# VIII: An Unpleasant Experience explained — A Popular Schoolgirl

> Chapter companion for A Popular Schoolgirl by Angela Brazil.

## What happens

After a hockey match, Ingred, Beatrice, and Verity stop for buns and miss their train. They attempt to walk to Waverley but take a wrong path and end up on the wrong side of the river. A kind couple punts them across, and they eventually reach a post office where Mrs. Jackson arranges a taxi to fetch them home.

## Themes in this chapter

### Friendship and Rivalry

The three girls stick together through the mishap, supporting each other and sharing the blame.

### Resilience in Adversity

Despite missing the train, losing their tickets, and getting lost, the girls find a way to get help and reach safety.

## Character check-ins

### Ingred Saxon

One of the three girls who miss the train and get lost; she takes the lead in asking for help.

### Beatrice Jackson

Part of the trio; she rings her mother from the post office to arrange rescue.

### Verity Richmond

The third girl in the group; she makes light of the situation with humor.

### Linda Slater

Meets the girls at the pastry shop with her father; declines to offer them a ride.

### Mrs. Jackson

Beatrice's mother; she rescues the girls by taxi and scolds them gently.

## Key lines

> We needn’t run after them⁠—I believe we’ve plenty of time,” said Verity. “We can almost see the station from here. I say, aren’t you fearfully hungry? I’m literally starving. Let’s find a confectioner’s and each buy a bun before we go.

Verity suggests they don't need to hurry because the station is close, and proposes they buy buns since she is very hungry.

_This decision to stop for buns leads to them missing the train._

> “Oh, no, Dad!” frowned Linda. “There really isn’t room. You promised you’d call at Brantbury and bring Gerald and Eustace back for the afternoon. We couldn’t cram them all in the car!”

Linda refuses her father's suggestion to give the girls a ride, citing lack of space and prior plans.

_Linda's refusal leaves the girls to run for the train, which they miss._

> “I suppose girls will be girls,” she said, “but I think you’ve been very silly ones today! Why didn’t you keep with the rest of the school, as you ought to have done?”

Mrs. Jackson scolds the girls for not staying with the group, calling their behavior foolish.

_Mrs. Jackson's reprimand underscores the lesson about sticking together._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_popular_schoolgirl_se/chapters/viii-an-unpleasant-experience
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_popular_schoolgirl_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_popular_schoolgirl_se/chapters