Steam of Britain

Chapter 32: Daniel's Troubles

Daniel the Diesel loved the summer season. The sun shown bright, the birds sang, and he always honked a hello to the engines. The steam engines meanwhile, they complained about the summer sun. It beamed down on them, and it made them hot. Because of this, they would often complain to the diesels.

"It's so hot," said James, "It's not good for me. It would just ruin my paint work." "At least it would help dry your new coat faster," said Daniel. James scoffed, "What do you know about new paint. You're just a dirty diesel." Daniel was taken back, "I'm just trying to show you the good side." James just rolled his eyes, and headed off with his passengers.

Later, Daniel was to take the express for Bertram. He had overheated, and his safety valve burst. He sat in a sighting, in the blazing sun. "Don't worry Bertram," said Daniel, "I'm sure once you're fixed, you can have a nice cool drink of water from the tower." "It's not very cool," snapped Bertram. Daniel was starting to loose his patience. He then headed off, leaving Bertram, who tried to say he was sorry, but Daniel was out of sight.

As Daniel headed to Vicarstown, he mumbled to himself. All day, the steam engines complained to him, and it was really testing him. At Vicarstown, he saw Duchess, Steve, Henry, Mallard, and Gordon all complaining to each other. "I swear, it's just too hot!" said Gordon. "Those engines don't want to work in this heat!" said Henry, "they're just being lazy!" "They say they have boiler ach," said Mallard, "but they just want to be in the shade!" "It's not right to just send us out in this heat!" said Duchess. "I wish that diesels would know how we feel," said Steve, "That way, they would be hot and bothered as well. I hope they get stuck in the sun as well." Daniel had enough!! He then blew his horn, and yelled, "WELL THEN, WHY DON'T YOU ALL JUST HEAD OFF TO THE SCRAP HEAP!!! I KNOW THOSE ENGINES WOULD JUST LOVE TO HEAR HOW YOU DON'T WANT TO WORK!!!!" Daniel then uncoupled from his coaches, and stormed off to rest. Mallard, Steve and Duchess were surprised. "D-Did we cause that?" asked Steve. "I think so," said Mallard, "We complained so much, I think we made Daniel snap." "I'll go talk to him," said Duchess.

Daniel sat in the sheds, complaining to himself. "Ridiculous. Just because I'm a diesel, doesn't mean I don't feel hot as well." Duchess then backed down into the birth next to Daniel, and said, "I'm sorry we took our frustrations on you. It's just, we have fire boxes, and nothing to keep us cool in the sun. You have an engine and cooling system." "But it doesn't always work," said Daniel, "Sometimes I still feel hot, but I just push through it, and don't show it! I get that it's hot, but you all shouldn't just complain about it." He then paused, before saying, "I'm sorry as well. What I said up there wasn't right. I shouldn't have let my temper get the better of me." "And we shouldn't have let our complaining get to you," said Duchess. "Well, at least I know we'll get through this better now."

Soon after, Daniel didn't let his temper get the better of him. The engines also stopped complaining to him, and the other diesels. Soon, they just sucked it up, and worked hard, together as friends.