Bulls Eyes
Annette was humming to herself.
Annette: There. Just perfect. *OOF* Oh dear. Sorry Scamp, but I'm excited to show off the ribbon Georgette gave me. Do you like it?
Scamp (Grumbling): Yeah nice.
Annette: What's the matter?
Scamp: Nothing, nothing. Just heading off to work with Angel and Bertie while Thomas is still at the works.
Annette: You're not going to continue and work with Georgette?
Scamp: Ah! If you think I'm going to spend another day with that stuck up poodle, then I rather get send to the pound!
Annette: Okay, okay. So she's a bit stuck up, but can you really blame her? She a famous show dog, so she should be treated like an important guest.
Scamp: Look, I can understand that, and I can take criticism as well, but there's a fine line between constructive criticism and just complaining about someone being different than you. Plus why do they have to choose the work they have to do and slack off on the other jobs, what makes them so special?
Annette: She's a special dog, Scamp. She can do whatever work she chooses!
Scamp: Oh, so it's okay to just laze around the yard and let others do the work for you? There were a butt load of trucks in the yard that had to be taken somewhere, but Toby and Percy are too busy and Daisy just sits there and does nothing!? What will happen to the railway if we just let them sit around and do nothing!?
Annette said nothing and just looked at the ground.
Scamp: Look. I'm happy that you got to meet and work with the dog that you look up to, but if they don't do something with that stuck up attitude and their laziness, then they won't be able to stay any longer. Plus it sort of hurts me to say this, but if you think that just because someone as famous as her gets to bully and put others down is something to look up to, then maybe I was wrong about you.
Annette thought long and hard about what her brother had said. She thought about Daisy and her laziness and what Georgette had said to Danielle about Scamp and Angel. She noticed that she was late and hurry as fast as she could to the yard.
When she reached the yard, she heard some voices.
Daisy: All I need to do is just toot my horn and then they all get out of the way.
Toby: Not all of them.
Georgette: That's because you're too much of a coward to do anything to scare them off. It's no wonder you can't go out on the mainline all by yourself.
Annette: What's going on here?
Trusty: Good morning, Ms. Annette. We were just talking about Toby's cowcatchers and the proper way to remove animals if they stray onto the line.
Georgette: We're trying to tell them that all you need to do is just toot at them and then they would just go away. Especially once they laid eyes on me. Seriously, all I would need to do is just swoon the men into doing my bidding.
Lucky (Mumbling): Like taking the milk van for you again.
Annette: Uh, Georgette. It's not that simple. You see-
Georgette: Sweetie, listen. I think that you've heard enough from listening to some crazy rusty old barn stories.
Annette: Excuse me!?
Georgette: It's a good thing I came along to help you learn some more common sense around here.
Annette had enough. She shoved Georgette making her fall to the ground.
Georgette: What was that for!?
Annette: Now you listen here! I've been with Toby for a long while, in fact I've known Trusty ever since I was a pup! He's been with me and my siblings for as long as we can remember and he's taught me how to be patience around others and give them a chance! And Toby is very kind and he would never tell a lie on purpose. He has more experience than you and that talking coach! You know my siblings are right. If this is what it means to be a show dog, then I don't want to become one after all. You can take this dumb ribbon back as well.
Georgette just stood there.
Daisy: You'll see, little miss know-it-all. We'll show you how easy it is to manage animals. Come on Georgette. We should collect our passengers now.
Daisy purred away with Georgette feeling both insulted, but also unconsidered.
Oliver: You okay there, Annette?
Annette: I'll be fine.
Jenny: I'm sorry she said those things.
Meanwhile Daisy was purring along the line as some cars and buses halted as she passed through. Daisy tooted at a farm crossing and a horse and cart halted as she went by.
Daisy: Poo. It's easy. I just toot and they all stand aside.
Georgette: One of these days that little brown dog will be so embarrassed that she'll stop criticizing us in no time.
At the next station, a policeman was waiting for them.
Policeman: There's a bull on the line. Please drive it along towards the farmer.
Georgette and Daisy were excited.
Georgette: Time to should that old barn and that runt how to manage bulls.
Daisy: Right.
The bull that was on the line was named Champion. Now Champion is not really a fierce bull. He was as tame as much as a bull can be tame, but this morning he was cross.
The farmers were trying to take him away and they interrupted his breakfast. They tried everything to get him into the truck.
Farmer: Come on Champion. You have another Rodeo show to do!
Champion (Thinking): But I haven't finished my breakfast! I need some more energy to do something like that!
They pulled him and pushed him. Pride and slapped him, but it was no use. He later broke free and trotted down the line. Up ahead he saw a fence and he jumped it. He then slid down a sloped and now he on the railway, but he didn't know that. To him it looked like a new kind of field with a brown track at the bottom.
Then he noticed some grass on each side and he was still hungry.
Daisy came cruising along she tooted at Champion, but he didn't take much notice and continued eating.
Georgette: Try again.
She did, but Champion kept on eating.
Daisy: This is all wrong. How can I look him in the eye if he won't turn around?
Georgette: Let me try something.
Mr. Foxworth: Georgette, wait!
Georgette: Excuse me there, handsome.
Champion finally turned and looked at Georgette.
Champion: What do you want? Can't you see I'm having breakfast here!?
Georgette: Yes I see that. A big strong and handsome bull like you does need it's food to build yourself up, but this is not the perfect place for you do eat. Plus your farmer's really worried about you.
Champion: Hmm. No thanks. That farmer can wait a while. I want to enjoy my breakfast before he makes me go to "work".
Georgette: Oh, don't be like that. I've heard that you're a famous rodeo champion that's never lost before. You should be proud about what you're doing for you and the farmer.
Champion: That I am, but I don't feel like working right now, so beat it!
Georgette was starting to get annoyed at this point.
Georgette: Well SOME people have to go to work, but they can't because some lazy good for nothing-!
Champion quickly turned and put his horns next to Georgette.
Champion: See these horns!? I may not look like it, but cross me again one more time and just see what I can do with these horns!
Before Georgette could answer, Daisy interrupted.
Daisy: Hey, leave my friend alone!
Champion mooed and looked at her crossly.
Daisy: Er, um. I-I mean uh… It's just that, um...
Champion: Like I said, I'm still in the middle of my breakfast and I ain't moving now! Beat it!
Georgette: But…
Then Champion whipped his tailed at Georgette leaving her at a look of disgust.
Georgette: Fine! Be that way! Come on Daisy, it's clear that this bull hasn't learned any manners at all.
And that was that, Daisy and Georgette did no more.
When Toby came back to the top station he was surprised to see Daisy and Georgette returning so soon. The passengers told him what had happened. Annette and Toby laughed.
Toby: "Bulls always run if you toot and look them in the eye", hey Daisy?
Annette: And animals would do anything Ms. Show-off-dog here says, isn't that right?
Daisy and Georgette said nothing.
Trusty: Well you girls are still young and we all live and learn. How about we chase them away for the two of you.
And Toby clanked away to find Champion still munching on his grass. Toby rang his bell and blew his whistle, but Champion didn't take much notice. Annette and Trusty tried talking to him, but he did the same thing to them as he did to Georgette.
Annette: Alright. You asked for it.
Toby whooses at the bull, this made Champion jumped. Toby whooses a little more and now, breakfast over, Toby along with Trusty and Annette help brought Champion back to this farmer.
The rest of the day Daisy and Georgette were very busy and tired. The passengers teased them no stopped about the bull. They even met Percy and Toby along the way. The sisters also teased them as well and although Percy and Toby never mention the bull they did give them pity looks. It made them so cross.
Oliver tried his best to sooth Georgette's hurt feelings.
Oliver: I'm sorry that happened to you, but at least you and Daisy try to do something about the bull. Hey, how about we go for a quick walk to the park, that'll cheer you up.
She shook her head.
Oliver: Are you sure? I could at least help make your fur nice and clean.
Georgette: Listen kid. Not to upset you, but could you leave me alone? I've had a long day.
So Oliver respected her wishes and left Georgette to sulk alone in the room.