Porky's "Shining Pig Top Hat Shop' was situated in a fashionable part of town. A part of town that had recently become fashionable amongst the young rich who thought themselves to be a part of the real life, as compared with their parents. This was a part of the town that had once been a bit of a slum that had grown up around an archaeological site. Behind this site was a large pond and, sadly the area between the slum and the pond (some called it a Wee Lake) was a bit muddy and slushy. Still, this was a small price to pay for having a shop next to an old site, bang in the middle of LIFE!!
On the day in mention, Percival entered Porky's shop to buy a new top hat. He had to look really handsome that day. He had to beat off the challenge mounted by Basil and Thyme. Basil, really. Thyme was only the second in command.
He entered the shop, feeling rather self conscious and so, had his little nose up in the air. A little higher than usual. Which was a mistake. He did not notice trouble brewing.
Percival, after waving a genial greeting to Porky, walked around the shop, trying to see which hat was best suited for the occassion. Should it be tall and shiny? Tall and dull, but dignified? Should it have a little grey ribbon around the base? These extremely important questions swirled around in his brain and occupied all his thoughts. His reverie was suddenly disurbed by a commotion and, the sound of two pigs scuffling.
Percival, despite his pompous demeanour, was as curious a pig as any other and, he thought he'd pick up a bit of friendly gossip to break the ice, or any ackward moments in his proposal to Bessie.
This was a mistake. The scuffle grew more and more intense and, Percival could not see the pigs involved, as their faces were covered by their scarves. All of a sudden, Porky's door burst open and in came a large pig, panting and yelling 'Police' (this was a setup by you know who). The pigs panicked, for no reason and, there was a commotion in the shop. Top hats were everywhere. Everywhere. On pigs, under pigs, in the pigs. And, suddenly, without warning, the Large Pig hurled himself against Percival, yelling - 'Run, run, run...' and, Percival found himself flung out of the rear of the shop and, on to his face in the slushy mud outside.
Poor Percival. Never in his life had he allowed a speck of dust to fall on him, without flicking it off with contempt. And now, without warning, he found himself face down in mud and slush. His life seemed to pass by him. Past, present and future. Future with Bessie. A future without Bessie. Bessie with Basil. Forever poking fun at him in his hour of humiliation.
This was the moment. The moment of transformation. The moment when he felt that he was a Born Again Pig. And, he rose from the slush. He gave the Large Pig a hard kick in the rear and knocked him into the Wee Lake and, he strode off to Bessie's house, quite forgetting the state he was in.
One thought and, one thought burned in his brain. That he wanted Bessie and, he was damned if he was going to let that Basil make off with her...