Problematic Jobs
One day, the Star Tugs started their work like normal. But recently, things have not been going well for everyone. About a week ago, Ten Cents and Sunshine found a mysterious tug out in the estuary named Boomer.
As they both brought him in, there had been nothing but trouble as Boomer claimed to be jinxed. Some time after coming from Lucky's Yard, Boomer came back and was working for Captain Zero and his devious Z-Stacks.
But as Boomer predicted, an accident had happened when the Z-Stacks were on the munitions contract.
Afterwards, Ten Cents and Sunshine heard a usual angry voice. It is Captain Zero, the devious boss of the Z-Stacks. "You are useless to me! Get out of my sight now!"
After one munitions barge had exploded, Captain Zero had Boomer fired and returned him to Captain Star. In his dock, Sunshine could hear Boomer being paraded away with nothing but jeers and taunts from the Z-Stacks.
A minute later, the little switcher steamed up next to Boomer. "Uh, nice try?" Sunshine said, trying to be positive. "Well," Boomer replied, "At least nobody got hurt." "True," Ten Cents agreed. "Well, they have thanked you for giving them a wonderful fireworks display," Top Hat said in a joking manner.
"Yes," Boomer agreed, "That was true. Not really." After the Star Tugs left to do their jobs, Boomer faced Captain Star, who was not too impressed. "Well," Captain Star called through his megaphone, "So, Captain Zero said you've-"
"Been a one-hit accident," Boomer answered sadly, "Yes, Captain." Captain Star began to rethink about allowing Boomer into Bigg City Port.
"Don't worry, sir," Sunshine said, "We'll help Boomer out with his jobs." Captain Star looked doubtful. "You can count on us!" Ten Cents added. "We'll see," Captain Star said doubtfully.
So, Ten Cents and Sunshine left to do their work while Boomer had been given an assignment to help with Warrior's garbage collecting. "Hey, Warrior said upon seeing Boomer. "Hey," Boomer answered slowly.
"So, you're Boomer," Lord Stinker the garbage barge said, "Well, thanks for joining us. The smell may tell a different story, but I know you'll like this job." "We'll see," Boomer said doubtfully. However, when Jack carried a scoop of garbage from Lord Stinker, he accidentally dumped it onto Warrior instead.
"Uh, that wasn't supposed to happen," Jack said embarrassed. "Uh," Warrior replied, "Surprise?" "See?" Boomer said, "I'm a jinx." The garbage collection ended up being a total nightmare with Boomer on the job. Everything had gone all wrong.
After that, the garbage manager refused to allow Boomer to work with him. "I feel sorry for the guy," Lord Stinker said. "Me too," Warrior replied, "I'd knew he didn't mean any harm." "Well, that's something of oddity," Top Hat said, trying to keep away from the garbage smell, "I am surprised."
Instead, Boomer was assigned to move 3 tramp steamers into their respective docks, even the navy's own Kraka-Toa. However, when Boomer nearly had finished his jobs, he actually smashes the tramp steamers into their quayside, thus causing serious damage. "That had gone all wrong!" Big Mac shouted.
The owners were angry with Boomer. And when Boomer slammed the naval tramper Kraka-Toa into her dock as well. "That's done," Boomer said. "What's this, civilian!" the naval tug, named Bluenose shouted. "I've said the jinx," Boomer answered. "Well, go jinx yourself, civilian!" Bluenose shouted, "Not navy property!"
With that, Bluenose steamed away furiously.
This left Boomer unhappy. That's when Grampus surfaced in front of Boomer. "Don't mind Bluenose," Grampus told Boomer. "Don't come any closer," Boomer warned Grampus, "Or you'll sink." "How?" Grampus asked, confused. "You might sink, too," Boomer explained, backing away from Grampus.
"Hey," Sunshine said, steaming up besides him with Ten Cents, "Trying not to let Grampus help you, too?" "Nobody can help me," Boomer replied unhappily. "Come on!" Ten Cents said, "Stop it with this jinx whatever!"
"No," Boomer replied, "It can't be done."
Top Hat then tugged up to the three tugs, towing Frank and Eddie the railway barges loaded with wagons. "Yes," Top Hat said, "How can this so called jinx go away?" "Probably without your help," Frank suggested. "Yes," Top Hat answered, "Hey!" Then it happened.
Boomer was about to turn and leave, but sudenly, all of the rolling stock on Frank and Eddie's tracks had gotten loose and rolled off the twin barges and fell into the sea. "Looks like we've lost our load," Frank said. "They've rolled into the ocean," Eddie added.
Top Hat is baffled. "Whoa!" Grampus exclaimed, "Oh dear." "What did you do, you?!" Top Hat asked Boomer. "Sorry," Boomer answered, "The jinx!" "How?!" Top Hat asked. "This is getting silly," Ten Cents said. "I'll try and help," Grampus said, diving down to see if he could help retrieve the trains and Top Hat left get a floating crane.
Later, Boomer was trying to help Hercules with a large steam vessel. Then suddenly, Hercules' engine had broken down. "Oh no," Boomer groaned, "It happened again." "This is unfortunate," said Hercules, "I can't move!" "Sorry," Boomer replied.
Ten Cents and Sunshine had to tow Hercules to Lucky's Yard and Big Mac and OJ had to do Hercules' work as well as their own.
"I don't know what is going on," said OJ, "All these mysterious events happening. Things going wrong." "I am taking this jinx seriously!" Big Mac said, "If that's true with Boomer." "You're right there, Big Mac," Boomer answered.
No matter what job Boomer does, nothing goes right with him. Then Sunshine started to think about something.
This was after Boomer had ran into the Fultan Ferry, smashing it's paddle wheel. "Ouch," Boomer exclaimed. "Oh dear," Sunshine replied.
Days later, after Hercules' engine had been fixed, same thing can be said about the Fultan Ferry, all of the Star Tugs were told to dock the Duchess. Boomer stayed behind, working at the steel yards.
"This isn't how it goes," said Boomer, "I'm glad to have missed out on the Duchess. That ocean liner would have sunk." "Don't say that," Big Mickey replied, "I'd knew you'd never do something like that." "Yes," Boomer answered," You're right, but that doesn't change everything."
The moment he'd said that, Big Mickey accidently knocked down a steel rig. "Oh no!" Big Mickey cried, "Boomer look out!" Boomer quickly dodged the falling steel rigs as they crashed onto the barge and sunk.
"That was close!" Grampus said. "Are you two all right?" Big Mickey asked, concerned. "Yes," Grampus answered back, "What about you, Boomer?" "No," Boomer answered, "Still jinxed."
Later, one of Sunshine's friends from up river had arrived to collect his usual freight of dynamite. His name is Billy Shoepack. Ten Cents, Sunshine and Boomer were just passing by with their barge loads.
In an instant, Billy Shoepack's entire new load of dynamite had gone off. "Billy!" Sunshine called, "Are you all right?" "Yes, Sunshine," Billy answered, "I am. But don't you think that was a lovely big bang?"
"Yes," Sunshine had to answer, "It was. I'm just glad that you're not hurt." "Same here," said Boomer, "I'm sorry. I'm a jinx." "Ah," Billy answered, "Don't worry about it. Thanks for giving me a wonderful fireworks display." "True," Boomer replied, "Again."
Later, Ten Cents, Sunshine and Boomer were told to clear a path for Sally Seaplane to take off. But once again, luck is not on Boomer's side at all, when Sally Seaplane started her engines, they burst. "Looks like I'm grounded," Sally Seaplane said sadly.
"Aw," Sunshine replied, "Not a good day for you." Then if things can't get any worse, Sally's engine burst again, spraying Ten Cents, Sunshine and Boomer with oil. "It's has gotten worse for us," Boomer said. "Come on!" Ten cents said, "Stop it!" "Well," Top Hat said, "It's easier said than done."
Then Sally's engine burst again, this time, spraying Top Hat with oil. "What the?!" Top Hat exclaimed, "Yuck!" Ten Cents and Sunshine just had to laugh. "This isn't funny!" Top Hat said, "Now I have to go get cleaned up!"
The problems had gotten worse. When Boomer helped deliver fuel to Lille Lightship, it only made her light go out. "Oh, this is not good," Lille said, unable to flash her light and Boomer ended up getting a visit from the Port Authority after the incident.
Also Captain Star had really regretted taking Boomer in. For the next day, it's the same for Boomer.
Then, Sunshine had thought of something. He'd knew that every time something goes wrong for Boomer, either Ten Cents is present, and blowing his whistle twice. "I wonder," Sunshine thought. Then, two of the Zero tugs, Zip and Zug were passing by the three tugs.
"Hello," Zip called tauntingly, "Nice day, isn't it?" "Yes," Zug answered, "OH NO!" the two switchers purposefully bumped into Ten Cents and Sunshine's barges, knocking their loads into the water. "Hey!" Ten Cents shouted.
"Oops," Zip said. "It's not our fault," Zug taunted, "Boomer's jinx had gotten us!" The two zeros just laughed and carried on with their work. "They're making a joke out of us!" Ten Cents said furiously. "It's true when I'm around," Boomer replied.
After a series of further mishaps, though, Captain Star had decided to give Boomer one last chance. On that bright morning, Captain Star ordered Boomer to tow out a schooner. Upon leaning what happened, Ten Cents and Sunshine stayed behind, with Ten Cents not sounding his whistle.
However, things had turned out differently for Boomer in the end, though.