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Is there a Nigel in your classroom?

Teaching staff
Ms Mumps is yet again trawling the Bleedin’ Obvious at a lectern – today’s topic is “intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings”. A bird ascends on a PowerPoint screen. It aspires. Nigel gets it – but, right now, feels rather bereft of wings.

It is 7am. He is 12. He is Nigel.

“Get up! I’m not telling you again!” she tells him again.

He is still without motion. Has he passed on? His mother could care less and exits in much dudgeon for harsh toil for little money.

“Wallop!” thunders the door. 

Nigel rises in instalments. He cleans teeth, flannels face and assembles the school uniform. The trousers collect in many folds around his shoes. He polishes them on the back of these folds. He has a Lemsip for breakfast, forgets to feed the cat, staggers sneezing down a stairwell and waits with hooligans for the 52 in the cold, sick dawn. 

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