Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

Bertie and the Jam Sandwiches

Bertie the bus is just like any other bus who regularly takes passengers all around the Island of Sodor. He enjoys the view as he goes round Sodor as his passengers look on at the wondrous sights of bristling neighborhoods with ever expanding communities and the pure natural beauty of the countryside too. His passengers always thank him for the ride they get and he appreciates it a lot. From time to time aswell, Bertie takes more important passengers along with him such as the Railway Board and the famous singer Alicia Botti, but today was a little bit different because the Fat Controller and Lady Hatt were holding a picnic for the whole of Sodor, and Bertie was to take them to the picnic grounds as the Fat Controller's car had broken down a few days earlier. Bertie was extremely happy, and couldn't wait to feel very important indeed.

The day started off like any other for Bertie as he woke up in the Bus Depot alongside Agnes and Cordelia. They weren't being utilised for the picnic and both were slightly jealous that the Fat Controller picked Bertie rather than one of them.
"He'll pick either of you next time..." said Bertie cheerily to them both.
"It's a one-off!" replied Agnes.

"How are we meant to be picked then?" protested Cordelia. Bertie couldn't find a reply, and an awkward silence fell in the depot until the Fat Controller arrived.
"Bertie!" he boomed. "Me and my Wife are greatly thankful for your help today and without a doubt, we'll have to make it up to you!"
"Oh thankyou, Sir!" replied Bertie. Agnes and Cordelia were made even more jealous by this, and without a doubt, they still felt the Fat Controller and Lady Hatt made the wrong choice in choosing Bertie, but they didn't want to rain on his parade, so they kept quiet while Bertie was in his moment of glory, and with that, they left to do their days work while Bertie was staying in the depot and could relaxed while he was polished by some workmen.
"Oh this is brilliant!" said Bertie to himself, but he hadn't noticed that the Fat Controller was now already loading up Bertie with some of the food for the picnic.
"Hmmm...Jam Sandwiches..." muttered the Fat Controller. "Very yummy indeed!" Bertie just look amazed with the very beautiful baskets of food being loaded onto him, this was surreal indeed, but before he knew it, the men had finished polishing him and the baskets of food had been loaded into him while the Fat Controller sat in one of the few seats remaining.
"Come on Bertie!" he said. "Let's got fetch my Wife!" Bertie's driver then got into his seat and then they were off to the picnic site which was being held in the very big Sodor Park where the Brass Band were playing for everyone who was visiting. Bertie was very happy indeed and now felt very important too.

Soon enough, Bertie arrived at the Hatt house where Lady Hatt had come dressed in her beautiful blue dress and was also sporting a bonnet today as she always wanted to look her best.
"Oh...Topham...now this is a bus I'm proud to ride unlike that other red bus called Bertie!" said Lady Hatt in her very posh voice.
"Dear...this is Bertie..." corrected the Fat Controller. Lady Hatt ignored her error and just boarded Bertie and then they were off. The scenery that passed them by on the way to the Picnic site was utterly beautiful and Lady Hatt just watched in amazement as the ride continued while the Fat Controller kept an eye on all the baskets of food as the slightly bumpy road could mean it ending in disaster, but luckily it didn't. They arrived without any problems at all and as Bertie pulled up, his door opened and Lady Hatt left elegantly to a round of applause. Then when the Fat Controller left Bertie, the round of applause got louder and cheers erupted from the crowd. Lady Hatt felt slightly embarrassed and couldn't believe her husband got a bigger reception than she did.
"No need to worry dear..." comforted the Fat Controller. "You'll be the star of today!" he added as indeed Lady Hatt would be as she was the main host for the picnic and as the baskets of food were unloaded from Bertie, along came Lawrence the Loading Lorry with many more baskets of food which were soon unloaded too, but what they didn't know what that a pack of Jam Sandwiches had fallen out of their basket and right underneath Bertie's front right wheel. As the last of the food was unloaded, the Fat Controller and lady Hatt thanked Bertie many times for his help and then as he set off to go back to the depot, he ran over the pack of Jam Sandwiches. The pack burst open and Jam spewed out right onto Lady Hatt and her blue dress.
"AAAHHHHH!" she cried as the Jam spewed all over her and her dress. The Fat Controller was shocked at first, but immediately couldn't help laughing at his Wife's sudden Jam issue.
"Oh no..." cried Bertie who felt very sorry now.

"No need to worry Bertie" called the Fat Controller.

"Oh yes there is!" cried Lady Hatt. "That silly little Bus has ruined my dress! Look at me, I'm not smart at all!"
"Well no...you're not really..." replied the Fat Controller. Lady Hatt then immediately re-boarded Bertie and told him to take her home. He did immediately and Lady Hatt went back in and a few minutes later came back out in a red dress with a red bonnet.
"Much better..." she said to herself. Bertie then took her back to the Picnic where everyone had now started eating without her. She didn't mind, she was now atleast in a much better state than she was earlier and could now host the Picnic without any worries at all.

That night at the Bus Depot, Bertie told Agnes and Cordelia about the incident who both laughed a lot until they noticed Lady Hatt had entered the depot.

"Bertie..." she called. "Once again, thankyou for your help today even in those difficult moments."
"Thankyou Lady Hatt..." replied Bertie. Lady Hatt then had some news to announce to all the Buses.
"Everyone, I have good news, after today's successful Sodor Picnic, me and my Husband will be hosting another one in a few weeks time and it will be bigger and better than today's one, so we will need all of you to help!" Agnes and Cordelia were very surprised indeed.

"Oh thankyou!" they said in unison.

"No problem" replied Lady Hatt. "We'll just have to make sure there are no Jam Sandwiches next time though! I don't want another dress ruined!" she added as she and everyone then laughed about the days event.