8 -year-old Nancy Rushen was bored. She watched her daddy closely, hoping for some acknowledgement, but he was too busy talking to the Thin Controller. He had decided she was old enough to come work on the Skarloey Railway, polishing engines. Nancy liked hearing her daddy's stories and wanted to work on the railway one day.
Her daddy had promised her she would, and so, after stroking his chin, as he always did when he was thinking, he proposed to speak to his boss about her polishing engines to start with.
She had excitedly agreed at the time.
Now, however, she sighed with exasperation and glanced over at the old engine slumbering in the shed, before she tiptoed over to get a better look at him. He was red and was a little bit dusty. His brass sparkled in the sun and his eyes were lined with wrinkles.
Nancy gently tapped his buffers for a response. She received none. Disappointed, she turned to go back to her father, when she unexpectedly sneezed there and then. The old engine woke with a start, and Nancy froze.
"What is 'at?" the old engine cried, and blinked, before he saw the little girl standing in front of him. "And who might you be, young lady?" he grumbled, cross at being awoken so rudely- and unexpectedly- from his afternoon doze.
"I'm so sorry, Mr... Engine, sir." Said Nancy, politely. "I didn't mean to wake you, I just... sneezed." She said, uncertain of what else to say; surely, the engine knew people couldn't help sneezing? She sneezed when she had a cold. Her daddy sneezed when near dogs, so she couldn't have one, much to her disappointment.
The engine just grumbled some more under his breath.
"You're very grumpy." observed Nancy.
"Only because I was rudely disturbed." He retorted, eyeing her with mild suspicion, mixed with curiosity. "Who might you be, anyway?" He asked, lazily. He was sure he'd seen her before, but he couldn't place a name to her curious face. Besides, she wasn't meant to be here, surely?
"I'm Nancy. Nancy Rushen." she replied politely, but with noticeable irritation. "And who might you be?"
"I'm Skarloey," the old engine answered, and here, he sounded a little bit kinder- at least, Nancy thought so.
"Jonathan Rushen?" He asked gently. Nancy's ears pricked at the mention of her father's name.
"That's my daddy." Now that Nancy had heard Skarloey's name, memories rang like bells in her head. Words from her daddy's stories echoed in her young mind. "He told me about you. Said you were famous. But you don't look famous, just grumpy and tired." She commented naively.
Despite his mood, Skarloey chuckled. "In that case, my dear, it's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled warmly at her. 'Hm, despite her lack of tact around sleeping engines, she seems a kind sort,' he supposed.
He suddenly heard the Thin Controller talking, and he glanced over to see he was indeed conversing with the girl's father, and witnessing this unlikely meeting prompted a new question to cross his funnel. "What might you be doing here, anyway?" he asked her, gently. She didn't seem like the sort to get into trouble for trespassing…. Being nosy, perhaps, but he doubted she'd trespass on a railway, with her father so strict on railway rules…
"Daddy told me he was going to ask the Thin Controller if I could come and polish you and the other engines." She said, excitedly, her face lighting up.
Deep in his smokebox, the old engine was pleased to see this child so happy, but he knew this news did not entirely bode well for him. At this realisation, Skarloey made a face like he'd eaten a lemon.
"Between you and me, Nancy," He began, in a conspiratorial whisper.
"Yes?"
"... I hate being polished." He confided, with a rueful grin. "Not to put a dampener on your spirits, my dear, I'm sure my brother Rheneas and all our friends here will enjoy getting polished on a regular basis… myself, not so much."
"Why?" asked Nancy, bemused. "You'd look very smart when you're polished… and let me tell you, you could do with one right now."
"That as may be," answered the old engine with an air of a sagely grandfather. "But whatever your opinion of my appearance may be, I think polishing is a lot of faff and fuddle."
Nancy giggled. "You're funny, when you want to be, Skarloey." She said, fiddling with one of her plaits. She liked the old engine and felt that she would get along with him just fine. Though, she was still nervous about meeting the other engines. Were they as nice as Skarloey?
"Thank you, dear Nancy, you are too kind," replied Skarloey, inadvertently interrupting her thoughts. "Many people before you thought I was a right old bore." And he winked at her, making her giggle again.
"Could we...?" Nancy trailed off, hesitating. Would Skarloey like her? Did he want to be friends with her? "… could we be friends?" she asked, shyly.
To her surprise, he smiled warmly at her.
"Of course," he said. "I would like that very much."
Nancy smiled back.
"I'll be sure to introduce you to the other engines when they turn up," Promised Skarloey. "I know we might seem a loud bunch at times, Nancy, but we're just a bit energetic like that, don't pay it any mind." He winked at her mischievously, and continued,
"Sir Handel and Duncan are good engines once you get to know them, but they can be difficult, demanding, and rude, so please, if they annoy you, feel free to tell them off. Peter Sam, Rusty and my younger brother, Rheneas, are all well mannered engines and fine fellows, I have no doubt they'll be pleased to meet you, my dear Nancy."
Nancy's smile grew wider. Peter Sam, Rusty and Rheneas all sounded very kind, and she was looking forward to meeting them all in the near future.
