NAUGHTY CHAILEY SCHOOL DAYS When I slid down the stairs at St. Martins Backwards, with never a care. Or hung over the outside stairway And whooshed down the bannister there. When I sat in the dining room staring At a poached egg for half of a day; Or saved up the fish I was given for brekkers In a hankie, I then threw away. When I complained of my chilblains for itching Or tried to just to run, run away I never got far, I would fall down And until I was found, there I'd stay. I was totally useless at sewing And maths always made me feel grey And I swapped all my pernavites for vitamin C And chucked cod liver oil pills away. I could swallow a book at a sitting; And I hated the Matrons white dog. And I loved sleeping outside in winter In those days I could sleep like a log. Oh I hated and loved with a passion All the nurses, and staff great and small So I thank you dear teachers and doctors That I'm still myself after all. PS for those of you who didn't get chilblains - pernavites were supposed to stimulate your circulation and prevent chilblains.. They didn't work for the most part. In the hope that they would give you a temperature, the boys would often swap their vitamin pills for pernavites.