Foduck Teaches Theodore
One evening, Theodore was going through some his old stuff. "My crab cages, my old lifeboat paddle, my old lamp," Theodore said as he went through his old stuff.
"My old toddler hat? With a drawing of circus clowns?" Theodore found one of the hats he used to wear as soon as he was built. "I guess I could hold onto it for a little longer," thought Theodore, "Even though I was never a fan of circus clowns. As an ocean tug, I must take on responsibility, but I'd like to keep some of my old things for old times sake."
Then he found a siren in the pile. "Hey, it's my siren that I found, then lost, then found again," said Theodore. Of course, it's the same siren that he'd found on the nearby rocky shores a long time ago. Theodore remembered that he used to play with it as soon as he found it. "And I thought it was just an old cable winch," thought Theodore as he placed it on his deck. Just then, Foduck returned with Bonnavista barge.
They've been removing some old ship's cargo from a nearby cove all day. Bonnavista's deck was full of old cargo. Theodore raced out to meet Foduck. "Hi, Foduck!" he called, "You're back!" "Well," said Foduck, "I've been busy all day. I had to make sure that old cargo doesn't float away and cause an accident."
"Yeah," agreed Bonnavista, "I had to work all day. My deck is full! Not that I'm complaining." "Ok," chuckled Theodore. Foduck immediately noticed that Theodore had his siren attached to his deck. "So, I see you decided to get out your siren," Foduck said. "Yes," replied Theodore, "I'd thought I take it out and start using it now that I'm an ocean tug."
"Theodore," Foduck said in a stern tone of voice, "You should know now that you cannot blare your siren whenever and wherever you want to. They're for emergencies only. Understand?" "Yes," replied Theodore, "I understand." "Good," said Foduck, "Keep that in mind." "I will," said Theodore as Foduck left to take Bonnavista back home. "I know how to use sirens now," said Theodore.
The next morning, Theodore left to start work for the day. His first job was to take a new set of fishing poles and deliver them to Millie. "Time for Millie to get an upgrade," thought Theodore.
Foduck started his regular safety patrol, but then he saw Theodore. "I should give him lessons in safety," he thought. So he tagged along with Theodore to tell him. "Oh, hey, Foduck," said Theodore as soon as he noticed him. "I'd thought I tag along with you," said Foduck. "I see," replied Theodore.
"I'm going to give you official safety lessons," said Foduck. "Ok," said Theodore, "So what's there to tell?" "Let me tell you about safety lessons," said Foduck. "Go ahead, Foduck" replied Theodore.
"Now whenever there is trouble," began Foduck, "Stop and think about what you're going to do. Always remember to keep calm and remember to ask for help." "All right," agreed Theodore, "I understand." Foduck gave safety lessons about moving ships and fire safety and other important things.
Now that Theodore is a qualified ocean tug, he knew that he had to take on serious responsibilities, so he patiently listened until he reached the open part of the harbour where Millie was working. "And remember what I told you about your siren," said Foduck, finally. "I know," said Theodore in response, "Only use it for emergencies."
"Thanks for the lessons, Foduck," said Theodore. "You're welcome," replied Foduck, "Just giving you some advice." Then Foduck left to start his safety patrol. Theodore went on with his work. He delivered Millie her new set of fishing poles.
Then Theodore left to take a ship out to sea.
Foduck decided to return to where he was working yesterday to look for anything he might have missed from yesterday. However, he'd forgot to get his safety equipment checked out. "There are some old engine parts," said Foduck.
He saw a bunch of unused engine parts sitting on the shore. "Looks like they belong to an old train engine," Foduck declared, "I'd better take them." So he picked up the train parts and continued searching the cove for anything else.
Meanwhile, Theodore had taken Kingston out of the harbour. "Take care, Kingston," said Theodore. "I will," replied Kingston. Theodore turned to head on back. But then he thought of something.
"Maybe I'd better check on Foduck," Theodore decided at last. He left to find Foduck. After an hour searching, Foduck decided to return to the harbour. "Lesson number 2," he said, "Start." Foduck prepared to turn out of the cove, only to run into trouble.
Just as Foduck prepared to turn, he felt a sharp bang. "ARGH!" he cried, "What was that?!" It turned out that a rusty piece of steel had landed upright in the water and Foduck ran right into it. "Oh no!" cried Foduck, "Bonnavista Barge had dropped this steel bar into the water and none of us noticed it!"
The steel bar had penetrated Foduck's hull, but not enough to rip a hole into it, just enough for Foduck to get stuck on it. "I should have turned on my radar!" cried Foduck.
He made an attempt to sound his siren, but nothing came out. "Oh no!" cried Foduck, "I should had gotten my siren check-up!" At the moment, there was no way Foduck could call for help and he couldn't move at all. He'd dare not to, in case the steel bar would rip a hole in his hull.
At that moment, Foduck heard another siren. "Someone!" said Foduck. He looked around and saw that it was Theodore's siren. "Foduck!" called Theodore, "What happened to you?" "I hit a steel bar!" answered Foduck, "I'm stuck!" "Hang on!" shouted Theodore, "I'll get you out of there!" Theodore got close to Foduck.
"Here," said Theodore, "We'll tie each other up really tight, so that I can keep you afloat!" Foduck went along with Theodore's idea. The two tugboats tied each other up really tight. This was done so that Theodore could try to lift Foduck up a bit to try and get him off of the rusty steel bar. "Now let's try and float!" shouted Theodore.
"Right," agreed Foduck. He knew that he had no choice, but to toss all of the old train engine parts he'd found in the cove overboard. As he did so, he became lighter and lighter. "Here I go!" shouted Theodore as he used his buoyancy to lift Foduck off of the steel bar.
Theodore strained and struggled and struggled and strained as he tried to lift Foduck up a bit. Just then, Foduck's hull left the steel bar and he was freed. Theodore and Foduck immediately flipped their engines into reverse and got away from the bar. "Free!" shouted Theodore.
"Good work, Theodore," said Foduck, "You've saved me." "Let's get you to the repair dock," said Theodore, "I'll keep you tied up just in case you do sink." "Ok," agreed Foduck. Before Theodore took Foduck to the repair docks, Theodore had to leave a marker buoy on the spot where the rusty steel bar laid upright.
It was tough tugging for Theodore, but he managed to get Foduck to the repair docks in no time. "He needs to have his hull check up!" cried Theodore as soon as he got to the repair docks, "It's an emergency! Foduck might be hurt!" Foduck was left at the repair docks and Theodore told the Dispatch what had happened.
"Good work, Theodore," smiled the Dispatcher, "You are a true hero." "Thank you," said Theodore. The Dispatcher asked for another tug to take a crane barge out to where Foduck had his accident to remove the steel bar.
Then Theodore went to visit Foduck. "Thanks for saving me," said Foduck, "I'd forgot to get my equipment checked out. So it was kind of my fault."
"Ok," replied Theodore, "Glad your safe." But then, Theodore had an awful thought. "Because Foduck was so busy with me, he didn't get his equipment checked out," Theodore thought to himself with tears in his eyes, "It's my fault that Foduck got hurt."
"Well, I'm getting my equipment check on now," said Foduck, "They've already cleared my siren and now I'm having my radar upgraded. I should have checked out for that bar in the first place. So it's really my fault."
Foduck then saw Theodore turning away and returned to his dock without a single word. "Theodore?" asked Foduck, "What's wrong?" "It is my fault that Foduck got hurt," Theodore thought, "All because of me." "I wonder what's gotten Theodore upset?" Foduck asked to no one in particular.
For the rest of the day, Theodore just floated at his dock, silent.
The next morning, Foduck returned, ready to start the day. His hull had been repaired and he was booming with excitement. "I'll know better next time," he said.
"Glad you're back, Foduck," said the Dispatcher, "Two container ships will be arriving later today. I need you and Theodore to help bring them both in." "Right away," said Foduck. Both turned to Theodore. "Theodore," the Dispatcher said, "Know your job?"
"Yeah," replied Theodore in a dull voice. "Ok," said the Dispatcher. Then Theodore muttered, "I don't deserve this siren." "What did you say?" asked Foduck turning to Theodore. The moment he did, a banging sound was heard and Theodore steamed fast away from his dock.
The Dispatcher and Foduck saw that Theodore had thrown his siren onto the dock. "I don't deserve my siren!" Theodore burst out loud. "What?" replied Foduck, "What are you talking about?!" "Foduck!" cried Theodore, "You got hurt yesterday because you were too busy with me and you never looked after yourself! I shouldn't have let you tag along with me! And I shouldn't have found that stupid siren in the first place!"
"Theodore," Foduck said, "I'm the safety tug. It's my job. The accident was my fault! It had nothing to do with you!" "Yes it did!" cried Theodore, "I should have let you do your thing! Then you wouldn't have been in that accident!" "Theodore, listen," said Foduck, "You've saved me from that accident. I'm grateful to you for doing that. You should be ashamed of yourself for saying things like that about you! Don't feel that way. Please."
"But," Theodore said before Foduck turned back to the dock to get Theodore's siren. "Here you go," said Foduck, "You've left this behind on purpose." Theodore looked at his siren. "It's your choice," said Foduck, "Do you want it or not?" Theodore thought about it for a moment.
"Theodore, remember, said Foduck, "You are a hero. You should feel proud for yourself." Theodore thought about it again. "Well, what's your answer?" asked Foduck. Theodore responded by putting his siren back on his deck and stopped crying.
"Foduck," said Theodore, "Thank you. I'm sorry for the way I acted. I was just feeling guilty about what happened yesterday." "That's okay," smiled Foduck, "I promise to be more careful of myself in the future. And you make the right choices. Deal?" "Deal," agreed Theodore, feeling better now.
"Now let's start work together!" said Foduck. "Right!" agreed Theodore, "Or go exploring together." "That works, too," said Foduck. The two tugs got ready to leave the harbour, but then Constance floated towards them in alarm.
"Foduck!" she said in a serious tone of voice, "Fire at the old warehouse at dock 21!" Theodore and Foduck looked at each other. "We have to do it now," said Foduck, seriously. "Right!" agreed Theodore. The two tugs turned on their sirens and followed Constance to the burning warehouse.