Thomas and Gordon
based on "Thomas and Gordon" by Rev. W. Awdry
Thomas is a young, 4-year-old child, who lives at Knapford in the Island of Sodor. He goes to Knapford preschool with other children his age. He sometimes helps out the driver and fireman of a tank engine, whom he is good friends with, to help shunt coaches in the morning and in the afternoon after school, when the bigger engines have ended their long passenger runs. Thomas is also a cheeky little boy, too. He thought no student worked harder than he did, so he often liked to play tricks on the bigger students in his class. He would come up to them quietly when they were dozing lightly, or staring into space and cry out loud to them to wake up and work harder.
One afternoon, Gordon, the tallest boy in Thomas' class, was sitting on a bench outside and having a rest. Thomas, who was passing by saw this and decided to wake him up.
THOMAS: Wake up, lazybones! Do some hard work for a change!
And as he ran off laughing, Gordon was so surprised that he woke up almost at once and nearly fell off the bench! Instead of forgetting about it and going back to sleep again, Gordon wondered how he could pay Thomas out.
The next morning, Thomas was having trouble waking up. He felt so tired that he could barely move his limbs. After a few minutes, he was finally able to get out of bed, get dressed, and go outside with his backpack. On his way to preschool, he reached Knapford station and decided to help his friends out with shunting coaches. So he went into platform 1 and put his backpack on a bench where he usually puts it and then waited for the tank engine to arrive at the station.
Meanwhile, Gordon was just passing Knapford station when he saw Thomas get in the tank engine. He also saw his backpack, just sitting there on a bench. This gave him an idea on how he could pay Thomas back. He parked his bicycle and his own backpack outside the entrance of the station. Then he casually walked in the platform, took Thomas' backpack, then went back outside and waited until Thomas had returned. When Thomas did return, he kindly waved to the driver and fireman.
THOMAS: Goodbye! Hope you have a wonderful day!
But when he looked at the bench on the platform, he noticed that his backpack was gone.
THOMAS: That's funny. I thought I left it here, I couldn't have lost it…
Thomas searched the station high and low, but couldn't find it anywhere. Gordon was still waiting, but when he saw Thomas walk out of Knapford, he saw his chance and began cycling away, slow enough so that Thomas could notice him. Thomas looked all around him, until his eye caught Gordon, and he had Thomas' backpack with him!
THOMAS: Hey! That's my backpack! Stop, Gordon!
But Gordon didn't stop. He grinned to himself and pretended to have not heard Thomas. He began pedalling faster and faster. Thomas had no choice but to run after him. The faster Gordon pedalled, the faster poor Thomas had to run just to keep him in sight. He was feeling tired and wanted to stop and catch his breath, but he just kept on running and running.
THOMAS: Oh (pant) dear (pant), I'll never (pant) play tricks on (pant) anyone again…(pant)
After several minutes, Gordon reached Knapford preschool and finally came to a stop. Then he looked back and kept himself from laughing as he saw a very exhausted Thomas walking slowly and steadily towards him. He was red in the face and breathing heavily.
GORDON: Oh my, Thomas. I'm sorry. I didn't notice I had your backpack as well. Here you go.
And Gordon gave Thomas his backpack. Thomas was too tired to be cross with Gordon now, he was just relieved that he got his backpack again. When preschool ended, Thomas was really exhausted. He left the classroom as Gordon watched from behind, feeling pleased with himself.
GORDON: Well, little Thomas. Now you know what hard work means, don't you?
Poor Thomas couldn't answer. He was far out of breath. He walked slowly over to a water fountain in the hallway, and had a long drink. Then he went outside and walked slowly and calmly along the path all the way back to his house, and he hoped that he would take care to never be cheeky to Gordon again.