(Enter driver common room. Mr Perkin is sitting on a chair reading a railway magazine. He looks up and sees the viewer watching. He stands up and holds out his hand.)
Mr Perkins: Hello there- I see you've come in. (Puts his magazine down on the table carefully.) Welcome to the engine driver's common room- this is where we come when we are not out and about with our engines. I'm Mr Perkins, one of the engine drivers on the Island of Sodor. Drivers are very important on Sir Topham Hatt's railway- we ensure that engines can move and also give a helping hand to them and our firemen too, and we always do our best to make Sir Topham Hatt proud, and most importantly, we are really useful just like our engines.
(He picks up his magazine)
Mr Perkins: How many of you read magazines? They're like books, only they're a lot thinner and fragile. They're also really funny and very factual!
(Phone rings. Mr Perkins drops the magazine, picks up the phone and holds it to his ear. It is Sir Topham Hatt, owner of the railway)
Mr. Perkins: Hello, Knapford Station Engine Driver's Common Room.
*Sir Topham Hatt babbles into phone.*
Mr. Perkins: Sir Topham Hatt, sir! (Sir Topham Hatt babbles.) And a good day to you too, sir. (Sir Topham Hatt babbles.) Oh yes, sir. Our visitors had just arrived, sir, and I was just telling them what we drivers do. (Sir Topham Hatt babbles.) Yes, sir. (Sir Topham Hatt babbles.) Oh, what's that, sir? You want me to get Edward ready for Brendam Docks? (Sir Topham Hatt babbles.) Oh, yes, I would be delighted, sir. (Sir Topham Hatt babbles.) Yes, sir, and a good day to you too, sir. (Sir Topham Hatt babbles.)
(He hangs up, and looks out the window, before pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket and places it on the table before looking at the viewer. The viewer can see that it is a timetable.)
Mr Perkins: Right. (looks at clock, and notes the time as being twenty five to one.) Hm, it'll be past my lunch break when I get done, so I better make a packed lunch to have. (He goes to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of milk, before putting it on a coffee table in the middle of the room.)
Mr Perkins: I think there should be enough peanut butter and bread in the cupboards to make a sandwich, so whilst I do that, why don't you check on Edward and Gordon? Here, we'll learn about what being Really Useful and kind is all about.
(Steam swirls round the viewer, and Mr Perkins and the common room disappears. Instead, the viewer can see Tidmouth Sheds.)
Gordon: You won't get out of these sheds anytime soon Edward. This railway needs big strong engines like us.
(Edward sighs miserably. His driver sees Edward, and feels sorry for him.)
Driver: It's been a long time since you were out Edward. How about you come out on a run to exercise your wheels?
Edward: (enthusiastically.) Yes please sir! That does sound nice!
(Edward sets off once his driver gets a good fire and plenty of steam up. He is given coaches to pull by Thomas, who whistles as he sets off.)
Coach#1: He is ever so kind! What is his name?
Coach#2: I believe it was Edward. I hear this is his first run ever so long.
Coach#3: Oh dear! The poor soul! He is so gentle- unlike that red snappish brute we put up with!
(The coaches murmur in agreement.)
Later that night, Edward tells the other engines about his day out.
Edward: I've never felt happier! I've been locked in the shed for so long; I forgot what fresh air smelled like.
(Thomas smiles, but James and Gordon don't look in the slightest bit interested about Edward's account.)
Edward: And driver even told me I can go out tomorrow!
(Edward falls asleep, content. (Next morning Edward is assigned to shunt trucks in the yard. He biffs them hard and the trucks groan.)
Trucks: What was that?
(Edward continues shunting until there is no more trucks, then he stops to rest. There is a whistle. Gordon steams past, carrying a load of dirty smelly trucks, grumbling all the while.)
Gordon: A goods train! A goods train! The shame of it- the shame of it!
(Edward laughs, and goes to find trucks to shunt. Later he hears that Gordon will not go up the steepest hill on Sodor. Edward makes his way to the hill. He sees Gordon halfway up.)
Gordon: I wouldn't move! I wouldn't move!
Gordon's driver: You're not even trying!
Gordon: It's the trucks-they hold an engine back so.
Edward's Driver: (running up to Gordon's driver.) We've come to push!
Gordon: What good that will do! Edward is the weakest engine in the yard besides Thomas!
Edward's Driver: Well, in that case, you'll be surprised.
(Edward's driver runs back down the hill and climbs into his engine's cab. Edward buffers up behind Gordon and starts to push him up the hill.)
Gordon: (grunting) I can't do it, I can't do it!
Edward: (panting) I will do it! I will do it!
(At last they reach the top of the hill. Gordon rushes off, leaving Edward behind in a cloud of steam.)
Gordon: I did it! I did it! I knew I could do it!
(Edward rolls into a siding, feeling very tired and upset that Gordon never thanked him for his help.)
Edward's Driver: Never mind, old chap. You proved yourself useful today, and for that, I shall raid my tool-shed tomorrow and give you a beautiful new coat of blue paint with red stripes.
Edward: Thank you sir!
(Scene vanishes at the sound of a whistle and a whoosh of steam. The viewer is back in the engine common room.)
Mr Perkins: Mr. Perkins: Edward was really helpful, wasn't he? Yes indeed, and I've got my lunch ready to go, my bottle of milk and my sandwich are in this paper bag. Well, thanks for visiting on here on the Island, and we'll see you all again next time. Good-bye!
(He waves. The engine driver's common room vanishes in a cloud of steam.)
...
A request for tate310. Please read and review, and I hope you enjoyed reading!