Agnes Remembers
One morning Nancy came to see Skarloey. She was always Skarloey's polisher and Skarloey hated being polished as it felt like such a nuisance. But the two were good friends. Nancy approached Skarloey with her rag and bucket, ready to start her work and to receive the usual quips from the 100 year old engine. But surprisingly she got a warm smile as a greeting.
"Good morning, Nancy." Skarloey greeted.
Nancy was surprised.
"No more of the usual quips, Skarloey?" Nancy asked.
"No." Chuckled Skarloey. "I believe at this point I've grown fond of you. Or maybe tolerable of you."
Nancy giggled.
"That's good to hear." She said.
And without further ado, she set to work. It had been a month since Skarloey and Rheneas' 100th birthday. Even the Very Old Engine could hardly believe it. As Nancy was polishing Sharloey's round tank frame, she asked him;
"So what has brought about this new change in mood?"
"Oh, probably something that happened 3 years ago." Skarloey said.
"Really? What happened 3 years ago?" Nancy asked as she began polishing his dome.
Skarloey then told the young Guard's Daughter what happened with Sir Handel and George the Steamroller. Nancy was shocked but she then giggled.
"I certainly think you deserved it." Nancy said.
"Yes Nancy, thank you." Skarloey said in a sarcastic groan.
But the two both shared a laugh together on the subject.
"You know Nancy. It reminds me of a similar event that happened many years ago." Skarloey said.
Nancy was excited.
"Another story!? Please tell me!" Nancy said.
"Alright, alright. Settle down." Skarloey chuckled.
And this was the story Skarloey told.
Long ago, me and Rheneas had gotten another pair of wheels and a cab each. The coaches Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice were impressed. This of course made us more efficient with our work. The manager was also very impressed and said that we were very useful engines. But one day I went to take the coaches out for an express run. I slowly approached the dear coaches carefully and gently as I coupled up to them.
"Good morning, my dears." I greeted.
"Oh. Hello Skarloey." Greeted Beatrice happily.
"We're glad you're taking us out today." Said Ruth.
"Indeed. Such a handsome young engine." Agnes said.
I must admit I still loved getting compliments from the girls. The day rolled on like the others. I pulled the dear coaches to the first station and let passengers on board. From each station we journeyed to and fro, letting passengers on and off their designated station, the journey was subtly eventful as we passed through forests, cliff sides, and many grassy fields and lakes. I could practically hear the passengers gossip in awe. It made me chuckle.
"This is lovely." I said to no one in particular.
"Ah yes. Very lovely indeed." Lucy said.
"It's like paradise on Earth." Beatrice said.
"What? A pair of dice? Where?" Said Jemima who is always deaf.
"No not dice. Paradise." Lucy corrected.
"Oh yes indeed. Especially with a handsome young engine." Said Agnes. "Much better than the original frame he was in."
On that remark I felt offended. But I kept to my duties.
"Oh come along, Agnes." Ruth said. "He was just a young engine."
"Exactly so." Beatrice said. "He was still learning."
"And now look at him. He's a professional." Lucy said.
"A professor?" Called Jemima again.
I smiled as the girls defended me with credit.
"Yes indeed." Agnes said. "But I did warn you about strange engines. My predictions are never wrong."
"But they always are." Lucy said.
I was confused as to what Agnes said. Suddenly I remembered. The day I first pulled the girls when I was considered a Bucking Bronco. I suddenly realized it was Agnes who pushed me. I was soon cross. But I kept it to myself for awhile.
As I reached the last station, I saw the manager standing there looking at his watch. He saw me roll in and smiled.
"Well done as always Skarloey. Right on time as usual." He complimented me.
"Thank you, sir." I said. "Much better than that Bucking Bronco I was before."
"Yes indeed." Said the manager. "You have become quite the engine. I'm proud of you."
Then I decided to put my plan into motion.
"Sir? I have been thinking about that day. What do you suppose caused that little incident?" I asked.
He pondered.
"Good question." He said. "I assumed it was due to your incomplete frame work."
"Well, suppose it was caused by something else or rather someone else." I said.
"What do you mean?"
"I did feel like I was being bumped."
"Bumped? How?"
"Why not ask the coaches, sir? Perhaps they might have a clue." I said.
He nodded and walked over to the coaches.
"May I ask what Skarloey meant when he said he was bumped?" The Manager said to the coaches.
Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice all had nervous looks on their faces. Neither of them said a word. The manager seemed to have caught on to this, but remained patiently silent waiting for an answer. Until at last four of the coaches spoke up.
"It was Agnes!" Said Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice together.
Agnes gasped and gawked in shock. But then the manager turned to her and eyed her with suspicion.
"Is this true Agnes?" The Manager asked in a stern voice.
Agnes tried to to think of an excuse, but she got nothing. At last she relented.
"Y-Yes, sir." She said.
"Why?" He asked in a much sterner voice.
"Because Skarloey was strange. I always had a bad feeling about him and I was right." Agnes said.
"No you weren't!" Scolded the manager. "Judging an engine by his looks is the most disgraceful, disgusting, and despicable act! Because of your superstitions you nearly caused a fatal accident!"
"B-But sir…!"
"No tales! I am very disappointed in you!" Scolded the manager. "You will stay in the carriage shed until I can trust you to behave!"
He then turned and walked back to me.
"Please place Agnes in a different part of the carriage shed when you return, Skarloey." He requested.
"Yes sir." I said.
When I returned from my journey, I placed Agnes on a different line part of the carriage shed. We both glared at each other with anger.
"I always knew you were bad luck! You should have never come here! Manager should never have picked you!" Agnes sneered at me.
"Shut up! It was your own fault and you know it!" I scolded her.
"How rude!"
"You asked for it! It will serve you right after what you did to me!" I scolded.
Without saying more I quickly exited the carriage shed allowing the workmen to close the doors shut. Agnes was left alone.
"Pah!" She scoffed. "I'll be out soon enough. They can't leave me in here forever."
But Agnes wasn't so proud as the days passed on. Days became weeks in a flash. But for Agnes it felt like forever. Whenever I took out Ruth, Lucy, Jemima, and Beatrice I would leave Agnes behind. And whenever I shunned them back into the carriage shed I would leave the giggling coaches to titter and chatter amongst themselves.
"Skarloey was simply amazing." They would say. He has good manners, treats us right, and he's simply a darling."
Agnes would feel lonely and left out. She really wanted to come out and go on long runs again. I admit I couldn't help but feel glad she was sad. But as time went by I too felt sad and lonely without Agnes. Soon even Ruth, Lucy, Jemima, and Beatrice felt sad and lonely without Agnes too. By that time I felt the time was right to lift Agnes of her punishment. So I went to the Manager.
"Sir? Can Agnes come back to work?" I asked.
"I'll go see her about right now." He said.
So Manager opened the carriage shed door and approached the sad Agnes.
"S-Sir? Can I please come back out? I really want to be useful again! I promise I'll behave!" Agnes said.
"I certainly hope you learned your lessons about believing in superstitions and judging engines by appearance." The Manager said sternly.
"Yes, sir. I have sir."
Now Agnes is as happy as can be, and so am I, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima, and Beatrice. We were all happy together as we journeyed across the railway which would soon be named after me. Not to brag or anything. And Agnes she's no longer superstitious.
And that was the story Skarloey had told.
"Seems like you all have come such a long way since then." Nancy said as she put her rag back in the bucket.
"Thank you for listening, Nancy. And polishing me." Skarloey said.
"You're welcome." Nancy said and smiled.
She walked away waving goodbye, leaving Skarloey by himself once again. Skarloey then looked over and noticed Agnes smiling too.
"What's got you so chipper?" Skarloey asked.
"Oh just thinking about the times when we were all young." Anges said smiling happily.
And Skarloey smiled too.
