I've always loved the show Shining Time Station, ever since I was a little girl. As I've grown older, I've come to appreciate just what a special show it is, especially in its portrayal of family and friendships. I especially love the mother/son relationship between Stacy Jones and her nephew Dan. One of my favorite episodes is "Bully For Mr. Conductor," in which Dan must learn to stand up to a bully. I've always wondered what Stacy would have thought when J.B. King gave her the report on Dan's courage at the end of the day, and this one-shot attempts to answer the questions.
"That must be some little talk they're having out there."
Dan Jones licked his ice cream cone and grinned over at his little companion. "I don't think a little talk is really ever a little talk with Mr. King. I know I wouldn't wanna be the one he's giving that little talk to." He took another lick of the ice-cold chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. "You want some ice cream, Mr. Conductor?"
Mr. Conductor smiled up at the boy. "Don't mind if I do, Dan! Thanks!" He carefully licked the cone when Dan held it out to him. "Mmm. Tastes like victory."
"Victory? What victory?"
"Your victory, Dan! You stood up to Buster, and you saved me, too!"
"Only because you wouldn't disappear!" Dan laughed. "I didn't want you to get hurt."
"And that's where you found your courage: by protecting someone smaller than yourself. After all, that's what we're supposed to do here at Shining Time Station, right? We protect and help each other when we're in trouble."
Dan smiled, more to himself than Mr. Conductor. "That sounds like something Aunt Stacy would say. I wish she could've been here. She really would've known how to make Buster behave himself."
"Maybe, but you did a pretty good job of that yourself," Mr. Conductor pointed out. "If Stacy had been here, she would've told you the same thing I did. And think how proud she'll be of you when she comes back!"
The thought warmed Dan's heart. "You really think she'll be proud of me?"
"Oh, I know she will!"
"Yeah... but I don't know how to tell her about what happened without making it sound like I'm showing off. I don't like showing off, Mr. Conductor."
Mr. Conductor waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. I don't think you'll be the one to tell her. Since Mr. King likes talking so much, I have a feeling he might give her a full report on everything that happened today."
Dan gulped down his next lick of ice cream. "I just hope it's a good one."
"Courage always gets rewarded, Dan. Keep that in mind." Mr. Conductor grinned and vanished in a cloud of gold dust, and Dan, cheered by the helpful advice, finished his ice cream in the first peace he'd had since arriving at the station that day. Time ticked by, and before Dan knew it, Mr. King strode back into the station, a new spring in his step. "Ah, Dan!"
Out of respect for his aunt's boss, Dan rose to his feet. "Yes, sir?"
Mr. King stopped in front of the boy and knelt down until they were eye-level with each other. "I just finished giving Buster his first lecture on how to treat others. He'll be on the next train back home to his parents very soon."
Dan's eyes widened in surprise. He knew Mr. King was going to have a word with Buster about his bullying, but he didn't think he would actually send his nephew home. "Wow, you sent him home?"
"Yes, I did. I wasn't happy about it, because when I invited him here, I had hoped that he would make new friends in you and young Becky. Buster's never been one to mix well with other children, and since there's just... something about this place," Mr. King said, gesturing around at the expanse of Shining Time Station, "I was hoping for... a little magic to help him along."
A grin slowly appeared on Dan's face as he thought about the one who'd helped him stand up to Buster. "Maybe it did, Mr. King. It helped me."
Mr. King's eyes roved to the mural behind them, resting on the switch box where Mr. Conductor lived. "For a little guy, he can certainly work big miracles, can't he?"
"Yes, sir."
A train chugged into the station at that moment, and within seconds, passengers were heard exiting the coaches and milling about on the platform. A few trickled into the station and made straight for the doors that opened onto the town of Shining Time, while others went to the ticket counter to inquire about the next trains in. Mr. King immediately jumped into action and set to work punching tickets, handing out schedules, and directing passengers to their next trains. More people filtered in, and among them was a woman dressed in bright red, who beamed the instant she saw her nephew. "Hi, Dan!"
"Aunt Stacy!" Dan cried, hopping up from the bench and running into his aunt's waiting arms. "How was Chubby Corners?"
"Oh, busy! But we made sure all the passengers caught their trains on time." Stacy Jones's brown eyes twinkled as she gazed at Dan. "So, how was Shining Time Station while I was gone? Did you and Becky have fun with Buster?"
Dan winced. "Well..."
"I think I'd better answer that question, Miss Jones."
Dan breathed a sigh of relief when Mr. King approached. Mr. Conductor's never wrong. "As I explained to Dan earlier, Buster has never been one to make friends easily, and I thought inviting him here today would help him out. After all, Dan and Becky are excellent children."
Stacy grinned at Dan. "They sure are, Mr. King."
"But, Buster didn't make friends with them. I regret to say, Miss Jones, that he bullied Dan. From what I understand, he even went so far as to take a nickel from him."
Stacy gasped. "Dan, is that true? Are you all right, honey?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Well, did you stand up for yourself?"
"He did indeed," Mr. King said with no small amount of pride. "What's more, he showed tremendous courage by protecting Mr. Conductor from harm."
Stacy's eyes went even wider than usual. "You saved Mr. Conductor?"
Embarrassed by the shower of praise, Dan lowered his eyes to the floor. "It was nothing, Aunt Stacy."
"Sweetheart, it's a lot more than nothing to save someone else from being hurt," Stacy said, smoothing Dan's untidy blond hair away from his face. "You did a wonderful, brave thing!"
"Yes, he did," Mr. King said. "You should be very proud of Dan, Miss Jones. I just wish my nephew had as mighty a heart as yours does."
Stacy all but glowed with pleasure. "Thank you so much, sir. I am proud of him." She smiled at Dan. "Very proud."
Although part of him wished he could fall through the floor under the weight of all those compliments and kind words, Dan felt his heart swell with gratitude. "Thanks, Aunt Stacy. You too, Mr. King."
"You're very welcome, Dan. And now, if you'll both excuse me, I have to make sure my troublemaker of a nephew gets on the correct train home." Mr. King nodded to them and made his way out onto the platform. Once he was gone, Stacy sat down on the bench and patted the space next to her so Dan could join her. "Did Mr. King actually see Mr. Conductor?"
Dan shook his head. "No, he said he didn't. But I think he heard me telling Buster to leave Mr. Conductor alone."
"What did you say to Buster to make him back off?"
Dan chuckled. "I told him I'd turn him upside down, spin him around by his feet, and stick his ice cream cone on his head if he laid one hand on Mr. Conductor. I didn't know what else to say to make him listen, since he said he'd beat me up, and I was scared he'd hurt Mr. Conductor, too."
Stacy laughed. "Well, it must've worked, if Mr. King's so proud of you." She slipped an arm around Dan's shoulders. "He's right, you know. You really do have a mighty heart."
Dan smiled up at his aunt. No reward in the world was greater than knowing Stacy was proud of him. Once again, Mr. Conductor was right. "Well... I guess Mr. King was right. Little guys can sure work big miracles," he said, holding tight to Stacy as she hugged him close.