Sodor the Untold Stories: Takes one to know one

Takes one to know one.

Narrator: Thomas was getting aggravated by Rosie's obsession with him. All the time, she would try to get to him whether it meant trying to copy him, and at night would often try to sleep in the berth next to him at the sheds. He eventually talked about it to Toby.

Thomas: Sometimes I wish that little pest would stop it with her obsession over me! Why does she always want to be around me?

Toby: Well, I'd be flattered if I were you. You want to be the number one, and now being the number one has caused a girl to go after you!

Thomas: Don't be funny, Toby. It's starting to make me feel uncomfortable.

Toby: Well, she is assigned to work here, so it's not like you have any other choice but to put up with her.

Thomas: I just wish I could have some time away from her...

Toby: I understand...

Narrator: Unknown to them, The Fat Controller had been overhearing this conversation. Meanwhile on the Little Western, Donald and Douglas had been needed elsewhere, so they couldn't help Duck and Oliver out on their work. So he decided to send Rosie over there to help them out for a while. While she was upset that she wouldn't be with Thomas, Rosie also hadn't met the two Great Western engines, so she couldn't help but wonder what they were like. She arrived at Arlesburgh shortly. *Duck, waiting to depart at the station, gets shocked at Rosie's paint scheme*

Duck: Woah! What's with your bright, pink colors?!

Rosie: It's just the way I like to be painted! I'm Rosie, what's your name?

Duck: Montague, but you can call me Duck. Are you the engine that The Fat Controller sent to help us out?

Rosie: Why yes. I'm from Thomas' branch line.

Duck: Ah. I know where that is, I've helped out there myself. How's Thomas doing?

Rosie: Oh, that cutie is doing amazing. It's such an honor to be working with him. (Rosie sighs of happiness)

Duck: ...Well! That's quite the compliment. Do you... Have a... C-crush on him... If you don't mind me asking?

Rosie: Ehhhh, no, not really. (Blushes to herself) I just am proud of him for who he is.

Duck: Ah, I see. I myself am quite proud of the Great Western, the best of the big four railways of Great Britai- *The Guard whistle blows* Oh, I must be off. I'll tell you more later, Rosie. *Duck departs*

Rosie: Best of the big four? Hmmm... Why would he think that?

Narrator: Rosie was loading up some ballast trucks that were to be taken to Tidmouth. As she did, Oliver pulled in with his local train.

Oliver: Ah, you must be Rosie. Nice to meet you. I'm Oliver, and I'm one of the engines on this branch line.

Rosie: You're a Great Western too? (Noticing Oliver's lettering on his side)

Oliver: Of course! We don't call this line the Little Western for nothing.

Rosie: Interesting. Well, I can't help but wonder about it. I met Duck a little earlier, and he said that it was the "Best of the big four".

Oliver: Oh, that's just Duck for you. He takes pride in it, but I don't care as much for where I came from. Anyways, just be careful with the ballast trucks.

Rosie: What's there to be careful about? I think I'll be fine. (She heads out)

Narrator: But Rosie went clanking along the line, not taking notice of how rough of a ride it was for the trucks.

One of the trucks: Oh, ow, oh! Stop it you! We want a proper engine, not a little pest!

Narrator: Duck, on his return journey, noticed this fuss as the two engines passed by each other, and was concerned. When Rosie arrived at the sheds that night, Duck had a stern talk with her.

Duck: There are two ways of doing things, Rosie. The Great Western way, and the wrong way. I can safely say that the way I saw you handle those trucks today was the wrong way. The Great Western way would be to treat them with respect. You will find that-

Rosie: Why can't you just call it "The Right way"? What makes the "Great Western way" any different?

Oliver: This is what I meant by his pride in the Great Western, Rosie. Go on, Duck.

Duck: You need to be careful with trucks, especially the ballast ones. Their behavior is worse than any truck you'll ever meet. You learned that the hard way, didn't you Oliver?

Oliver: Don't remind me...

Rosie: Thomas treats trucks the way I did on his branch line, and he gets along just fine.

Duck: Again, ballast trucks are different. Plus, just because Thomas is the number one on this railway doesn't mean he knows everything.

Rosie: And I suppose you don't either?

Duck: ...That's not what I meant. Sure, we may not know him as well as you do, but the fact is you're with us now, so you might as well know how things work while you're here. Got that?

Rosie: Got that...

Narrator: However, Rosie was upset. She pouted the whole morning after, because she felt that Duck was being too strict on her.

Oliver: Rosie, don't go around with that attitude. It won't make things any better.

Rosie: And how do you know? I suppose you're trying to make things right considering you're Great Western too.

Oliver: That has nothing to do with it, Rosie. And to be honest, I actually get irritated by Duck's pride in our railway too-

Rosie: Do you now?

Oliver: Believe me... But don't do it the wrong way. Even if his way of putting things can get on our nerves, there's still a right way, and a wrong way to do it. Take care. *Oliver leaves*

Narrator: Rosie was glad Oliver tried to give her sympathy, but still thought that Duck needed to be confronted. Later when she had time off, she did just that.

Rosie: Duck, can I have a word with you?

Duck: With what?

Rosie: Why do you have to act so pompous and shallow about the way you do things around here?

Duck: What do you mean "Pompous and shallow"? I'm simply trying to help you do your work properly on the line so that you don't cause an accident or something. Or is that what you want to do?

Rosie: Noooo... It's not what I want. But, why do you have to refer to the right way as "The Great Western Way"?

Duck: Because there are two ways of doing things! That, and the wrong way, of course, like I've told you before.

Rosie: So you think the "LNER way" or the "LMS way" is the wrong way in that case?

Duck: What?! Rosie, no, that's not what I mean by it, and you know that!

Rosie: Oh? Well only yesterday did you say that it's the best of the "Big Four"! You must take a ton of pride and bias towards your precious "Great Western!"

Duck: Yes! Yes I do. And what point are you trying to make?!

Rosie: Stop shoving it down my throat!

Duck: You're one to talk. We've only met for a day, and already can I tell that you obsess over Thomas greatly, his class was a failure, you know that?

Rosie: No, he is the most well built engine in the entire world!

Duck: You know what? Fine, fine! Do whatever you want while you're here. It's your metal, not mine. *Duck storms off*

Narrator: Rosie felt satisfied at this, and headed out. Now she had felt that she had won Duck over, and decided to do things the way she wanted. One morning, she was assigned to take a larger shipping of ballast than usual to Tidmouth.

Rosie: Wow, that's a lot of trucks.

Rosie's driver: It is indeed. I think we're gonna have to split it into chunks.

Narrator: But at that moment, Rosie thought of something that she really shouldn't have.

Rosie: Actually driver, I think I'm strong enough to take all of the trucks at once. I'm sure it'd show Duck that I'm just as reliable and intelligent as he thinks he is.

Rosie's driver: Rosie, you must not be thinking clearly. 

Rosie: I am thinking clearly. I can do anything, as long as I put my mind to it. Thomas would know, he's the number one!

Narrator: Rosie buffered up to the trucks, loaded them up, and was soon ready to head out. But they soon started complaining, like the typical trucks do.

Truck #1: Who does this pink flamingo think she is? We want Duck!

Rosie: Don't ever mention that name to me! I'm far better than that pompous pannier!

Narrator: The trucks were rather offended by that insult, they liked Duck more than Rosie. But when they realized how many trucks she was trying to take in one go, they decided to take advantage of it.

The trucks: On! On! On!

Narrator: Rosie tried to apply her brakes, but they weren't enough to stop herself! The trucks surged her on and on.

Rosie: Help! Heeeellllpppp!!!

Narrator: Oliver witnessed Rosie thundering out of the yard with the trucks laughing behind her. He almost immediately started after her.

Oliver: Don't worry Rosie! I'm coming!

Rosie: Do hurry will you?!

Narrator: Oliver knew what to do. He sped forward, switched onto Rosie's track, and waited for her to buffer up to him.

Oliver: Alright Rosie, you and me together, brake hard!

Narrator: Both engines braked with all their might. Sparks were even flying from their wheels, but at long last, they finally brought the whole train to a stop.

Oliver: Whew, thank heavens. I thought we were done for.

Rosie: Yeah, me too. (Winces in pain)

Oliver: But... What were you thinking Rosie?! You shouldn't have tried to haul a goods train this long! You know you're not strong enough to pull it.

Narrator: Rosie didn't say a word. There was worse to come.

Rosie's driver: You've got flat tires, Rosie. All that strain from braking probably caused it. You'll have to be taken to the works via flatbed. Duck shall have to bring in the breakdown crane.

Rosie: ... Today just isn't my lucky day.

Oliver: Considering what was going on, it could have been a lot worse.

Narrator: When Duck arrived, they soon lifted Rosie onto a flatbed. He, much like Oliver, started questioning Rosie.

Duck: What made you think you'd be able to pull that many ballast trucks?! And why did you want to do it? You have a lot of explaining to do, young girl.

Rosie: I... I... I wanted to prove that you aren't as high-up as you act like!

Duck: What do you mean?

Rosie: Your Great Western talk was getting on my nerves! You bring it up in just about every conversation we have! Can't you ever keep it to yourself?

Narrator: Duck was speechless.

Oliver: To be fair, Rosie actually has a point. Duck, I may be Great Western as well, but I don't brag about it as much as you do. If anything, I am not very fond of the fact that they chose to sell me for scrap! I'm certainly grateful Douglas saved me. If it were me, I'd love to be part of any railway as long as I'm living a good life. Hoowweeeveeerrr.... Rosie...

Rosie: Yes Oliver?

Oliver: You actually brag about Thomas a little too much yourself. Just because he's numbered one doesn't mean he's the best engine on the Island. In the end, he's just a tank engine, like the rest of us. In my eyes, you both have something to learn about. Don't let what you have pride in get the better of you. You know, it reminds me of a phrase I've heard before, "Takes one to know one".

Narrator: Both engines looked at each other with guilt on their faces. Rosie was soon sent away to be repaired, but she was soon put on the backburner. While this was really because Donald and Douglas were available to work on the branch line again, Duck felt that he had made Rosie go away. A few days later, he asked to take a goods train to Crovan's Gate so that he could find Rosie. Lucky for him, she was in the works shed resting.

Duck: Rosie, I need to talk to you.

Rosie: What do you want, Duck?

Duck: To say that... I'm sorry.

Narrator: Rosie was surprised. She wasn't expecting him to say that.

Duck: I love talking about the Great Western, it's one of the few subjects I have a load of knowledge on. But I had no idea that it was ever considered as annoying to anyone. I even thought that you were just being nosey until Oliver admitted he found it irritating too.

Rosie: You really mean it?

Duck: Yes, yes I do.

Rosie: ... Thank you. But you know, since I returned to Thomas' branch line, I soon learned about how he was bothered by me being so into him. I guess Oliver's statement "Takes one to know one" really showed light for the two of us that day.

Duck: Indeed. Well, glad we could put this behind. Also, I hope you and Thomas will make amends. *Ducks heads out*

Narrator: One day, Duck was waiting to depart Tidmouth with his daily passenger train, when he spotted a red tank engine pulling up to him.

Duck: Rosie?! Is that you?

Rosie: Yes it is! I've decided to get rid of that hideous pink paint that I had previously. Now, I'm as red as James!

Duck: Ha ha, he won't like it. But hey, I must admit, it's a lot better than your old scheme. I like it.

Rosie: I do too! Now I feel a lot more... Unique.

Duck: That's one way of putting it. Well, good luck on getting back to Thomas' branch line! *Duck departs*

Rosie: And good luck on the Little Western! *Rosie departs too*

Narrator: Rosie's life became much more clean after that. While Thomas wasn't looking forward to having her around again when she returned, her change in behavior soon allowed Thomas to forgive her, and even became more comfortable around her. Duck changed too, while he still talked about the Great Western, he did know when was and wasn't a good time to talk about it. They both learned a valuable lesson, which that no matter how strongly you feel for something, you should always know when to keep it to yourself.

The end.