Allan set out to school for the first time and told his mother that he was a big boy and didn't want her to take him to school. Allan's mum was worried about this and wondered how she could get round the problem without upsetting Allan.
She had an idea, she would ask the lady up the road who took her little daughter to school every morning if she would mind following Allan to school and keep an eye on him. The neighbour said she was happy to do it.

Allan made a friend, Tommy at school and he lived not far from Allan so they would walk together to school.

2 weeks went by and the neighbour and her little girl followed Allan to school every day without fail. Allan's friend, Tomm noticed the couple following them and said to Allan, “Have you noticed that woman and girl following us to school every day? Do you know her?”
Allan, nonchalantly replied, “Yeah, I know who she is.”
“Well, who is she?” asked Tommy.
“That’s just Shirley Goodnest,” Allan replied, “and her daughter, Marcy.”
“Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us?” asked Tommy.
“Well,” Allan explained, “every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, ‘cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, ‘Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life,’ so I guess I’ll just have to get used to it!”