HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES!
Written by Scrubb1910
NOTE: This story takes place in 2013 in which the red engine turns 100.
James is a splendid red mixed-traffic engine on the North Western Railway. He can pull coaches and trucks, but most of them time, he likes pulling coaches instead. Sometimes, the other engines found his vain attitude annoying, but James meant well and had a caring side as well as wanting to be responsible, reliable and really useful.
One morning, James was with the other engines in the shed.
JAMES: Good morning, everyone! Isn't it a great day to be splendid?
THOMAS: You're always splendid, James.
GORDON: Too splendid for your own good.
JAMES: What do you know, Gordon?
GORDON: Isn't it obvious? You are so self-absorbed and egocentric, of course!
EDWARD: True, but James is nowhere near worse than you, Gordon.
GORDON: Me?!
EDWARD: You hate pulling dirty trucks, too! I saw you grumbling by with a goods train the other day.
HENRY: James may be vain, but he still has a good heart deep down in his boiler. Besides, I know it and Edward knows it, too.
JAMES: I didn't know you cared, Henry.
THOMAS: Yes, he does, and so do I.
EMILY: Same here.
PERCY: Me, too. I don't care how many times you've teased or scared us engines – you're still our friend and I agree with Thomas and Emily!
JAMES: Why do I even bother? Maybe this railway would probably be better off without me...
GORDON: *MOCKINGLY* Oh, woe is me! Nobody likes me! Whine, whine, whinge! Pah! It's always the same old routine, isn't it, James?
JAMES: I do not sound like that!
EMILY: They're only teasing, James. And Gordon, what right have you got to mock others like that?
Just then, Sir Topham Hatt arrived. The engines quickly hushed.
STH: James; you are to go to the Steamworks to be repainted and polished.
JAMES: Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!
James puffed happily to the Steamworks. The others were about to go to work, when suddenly...
STH: WAIT! Not so fast, everybody. Just a quick word before you all go to work today... James, as you guessed by now, is turning 100 years old."
PERCY: I didn't know James was that old, probably as old as Edward.
THOMAS: Don't tell him that, or we'll never hear the end of it!
Both chuckled, but the Fat Controller averted his gaze to them and the shut up.
STH: Now, you all know what to do, so don't tell James anything about it tomorrow.
The engines all agreed and the Fat Controller walked back to his car.
GORDON: Can we go now, please, Sir?
STH: Oh! Erm...yes, you can, now. There's work to be done!
And the engines all did.
At the Steamworks, James was repainted like new and he shone brightly. He looked splendid than before.
VICTOR: There you go, James, all done. All we need to do now is let your paint dry.
JAMES: Yes, Victor. The sooner I'm dry, the sooner I can get to work! Sir Topham Hatt depends on me!
VICTOR: And he doesn't want you covered in leaves, either. *CHUCKLES*
JAMES: *ANNOYED* Hey! What do you take me for, Victor? I learned from my mistake since then!
VICTOR: Yes, James, we know. Don't get your brake-pipe in a twist.
James rolled his eyes.
The next morning, as soon his painted dried, James puffed back to Tidmouth Sheds.
JAMES: Here's JAMES!
But nobody answered.
JAMES: Where's everybody? They must've all gone to work.
STH: And so should you, James. Good to see you shining again.
JAMES: Thank you, Sir.
STH: I have an important job for you, today.
James liked important jobs.
JAMES: "An important job, Sir?"
STH: Ah, yes, a very important one. I need you...to take some trucks to Bridlington.
JAMES: Trucks, Sir?
STH: Yes, James, a long line of trucks. Now, off you go to work, please.
James thought it best not to argue with Sir Topham Hatt.
JAMES: *SIGHS* Yes, Sir.
James arrived and he was soon coupled up to a goods train. But he was feeling gloomy.
JAMES: Why couldn't I be pulling nice, shiny coaches today on a day like this?
CRANKY: Probably because you complain too much and do too little!
James didn't answer to Cranky - he miserably puffed away, but he remembered what Sir Topham Hatt said about pouting, so he tried to show a positive attitude. Along the way to Bridlington, he saw Gordon with the Express. James whistled to him, but Gordon didn't whistle back. He just ignored James. Every time James saw another engine, he gave a friendly whistle, but they didn't whistle back.
JAMES: I don't understand. Why is everybody ignoring me today?
James felt upset. He could remember all the bad things he had done in the past and all the times he got into trouble.
JAMES: Maybe I'm not wanted anymore. I'm not Really Useful after all...but if that's the way it is, fine! I don't need them! I don't need anybody!
Back at Knapford, everyone was getting everything ready. Sir Topham Hatt looked at his watch.
STH: Goodness! It's nearly time, already. James should be back, soon. I hope he isn't held up or gotten into trouble. Edward, Thomas, Emily, Percy – I need you to go and collect James. Just to see if he's not held up, of course."
THOMAS/EDWARD/EMILY/PERCY: Yes, Sir!
STH: And don't tell him about the surprise.
PERCY: We won't!
And they puffed all the way to Bridlington.
James was still at Bridlington taking on coal and water and he was still thinking about all the things he did in the past. Maybe he didn't really belong on Sir Topham Hatt's railway to begin with. Just then, he saw Thomas, Percy, Emily and Edward.
THOMAS: There he is!
THOMAS/EDWARD/EMILY/PERCY: Hello, James!
JAMES: Oh! So, now you're talking to me all of a sudden. It's bad enough you all never whistled back when I whistled to any of you, especially Gordon, but it's also bad enough I got myself all polished up for nothing just like Sir Topham Hatt told me to, and what does he give me?
THOMAS: James-
JAMES: A goods train, of course! I was hoping it would be coaches, but no! Maybe I'm all too puffed-up in my smoke-box, I don't know.
EDWARD: James...
JAMES: I did myself a lot of thinking lately, and I remember all the bad things I've ever done and all the good things I didn't do...
EMILY: James...
JAMES: After all the times I have teased others or made fun of them, and I know how much trouble it can get me into. It always has and it always will.
PERCY: James!
JAMES: Maybe I'm not a Really Useful Engine anymore. Nowhere near useful as Thomas or Edward or Henry, maybe-
THOMAS/EDWARD/EMILY/PERCY: JAMES!
JAMES: What?
EDWARD: Sir Topham Hatt has a surprise for you back at Knapford.
JAMES: Let me guess – another goods train or just odd shunting jobs?
THOMAS: No, James, it's not. It's much better than that!
JAMES: Well, what is it, then?
EDWARD: You'll soon see. Now, let's get back to Knapford.
JAMES: Hmm – I don't know if I should.
James wasn't quite so sure.
THOMAS: Come on, James. We can't keep everybody waiting.
JAMES: No.
PERCY: Please, James...
JAMES: No!
James just frowned. Emily knew exactly what to do.
EMILY: Again with the pouty face, James?
JAMES: Me? Pouty? I'm not pouting!
EMILY: Oh, really?
Emily made a face, too. So did Edward...and Thomas...and Percy, too. They all laughed - it wasn't long before James started laughing too!
EMILY: *LAUGHING* There! That's better.
JAMES: Well, what are we waiting for?
And they all set off for Knapford.
The engines arrived at Knapford when the lights turned on. The station was decorated in its best with mostly red banners and flags. A crowd of people had gathered around.
ALL: SURPRISE!
JAMES: What's all this, then?
PERCY: You've turned 100, James.
JAMES: 100 years old?
TOBY: But not nowhere near as old as Edward, James.
JAMES: How can I? I'm still in my prime.
HENRY: That was when you were first built back then, but you're still fresh as the day and in good-looking condition.
James smiled again.
JAMES: You went through all this trouble for me? No wonder you all ignored me.
GORDON: Don't we always?
EDWARD: *CROSSLY* Gordon!
GORDON: At least I wasn't pretending!
Sir Topham Hatt shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
HENRY: We're sorry if we upset you by ignoring you, but we were so busy getting everything ready and didn't want to spoil the surprise.
JAMES: Really? I thought I wasn't good enough for the railway anymore.
Sir Topham Hatt was puzzled.
STH: What? I don't understand, James. Whatever makes you think I don't want you on my railway anymore?
JAMES: *GLUMLY* Well, because of all the things I've done in the past, and all the times I've let you and everybody else down as well as teasing all the other engines, I thought that no-one would be friends with me anymore."
EDWARD: That's not true, James! Everybody has their own flaw, but just because you've done bad things in the past that doesn't mean nobody likes you anymore. You always have your redeeming moments.
EMILY: And you still have good friends with you – right, Gordon?
GORDON: Uh...um-
EDWARD: He does sometimes pull the express to give you a rest, doesn't he?
GORDON: Well...yes, I suppose so.
STH: That's right; even though you had some moments when you were snooty and arrogant as well as a handful of other mishaps, you have proven time and time again to be Really Useful all the same. My railway wouldn't be the same without you as you are a valued member all the same.
That made James feel much better.
JAMES: You're right, Sir – Sodor wouldn't be the same without me after all... Wait – what was your surprise, Sir?
STH: Ah, yes! That reminds me. My surprise is...you will be pulling passengers all day tomorrow!"
JAMES: R-really-? All day?
STH: Yes, all day.
JAMES: Oh, thank you, Sir!
James was so overjoyed he blew a loud whistle.
THOMAS: *CHUCKLES* Let's hear it for Sodor's splendid engine!
All the engines whistled.
The next day, James spent all day working passenger services. He never felt so prouder and happier.
JAMES: Here's JAMES!
Every time he saw an engine, he whistled to them and they whistled back.
JAMES: Hello, Thomas! Hello, Emily!
THOMAS: Hello, James!
EMILY: Hello, James!
JAMES: That's more like it.
No engine felt happier and prouder than James because Sodor wouldn't be the same without its splendid red engine.