Chapter 297: Crosspatch

"Alright Nancy, that's enough!"

"Oh, come on now! Just another minute or two."

Skarloey sighed, but let Nancy continue to fuss. The 100th anniversary of the railway was coming up, and Nancy insisted on trying out her new techniques on the engine drivers to get them ready for the big day. And unfortunately for Skarloey, he was her current guinea pig.

"Nancy, I'm sure I look fine! Now please let me get to work!"

But Nancy wouldn't budge.

"You're next train isn't for another hour, so don't think I'll let you go that easily! Now stop being such a crosspatch and be still!"

When Skarloey heard Nancy's choice of words, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"As a matter of fact, Nancy, there was a time when I was quite the Crosspatch. Would you like to hear it?"

"If it keeps you from moving, then by all means!"

And so Skarloey began his tale.

Back when I was just a young man, fresh off my engine driver training, I was hired by The Skarloey Railway. I was brash and arrogant, thinking I knew better than anyone else.

During those days, it wasn't Sir Topham Hatt's railway. Instead, the engine I got a ride to my new home on was from the Sodor and Mainland Railway. The driver's name was Neil. He was old, but kind, and we got along fine.

"You'll be heading to the wee railway, I reckon. Good, lots of work needs to be done over there. Lots of trucks to marshall."

I didn't quite understand what he said, but I paid no mind and enjoyed the beautiful Sudrian countryside.

At last, we reached Crovan's Gate. I said goodbye to Neil and left for the engine sheds to see my engine.. At the time, my engine didn't have a cab, as most engines didn't. But I didn't care. I thought she was beautiful.

Just then, I heard a low rumbling. To my amazement, a line of loaded stone trucks came rattling down the line in front of me, without an engine!"

"How did that happen?"

The workmen chuckled.

"Its thanks to gravity. Empty trucks come up the incline, full ones go down. But now we need an engine to take them away. That's where you come in."

Well, I didn't like the sound of that. I wanted to take passenger trains!

"Trucks? Can't gravi-whatever it was you said take them?"

The workmen laughed, which only served to make me more cross.

"Gravity can only bring things down! We need you to take them anywhere else. Why do you think we hired you?"

Well, that was the final straw for me.

"Well, I won't! So there."

The men argued with me, but I refused to back down. Eventually, the manager, a man named Mr. Mack, stepped in. He was a tough, but fair man, but he wouldn't stand for my nonsense.

"So, you're my new engine driver? Now listen here, get your engine in steam and get to work! I hired you to run my railway, not stand around!"

"Certainly, sir. Where are the coaches?"

"You can forget about passenger work! I need this yard sorted at once."

"No passengers, no steam!"

Mr. Mack and I fought for hours, but no good game from it. At last, he gave up.

"Fine then, be a crosspatch!"

I smirked, quite confident I had won.

"You can stay shut up in the common house until you learn to cooperate! Perhaps some isolation will teach you that hard work pays off more than ego!"

Nancy was quite shocked by the end of his story.

"Did he really do that?"

"He did. I was forbidden to leave until I had learned my lesson. I enjoyed the solitude at first, but soon I grew bored, and restless."

"Oh my, I'm terribly sorry Skarloey."

"Ah well, I learned my lesson."

Skarloey then looked at the time.

"Oh my, I need to get going! Thanks for the haircut, Nancy, but I only have 15 minutes to get #1 ready for our next train."

"That's alright, Skarloey. Thank you for the story. Do you think you'll be able to tell me more later?"

Skarloey chuckled.

"Only if you promise to leave the scissors at home!"