Chapter 152: Bye George!
Sir Handel and Peter Sam were exasperated. George and his company had been doing roadwork alongside their line for the past month, and bothered them to
no end with shouts of "Railways are no good, turn them into roads! Rip them up, turn them into roads! Railways are no good, turn them into roads!" Now their
work was complete and he was waiting for Percy to take him tear up an some old rails and turn them into a road, but not without getting in some more jabs at his unfortunate victims.
"Your railway is out of date. Just watch, one day this will be nothing but road as far as the eye can see."
At last Sir Handel lost patience.
"You need rocks for your road work, and only the railway can provide that. Like it or not, you need us."
George burst out laughing at this.
"I need you? The only thing your railway is good for is target practice."
"Just remember what happened the last time we met. I'm sure your boss still does."
"That was your fault for being in my way!"
Luckily Percy soon arrived to take George away.
"About time you arrived. A lorry would've been here in half the time."
"Just get in the cab. I want to get this job over with a soon as possible.
"What do you know, we have something in common. Never thought I would ever see the day."
At long last Percy took George away. But even as they faded into the distance Sir Handel and Peter Sam could still hear George's taunts.
"Railways are no good, turn them into roads! Pull them up, turn them into roads!"
The two of them shared a solem look.
"Percy's in for a rough trip, eh Sir Handel?"
"I'm afraid so, Peter Sam. I'm afraid so."
Their fears were proven correct. George did nothing but complain the whole way to the site, and Percy had to restrain himself from beating him over the head with his shovel
more than once. At last, they arrived. George just sniffed indignantly.
"Bumpy ride on rotten rails, I'm glad its over."
"So am I!"
And Percy drove off quickly, wanting to get as far away from him as possible. Later, he met Thomas at Knapford Junction.
"Morning Percy, what's got you in such a huff?"
"Its that George! He's done nothing but be a nuisance since he arrived."
"Just do what I do and ignore him. Bullies like him love it when their victims react, so just leave him be and you win."
"Yeah, good luck with that."
George, meanwhile, was having the time of his life ripping up the old disused rails.
"Won't be long now before all railways fall suit."
Just then Thomas drove by with a train of coal. George saw his chance to rile him up.
"What do you think of this, Thomas? Pretty soon the rest of the railway will follow."
But Thomas didn't respond. This made George cross.
"You're a worthless little punk who'll never get anywhere in life!"
Thomas still ignored him, making his blood boil.
"I'll show you who's boss!"
At last the workmen reached a level crossing, but weren't sure what to do.
"Are you guys sure this is where we're supposed to tarmac? The tracks don't look disused."
"Yes, now tarmac it already."
"Are you sure? Maybe we should ask the boss."
"The boss told me himself, now get a move on!"
"If you say so."
So they tore up the rails and lay down the tarmac, but little did they know that it was the wrong level crossing and that Thomas would be coming down the line moments later.
George knew, and laughed darkly to himself.
"That'll show that punk to ignore me."
Before long Thomas came around the bend. He had had a good journey, but all of that changed when he saw what lay ahead.
"Horrors!"
He braked hard, but it was too late as his train jumped off the rails and skidded into a ditch, himself just barely jumping out in time.
"I bet I know who's responsible for this."
Word soon spread about Thomas's accident, and many of his coworkers were enraged by George's actions. Gordon, however, remained as stuck up as usual.
"Thomas is just a scrawny kid in over his head, no wonder George targeted him. He wouldn't dare do something like that to me."
A few days later, George was sent to Wellsworth yards to work. Duck arrived to shunt some trucks into the siding where he found George blocking his path.
"Out of the way, George! I need to clear the line."
"Tough break, Duckie. I'm on break, and I'm not moving for another hour. You'll just have to wait."
"I cant wait. Gordon will be here any second with the express."
"Well he'll have to wait too."
A noisy argument broke out when a long and loud whistle echoed around the valley. Gordon was running down the line with the express, confidently stroking the fire.
"I'm the greatest! Just watch my engine fly by!"
But danger lay ahead as he saw the Wellsworth up ahead, with the end of Duck's train sticking out on the mainline.
"Out of the way! Express coming through!"
But the truck wouldn't move, until Gordon's engine rammed right through.
"Oh no, what will Sir Topham Hatt say?"
He soon found out. Sir Topham Hatt was cross, but not with Gordon.
"Whoever is responsible for this shall have me to answer to."
And he did, a few days later.
Thomas and Percy were dropping supplies off at McColl farm when they saw George shoveling a pile of "fresh" fertilizer. They felt sorry for George, but couldn't help but laugh.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is."
George snorted crossly at them.
"Stupid railway. Now I've got to spend a month of community service here for damage to 'railway property.' Just you wait, I'll be back on the rails before you know it.
"And you'll be as bad as ever, huh George?"
I hope not. Don't you?