Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
Stories
Fussy, Fussy Miles
A new engine had arrived on the Island of Sodor. His name is Miles and he had come to the island to help out the Fat Controller during a mini-crisis. Several engines were at the works and help was needed. The Fat Controller has considered bringing back Class 40, the diesel that'd swallowed an inspector's hat, but he soon thought otherwise. Miles was a blue pannier tank engine and his current controller had warned Sir Topham Hatt that Miles does have fussy tendencies. He chooses his jobs rather than people picking them for him. The Fat Controller rather hoped this wasn't the case as Miles soon arrived at some sidings for his first task of the day. A signalman was waiting for him as was Gordon.
"Hello" said Gordon "You must be Miles"
"Indeed I am" replied Miles. "I've heard about you. You're very pompous." Gordon didn't seem very pleased at all and was about to retort angrily at Miles but the signalman soon interrupted.
"Miles. Stop arguing please." he said exasperatedly. "Just take these old carriages to the menders."
"Why can't big old blue do it?" Miles asked. Gordon was feeling angrier and angrier with Miles already and he'd barely even met him.
"Just do as you're told. Gordon's about to leave for the Express." the signalman reiterated. Miles gave up arguing and looked at the carriages. They were old, dirty, dank and disgusting. Miles didn't want to do this job at all. The thought of doing it sent shivers down to his footplate. It was not a good feeling at all. He had to let the signalman and Gordon know.
"No!" he said abruptly "No, No, No, No! I will not do this job! Goodbye and good riddance!" he added. Miles then steamed off into the distance to find another job, one that he'd actually like. Gordon and the signalman were left in shock.
"What cheek!" Gordon huffed. "No engine decides what work they do! Not even me!" he added as he was left to take the old carriages in a hurry before he set off for the Express.
Miles felt great after ignoring his first Sodor duty. It was so freeing to do as he felt and he knew that this could definitely happen again. Soon, he sped along into the fuel depot where Mavis struggling some troublesome tankers.
"Mavis, Mavis, she flips and flops about so much she might aswell be a fish!" they sang with wide grins.
"That's terrible even by your standards." Mavis retorted to the tankers. She then saw Miles and wondered if he could help. "Excuse me" Mavis said politely. "Could you help me with these tankers? They are a right pain." Miles then looked at the tankers. At first, they looked clean and he was happy to help. Then he saw men filling tankers in the distance and fuel spilled over the edge of the fillers and congealed quickly. Miles soon changed his mind. He didn't want to spoil his dark blue paint and instantly knew he didn't want to do the job. So he let Mavis know.
"No!" he said "No, No, No, No! I will not help you with this job!" he added. Miles then steamed off once again to find another job, one he'd like. This left Mavis to deal with the troublesome tankers all on her own.
"Mavis, Mavis, she flips and flops about so much she might aswell be a fish!" they sang once more as Mavis sighed loudly.
The Fat Controller was meanwhile in his office reading a recently found book from his childhood.
"Lovely memories…" he murmured to himself. The nostalgia was soon cut short though as he received phone calls from the signalman and then the fuel depot manager. They were both very unimpressed with Miles. "Hmm…" pondered the Fat Controller. "We'll have to keep an eye on him. If he isn't going to work, he won't be here for long on Sodor." The message was soon spread as far and wide and possible and everyone was on a close watch of Miles. He had taken some cleaner carriages out and about for a short while but this was the only due he'd been assigned that he'd actually completed. All the others were far too bothersome. They'd either ruin his reputation or damage his paint and he didn't want that.
"I do as I please." Miles said to himself. "The work I do is the work I choose." Soon, Miles was steaming through Henry's Forest. He knew any work around here wouldn't be of any use for him, but he just wanted to be away from the hustle and bustle of the work he didn't want to do. As he steamed on, Miles saw Oliver the great western engine pulling Rocky along. Storms of late had caused a few trees to fall and Rocky was clearing the way. Oliver soon saw Miles coming along, and with prior warning of Miles possibly steaming through, he just wanted to play a trick on him.
"Any chance for a bit of assistance?" asked Oliver kindly.
"We just need someone else to help take away these fallen trees…" Rocky added. Miles looked on disdainfully at the work they were doing, and instantly thought about the damage that could be done to his paint. So now he instantly knew he didn't want to do the job. He had to let Oliver and Rocky know.
"No! No, No, No, No! I will not do this job!" he said firmly once again. He then sped off faster than he had before. Oliver and Rocky weren't surprised at this, but they were when they heard a crash behind them.
"What was that?" wondered Oliver
"No idea" replied Rocky. "Hang on; one of those workers is pointing behind us. Something has happened" he added. The pair of them then noticed a blue car pass them very quickly. Oliver realised it was the Fat Controller's car, so he knew it was something to do with Miles.
"I think he's in trouble…" Oliver remarked as he then reversed down the line to find that Miles had de-railed. He'd gone too quick around a bend and come off the rails as result. Something was definitely broken. Miles didn't look too happy. Neither did the Fat Controller as he got out of his car. The door slammed shut with a loud bang and the Fat Controller had a very stern face. He was here to tell off Miles...
"Miles!" he boomed "You have caused confusion and delay. You have been asked to jobs and you refuse to do them without just cause. This is bad" he added.
"I'm sorry Sir" replied Miles pathetically. "I will try to do more work in future Sir" he added. The Fat Controller looked unconvinced.
"I'm glad to hear" he then said. "However, you need to have a severe look at yourself and the lack of effort you do." Oliver and Rocky were looking on at Miles. He looked very sad, but they wanted to help.
"Sir" asked Rocky. "Do you want me to put Miles back on the line?"
"Ofcourse" replied the Fat Controller "Oliver, can you please bring a flatbed. Miles will need fixing. I doubt the menders will even know who he is!" he added.
"I'll fetch it right away, Sir" said Oliver as he went off to fetch the flatbed for the derailed fussy engine.
In no time, Rocky was lowering Miles onto the flatbed. Miles was happy to be back on the line and for the first time on Sodor, he smiled. Oliver then coupled up to the flatbed and steamed off to the menders with Miles still looking somewhat sorry for himself. The Fat Controller still didn't look happy as he saw them go but he knew Miles did look very sorry. However, Miles was thinking through what he'd said earlier.
"Me not fussy?" he thought "Never!" he added with a wide smile. The thought to keep on being fussy was to remain as he made his way to the menders. He's not likely to change his ways, is he?
