It took the family some days to reach the exhibition. During that time, Conan began to act in an uncharacteristic way.
"Do I look like a gentleman?" he asked Jewelie.
"Why do you ask? Of course you do, you're already a gentleman."
"No, I mean a real gentleman," said Conan. "One that has enough money to get his wife on a safari in Africa, or a vacation in India. Because I love you, and I want to be someone who can take you there."
"What makes you think I want to go out of this country?" Jewelie asked.
"I mean… Isn't it a luxurious experience? Travelling to foreign lands, seeing exotic animals… The sun never sets on the British Empire."
Jewelie sighed.
"Connie, I've no need to go to any of those lands," she said. "I am happy here. With you, my husband."
Conan blushed. Hard.
"Even so, don't you ever want more?" he asked.
"I've got everything I need with you, dear," said Jewelie.
"Hardly!" scoffed a posh gentleman.
"And who are you? What gives you the right to tell me what I have?" Jewelie asked.
"Why should it matter to you middle-class scum?" the man snorted. "You're wasting your life being married to this guy. " Conan and Jewelie were furious.
"I wouldn't be here right now without him!" snapped Jewelie.
"Sure. How many things can't he buy for you? If you married someone like me, on the other hand…" He found himself falling onto his back before he could finish, for Jewelie had punched him in the face.
"HOW DARE YOU! I'D RATHER BE STARVING THAN MARRIED TO A RICH SNOB LIKE YOU!"
The man was about to give a reply, but Jewelie quickly shut him up by kicking him downstairs.
"YOU STAY AWAY FROM US OR YOU'LL REALLY REGRET IT!"
The family then walked away, but not before the dog peed on the man's face.
"Spike! Bad dog!" scolded Conan.
"Ugh, that's nasty!" groaned the man as the family left. "Well, on the bright side, at least it didn't get into my mouth." But something did: another man accidentally spilled his drink and it landed in the mouth of the fallen man.
At first, the exhibition wasn't really that exciting. That was until they got to the Palace of Engineering. There, on display, was a certain green engine.
"Gordon! Green Gordon!" Stuart called.
The engine was confused. Another one laughed.
"Gordon? What are you talking about? I thought he moved to Sodor," said the engine.
"Well, you see, uh…" Conan struggled to find the right words.
"Ah, never mind: must have seen Gordon," smiled the engine. "How is my brother doing?"
"Demoted to goods," said Conan. "Nah, just kidding! He's doing fine. Gotten into a few scrapes, but he's doing fine."
"Well, my name is Flying Scotsman, LNER 4472. I am Gordon's most famous brother."
"Then how come I've never heard of you?" asked a black Baltic tank engine.
"Because you aren't from the LNER," snorted Flying Scotsman.
"Pah!" scoffed a black tender engine. "I've only just been built in February, and I've not gotten to know you at all."
Before the engines could start arguing, Conan thought it best they get away from there for the time being. Instead, they went to check out the Palace of Industry.
However, an electric engine caught their attention.
"Hullo there. Want to see how an electric multiple unit works?"
"Uh, I think I know how electrics work," said Conan. The electric didn't care and kept talking
"You see. We take power from a third rail, which allows us to fit more people, as an engine ain't needed. Also, we're connected to each other."
"Yeah, nice, well," said Conan, "we have to go…"
"Now why would you want to leave? You just got here! Stay awhile! I got much to tell about!"
Jewelie elbowed him slightly. She seemed to be interested, though the EMU was quick to take interest in something else.
"Say, is that a little boy you're carrying?" he asked.
"Yes, it is," said Jewelie.
"Ah, wonderful thing to have a family," said the EMU. "My brothers aren't quite pleasant, being concerned about money. Of course, aside from them, I don't really have a family. I dated a nice coach for a while."
"Well that's fascinating," said Conan dryly.
"But coaches have eyes and she was looking for something different. Ha ha, I'm kidding! Well, not about coaches having eyes, they do. And they see into your soul and they break your heart…OH SHELLEY! WHY?!" The EMU began crying.
"Now what?" asked Jewelie.
"I say we leave for now," Conan replied. The electric said his goodbyes as they left, though they couldn't tell who exactly he was saying goodbye to: Conan could've sworn he heard him shout Shelley's name after one of the goodbyes.
Stuart had fallen asleep on his crib, and both parents discussed their next stop.
"What about we go to the Palace of Beauty?" said Conan. Jewelie was not amused.
"Why? There other girls you want to see? Am I not hot enough?"
Conan realised he'd screwed up.
"I…I…I never said that!"
Jewelie pouted and looked away, pretending to be offended.
"I didn't think you'd have eyes for another woman. Is our vow not enough to keep you tied to me?"
Conan was panicking. He began trying to think of something to soothe his wife. Unbeknownst to him, the dog snuck away during this time: he had caught the smell of food.
The gentleman who'd tried to steal Jewelie was complaining to his parents. The father was more concerned about his 5th dish of food.
"For crying out loud, son, there are plenty of other girls out there!"
"She's no other girl. She deserves to be married to an upper class man. One who can actually provide her with luxury. One like me."
The father snorted, and grabbed more food from a Pavillion. As he did so, nobody noticed a dog running up to him.
Suddenly, 3 things happened at once. The dog jumped at the man, he began to stumble, and the food went flying all around.
At the same time, Stuart noticed Spike was gone, and began crying. His parents noticed the noise.
"Hey, what happened to Spike?" Conan asked, upon seeing their dog was missing.
"Help! Help!" a voice called. "Get this dog off of me!"
Conan and Jewelie shared a worried look. Now they knew where their dog was.
Spike was enjoying licking the face of the man, who was covered in food. Some people found it funny. Others were rather disgusted, especially those of the higher class. Eventually, Conan arrived and pulled Spike off.
"Spike! Bad dog! Come on, release him!" Conan ordered. It took a lot of effort to get Spike off, so young he was.
After two minutes, the dog was whimpering pitifully as Jewelie put him in a basket.
"I'm awfully sorry, sir. He's just a puppy, you see."
The man took it rather well. His wife and son, however, didn't.
"You damn peasants! Have you not heard of leashes?! Honestly, it wouldn't cost much to buy one."
Conan tried to argue Spike had broken his leash, and that he was normally well behaved. The wife began screaming, however. She went into her purse and pulled out a baton.
"I told you, not unless it's an emergency," said her husband. Instead of listening, she handed it to her son.
"Beat these people up for their insolence," she told him.
The son, looking bored, took the baton, and then recognized the pair.
"Hey, I remember you," he said. "You're that pair of scum who ruined my balls! Doctor said I won't be able to have kids. It gives me pleasure to return the favour."
"You touch my family," warned Jewelie, "I'll do worse to you than your balls."
"I don't take orders from a woman," scoffed the man, and he attacked.
Conan was faster, however, and was quick to grab his arm. The two then began to wrestle each other. Eventually, the police had to be called to stop the fight.
While neither got arrested, they were still angry with each other. Jewelie decided they'd been at the Exhibition long enough for the day right then and there.
"Still want to become wealthy enough to travel to other countries?" she asked at their hotel room.
"If being rich and wealthy means becoming that a total jerk," said Conan, "I think I'm happy eing middle-class. with being middle-class for now."
