr. Pickles asked, dripping.”
Similar words: Leaking, trickling.
Headteacher (noun, British English)
Meaning: The person in charge of a school.
Example: “The headteacher walked in.”
Similar words: Principal (American English), school director.
Interview (noun/verb)
Meaning: A formal meeting where someone asks questions.
Example: “The local newspaper wants to interview you!”
Similar words: Q&A, discussion.
Story written by DeepSeek AI
Image created by Designer AI
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