There once was a girl by the name of Pearl who had trouble remembering things. She would even forget to get up in the morning and was always late for school. Her teacher, Mrs. Pickwick, didn’t know what to do.
“Do you have an alarm clock?” Mrs. Pickwick asked.
“Yes, I do,” said Pearl, the forgetful girl, “but I always forget to set it.”
“Well,” said Mrs. Pickwick, “I’ll tie a little string around your finger. This will remind you to set your alarm clock when you go to bed tonight, and the alarm will get you up on time in the morning.”
The next day, Pearl, the forgetful girl, was late for school.
“Did you remember to set your alarm clock?” asked Mrs. Pickwick.
“No,” said Pearl, the forgetful girl. “I forgot why the string was tied around my finger.”
“Very well,” said Mrs. Pickwick. “Let’s keep the string tied around your finger and pin a note to your blouse. The note will tell you why the string is tied around your finger. When you take off your blouse to go to bed tonight, you will see the note.”
The next day, Pearl, the forgetful girl, was late for school again.
“Why are you late for school again?” asked Mrs. Pickwick.
“Oh,” said Pearl, the forgetful girl, “I fell asleep listening to music, slept the whole night in my blouse, and didn’t see the note.”
Mrs. Pickwick was quite annoyed. “There must be something you remember to do every night before going to bed,” she said.
“There is,” replied Pearl, the forgetful girl. “I always remember to brush my teeth.”
“Good,” said Mrs. Pickwick. “I’ll put a little red mark on your forehead. When you look into the mirror to brush your teeth, you will see the mark, and it will remind you to read the note on your blouse, which will tell you why the string is tied around your finger—and you’ll remember to set your alarm clock.”
That night, before going to bed, Pearl, the forgetful girl, stepped before the mirror to brush her teeth. She noticed the red mark on her forehead, and it reminded her to read the note attached to her blouse. The note told her that the string around her finger was to remind her to set her alarm clock for school in the morning. She was so happy to remember and quickly set the alarm for seven o’clock.
The next morning the alarm clock rang, and she was up on time. She had her breakfast and hurried off to school as fast as she could. Mrs. Pickwick was surely going to be surprised, she thought to herself. But, when she got to school, no one was there. Pearl, the forgetful girl, had forgotten it was Saturday!
