Theodore Runs Away
One night, the tugboats finished their work before sundown. So they decided to go to sleep early. However, one tugboat was up working very late up until midnight.
It was Theodore. He was on a shipyard crane maintenance duty. Theodore had to deliver barges carrying cranks and devices to the crane. It had been a long night (and job) for Theodore.
"Whew!" he said to himself, "What a night." In a half hour, Theodore's duty was finished. It was way past midnight when Theodore returned to his dock.
"I got to get some sleep," yawned Theodore. After he said that and got next to Hank, Theodore fell fast asleep. The next morning, Theodore woke up, sleepy, but a little bit awake.
The tugboats gathered around for the morning work meeting. After the Dispatcher gave out the jobs for the day, the tugboats set off for work, except for one: Theodore wasn't given a job for the day.
"Theodore," said the Dispatcher. "Yes, sir," replied Theodore. "I want you on stand by in case you are needed," The Dispatcher told Theodore. "Yes, sir," answered Theodore. "Besides," said the Dispatcher, "You need more sleep. You've been working late last night." "Thanks," said Theodore.
As the other tugboats started their jobs, Theodore went back to sleep. 3 hours later, Theodore woke up, fully rested up, ready to go back to work.
"Okay," he thought, "I'm ready now." Theodore wanted to tell the Dispatcher that he was ready to go, but he could see that he was busy communicating with another ship through radio. Theodore knew not to disturb him, so he decided to do nothing for right now. "Aw man!" he groaned.
Nothing more happened that day. "A day wasted," thought Theodore. By the time the other tugboats returned to their docks, the Dispatcher finally spoke up for the first time since the beginning of the day.
"Well done everyone," he said to the tugboats, except Theodore. "No problem," replied Foduck. "Yep," said Emily. However, no one noticed Theodore. "Never mind," thought Theodore, "Maybe tomorrow."
"Tomorrow will be a busy day," the Dispatcher told the tugboats, "So you need to rest up so that you're ready for tomorrow, all right?"
"Yes," replied all of the tugboats, including Theodore. "Very well," the Dispatcher concluded, "Good night." After that everyone fell asleep. The next morning, the Dispatcher gave the tugboats their jobs for the day, except Theodore. "Sir," said Theodore, "I'm ready to go to work."
"All right, Theodore," said the Dispatcher, "Your on bell buoy patrol. Several bell buoys needs maintenance." "Yes, sir," replied Theodore. However, buoy inspection wasn't what Theodore had in mind. "Well, it's not much really," thought Theodore. The first buoy that Theodore inspected was Bedford buoy.
"Hello, Theodore," said Bedford, "How are you doing?" "Not much really," replied Theodore, "Buoy inspection is okay, but I wanted to do something more." "Like what?" asked Bedford. "Like tow in big ships, barged and do all kinds of other jobs," answered Theodore. "I see," said Bedford.
"Anyway," said Theodore, "You're all shipshape." "Thank you, Theodore," said Bedford, "Even thought I'm a bell buoy." "Yeah, I know," Theodore said as he left to inspect the next bell buoy.
Theodore inspected several more bell buoys, including Blandford, Bingham and Blankston buoys. It took Theodore all days to inspect the bell buoys, but Theodore wasn't tired after all that. By contrast, the other tugboats were. "What another day," groaned Hank.
"You said it," said George. "I wish today was a special work day for me," thought Theodore, sadly, "Maybe tomorrow, things will be different. So Theodore fell asleep right away.
The next morning, everything is the same. The Dispatcher gave out the jobs for the day to the tugboats. "Let's go," said George as he set out to bring in Clementine. The other tugboats left for barge duties. All except for Theodore.
"Sir?" asked Theodore. "Theodore," said the Dispatcher, "Your job is to stand by with Shediac the shipyard shed. That is all." "Oh no!" groaned Theodore, "Not another do nothing job!" "You say something, Theodore," asked the Dispatcher. "No, nothing," replied Theodore.
As Theodore set out to meet Shediac, Theodore didn't feel bright and cheerful. By the time he made it to the shipyard docks, Theodore felt unhappy. "Who am I?" he asked, "What am I doing here?"
"What's wrong, boy?" asked Shediac. "Nothing," answered Theodore, sadly, "Literally." "I see," said Shediac, "I wish I could help you." Theodore spent the whole day at the shipyard docks, handing whatever cargo arrived. It took Theodore all day.
By the time he got back to his docks, Theodore felt like his day got wasted. "3 wasted days," moaned Theodore. By then, all of the other tugboats returned to their docks. They all felt happy with their jobs for the day.
"Clementine didn't complain about her containers this time," chuckled George. "Everything is all right," said Foduck. "Agreed," said Emily. After the tugboats talked for about 30 minutes, they fell fast asleep.
All except for Theodore. "Nothing," he thought. Theodore felt that he wasn't really useful anymore. So he made a decision. "No one is going to miss me," he thought, "I'm going away to somewhere else." So, Theodore decided to leave.
Very late at midnight, when everyone is sleeping, Theodore made his move. He carefully steamed out of his dock. He didn't wake anyone else up, even the bell buoys, including Bedford, Blandford, Blankston and Bingham.
By the time he was out of the harbour limits, he turned on his engine at full power and steamed away as far away as possible. By next morning, Theodore had run into a fog bank, far away from the Great Ocean Docks.
"Man, it doesn't look like Colorado," thought Theodore, "Or, actually, that state and that country has been said a load!" He was thinking Kansas and China, but he didn't say those names.
Back at the Great Ocean Docks, the tugboats got ready to start the new day. "All right, Tugboats," said the Dispatcher, "Today, we are having a giant oil tanker arriving into the harbour."
"Well, this will be fun," said George. "This job requires all of the tugboats," the Dispatcher explained. "Very well," agreed Foduck. "Everyone, ready?" asked the Dispatcher.
"I'm ready!" declared Hank. Emily, Foduck and George whistled that they are ready. "I'm ready," Hank said again.
However, the Dispatcher noticed someone is missing. "Anyone seen Theodore?" he asked. "Not since yesterday," answered Hank.
The other tugboats looked around for Theodore, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Oh no!" cried Emily, "Theodore isn't here!" "What?!" the Dispatcher exclaimed, looking all around for Theodore.
"No," he thought, "It can't be." "What's wrong, sir?" asked Hank. "I'm not sure where he is now," the Dispatcher answered in a worrying tone of voice. "Sir?" asked George.
The Dispatcher turned to face the other tugboats, and then said, "Everyone! We have an emergency! Theodore has gone missing! We must find him right away!" "Agreed!" replied George and Foduck.
"Until Theodore is found, the oil tanker will have to wait," said the Dispatcher seriously. "I think I have a feeling," thought Hank. "What, Hank?" asked Emily. "Theodore may not be in the Great Big Harbour!" said Hank. "How do you know?" asked Foduck.
"It looks like no one notices Theodore right now," explained Hank. "Hmm," thought Foduck, "Then I'll go ask them. You guys find Theodore right away!" "Roger!" replied the other tugboats.
Foduck decided to ask all the other ships in the harbour about Theodore. While George and Emily searched near the harbour limits. Meanwhile, Hank searched all of the docks. In about a half hour, the tugboats meet up with each other.
"I talked to everyone," said Foduck, "And they said they haven't seen Theodore since yesterday, or a few days ago for that matter." "Then Theodore had left the harbour!" declared Hank.
"I knew it!" said Foduck. "But why?" asked George. "I don't know," answered Foduck.
By now, Theodore is really far away from the Great Big Harbour (Or was he?); lost in thick fog.
"Man, this fog is really thick, my lights are useless on it!" groaned Theodore, "Who said thick as what?" Just then, a voice called, "Out of my way!"
Theodore knew that a ship was coming up from behind him, so he got out of the way as fast as he could. Theodore couldn't see who the ship was, but nonetheless, he decided to follow the ship.
"It's my only way to get around in fog like this." Back in the big harbour, the tugboats were all worried about Theodore.
"Come on guys!" said Foduck, "We can't give up now!" "Right!" agreed Hank, "So let's stop moping about and find him!" This time, the tugboats searched for Theodore together. Many hours passed. They looked for Theodore at Fundy the fishing boats dock.
"A friend who left his home will end up returning home in the end," Fundy said. "Okay," replied Hank, "But thanks for telling us about that anyway." Next, they searched at Ceilidh's Cove. "Sorry," said Truro.
"No Theodore here," said Dorothy. Then the nearby port, but still no sign of Theodore. "Where did he run away to?" asked Foduck. "No idea," said Millie, who had just finished delivering her load of fresh fish. "This is impossible!" cried George, "Theodore could be anywhere by now!"
The four tugboats decided to return to the harbour entrance to think up a plan. By that time, a thick fog was approaching. "Don't worry," said Foduck, "It's not heading towards the Big Harbour." "That's a relief," said Emily. "Now what are we going to do?" asked Hank.
"I don't know," answered Emily. "Well, we can't float around here and do nothing all day," said Hank, "We have to find Theodore!" "Yes, I know," said Foduck, "But we can't go sailing off in all directions at once!" Hank groaned as if he wanted to say something in protest, but he didn't.
Meanwhile, Theodore continued to follow the ship through the thick fog. Up until the ship stopped. "What's going on?" thought Theodore as he pulled up to the ship. But as he got closer, Theodore could hear banging noises coming from the ship's engine. "Uh, do you need help?" asked Theodore.
"I guess so!" replied the ship. Theodore could see that the ship's name is Seabright. "I was on my way to a harbour way up north," explained Seabright, "But my engine collapsed."
"I see," said Theodore, "Don't worry, I'll tow you to the nearest harbour to get you repaired, and I think there is one nearby." "Thank you," said Seabright. So with no time to waste, Theodore buttoned onto Seabright and began to tow him. Meanwhile, the other tugboats continued thinking of what to do next.
"Maybe we can search inside that fog bank," suggested Hank. "All right then," agreed Foduck, "Let's go together." So the four tugboats steamed off towards the fog bank. "I hope we're going in the right direction," thought Foduck.
"Well, I can hear Theodore's whistle," said Hank. "What?" asked George. "Hank is right," said Emily, "I can hear Theodore's whistle!" So they followed the direction in where the sound is coming from. In no time at all, they all ran into Theodore.
"Guys!" exclaimed Theodore. "It's Theodore!" bellowed George. All of the tugboats gathered around Theodore.
"I'm home already?" thought Theodore. "Theodore!" said Emily, "Where have you been?" "I tried to go somewhere else," explained Theodore. "What do you mean?" asked Foduck. "I tried to run away," said Theodore.
"But why?" asked Hank, "Why did you run away? Didn't you like it at home?" "Well," said Theodore, "It's a long story, but right now, I got to get Seabright to the repair dock." "Yes," agreed Seabright.
"And we need to get out of this fog bank," said Foduck. So, all of the tugboats got out of the fog. "We're going to a big oil tanker," said George, "Take Seabright to the repair dock and then, report to the Dispatcher immediately. Then meet up with us."
"Right," replied Theodore. So Hank, Foduck, George and Emily headed towards the big oil tanker. After Theodore towed Seabright to the repair docks he returned to the Great Ocean Docks.
"Mr. Dispatcher, sir?" said Theodore. "Theodore?" the Dispatcher said in surprise, "Is it really you?" "Yes," answered Theodore, "It's me." "Theodore," the Dispatcher said, "Where were you?"
"I tried to run away," answered Theodore, sadly. The Dispatcher looked down on Theodore sternly. "We'll talk about this later," he said, "You have to help the other tugboats bring in a big oil tanker." "Yes, sir," replied Theodore, "I'm on my way!"
Theodore left the Great Ocean Docks thinking, "Finally, a big job for me! Actually for all of us!" With Theodore, the other tugboats had no problem with the big oil tanker.
The big oil tanker was moved to a nearby oil dock near the Big Harbour. After that, Theodore and the other tugboats returned to the Great Big Harbour.
"So, Theodore," said the Dispatcher, "You ran away because you thought I wasn't giving you any big jobs in the past three days?" "Yeah," answered Theodore. "Aw," said Hank, "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, Hank," said Theodore, "It was just me." "No," said the Dispatcher, "It was me; I never thought about it at the moment. So, I'm sorry, Theodore."
"It's okay, Dispatcher," said Theodore. "But please, Theodore," said the Dispatcher, "Don't run away from home again."
"I won't," promised Theodore. "Good," said Hank. "Now, was I really going around in circles in that fog?" said Theodore. "I guess, so," said Foduck, "Otherwise, you wouldn't have ended up back here." "Yeah, that's true," said Theodore. "So that's what Fundy meant," thought Emily.
"Now, Theodore," said the Dispatcher, "For a week, during your free time, you have garbage barge duties with Guysborough. Now that's supposed to be a big job for you, isn't it?" "Yes, sir," said Theodore. Then Theodore fell fast asleep. "I take it that he didn't sleep last night," suggested George.
"Maybe you'll start when you wake up, Theodore," said the Dispatcher. Nonetheless, Theodore was glad to be back home, where he belongs.