THOMAS'S EXTRA SPECIAL FRIEND AND OTHER THOMAS STORIES

Thomas's Extra Special Friend

It was a busy day. The Island of Sodor was bustling with activity as the engines in Sir Topham Hatt's railyard were put to work shunting, delivering passengers and hauling freight. They didn't know why, but they had a strong feeling that today was special. None of them had ever had a great chance such as this to feel Really Useful in one day's time. Sure enough, Sir Topham Hatt unexpectedly called all of them off work early, a very rare order on his part. He met them in the railyard roundhouse where he could speak to all of them at once.

"I have very important news," he announced. "A guest is visiting the island today on holiday, and I'd like all of you to help show her around. She is new, so I expect patience. Treat her nicely, welcome her—there is a great chance she will not know where anything is."

He had to have been alerted by the stationmaster.

All the same, the engines were excited. Perhaps Sir Topham Hatt had found another Really Useful Engine to help out in the railyard. Those pushy freight cars could use a bit of disciplining, and it was said they behaved slightly better when they were being handled by a female.

"Oh, sir, yes, sir, we will, sir," the engines promised joyfully.

They could barely contain themselves.

Later that day, the roads were cleared to make room for Bertie the Bus. He blared his horn.

"Guest on the grounds, guest on the grounds," he bleeped importantly.

The engines chattered excitedly. The new Really Useful Engine was about to show her glorious coat of shiny new paint. What color would she be?

"I sure hope she isn't red," pointed out James huffily. "She can't top off my shiny coat."

He never showed it, but he was just as excited as the others.

As Bertie reached the yard, bleeping his "guest on the grounds" routine, the engines heard the loveliest sound.

"What is that?" whispered Percy to Thomas.

"I could be wrong, but it sounds like singing," answered Thomas observantly.

A young woman was sitting on Bertie's roof, wearing an engineer's hat and a light sundress. She held a violin in her hands and the sweetest melody was coming out of her open mouth. She would switch from the singing to the instrument in her hands, and when she played, her bow danced merrily across the strings, light and quick, in the traditional fiddle tunes of northern Ireland. No one on the Island of Sodor had ever seen or heard such a spectacle, and they were more awed than they had ever been in their lives.

The pretty redhead stepped off gracefully as Bertie rolled to a complete stop, the parade and song ending at the final destination.

"Hello," she said warmly as Bertie's driver helped her with her luggage. "You must be Sir Topham Hatt, and you all must be his reliable and Really Useful Engines. I have heard so many wonderful things about you, so I decided to come here and see it all for myself."

So she had been the guest Sir Topham Hatt had mentioned, and she was not an engine at all. She was a human girl who enjoyed music, singing and playing Irish fiddle. Thomas was deeply impressed and inspired. Here was someone he could closely relate to, and she didn't even need steam or buffers to run.

"It is indeed my pleasure, miss," Sir Topham Hatt answered, eagerly shaking her hand. "My engines and I all wish to welcome you with open arms to the Island of Sodor."

"I am glad I could pick it as my ultimate holiday getaway," the young redhead replied. "And I deeply thank your engines as well. I hear they very well live up to their reputations."

She flickered her eyes over to Thomas and Percy as she spoke and grinned widely. Thomas and Percy were in awe. The Irish fiddler-singer-dancer had actually looked at them and grinned. They grew lost for words and could only manage two happy "peep-peeps" from their whistles in return.

"She's pretty," whispered Percy to Thomas.

"You have no idea," Thomas agreed back. "If I could do it, I'd ask her to teach me how to fiddle."

"You could sing," Percy said plainly. "Your voice isn't that bad."

"No," agreed Thomas, "but after listening to her, I'd say my voice sounds like a busted boiler."

Percy laughed.

Sir Topham Hatt once again addressed the engines.

"Remember what I said," he reminded them pointedly. "I want you all to be nice to our guest. Show her around the island. She's never been here before."

"Oh, sir, yes, sir," the engines chorused eagerly. "We will, sir!"

"Perhaps I ought to have some time to unpack first," the redhead stated kindly.

"Of course," Sir Topham Hatt said. "Take all the time you need. I'll be at the station if you have any questions."

Evening came, and Thomas decided to go for a spin. He really wanted to talk to the redhead, and he felt he needed to be alone for it to have any effect. Surprisingly, he caught her relaxing under a thick tree in Henry's favorite forest. She was reading a book and had sunglasses on.

"Hello!" he called cheerily, slightly letting his excitement get the better of him.

The redhead looked up from her book and lowered her shades, waving merrily.

"Hello to you," she answered in a gentle voice. "I'm just relaxing. It's a nice day out."

"Yes," agreed Thomas. "It is indeed. I'm Thomas. What's your name?"

"I'm Allison," the redhead stated. "Nice to meet you, Thomas."

"Oh, no, it is a much greater pleasure to meet you," Thomas insisted cheerfully. "I thought I'd be one of the first engines to show you around the island. Sir Topham Hatt did ask us, after all."

"Of course," replied Allison. "I do remember him stating it. Well, I thought I'd take it slow for a while, since it's been a long journey, and the forest was a perfect place to start. Your bus friend is very hospitable."

"That's Bertie," Thomas told her. "He's always hostible."

"Hospitable," Allison corrected, but she was giggling girlishly. Thomas had quite a way of saying long words.

"Yes," Thomas answered agreeably. "Hostinoble." He laughed with her.

"However long you wish to stay here, Allison, I am willing to wait for you," he added. "Like Henry and yourself, I, too, find this forest to be very peaceful."

Allison thought Thomas's offer to be very generous indeed, while at the exact same moment, Thomas's fire was heating up quickly with joy; he had finally found the beautiful guest's name, and soon, he felt deep in his boiler, she would become an extra special friend.