The Tale of Georgy the Little Blue Ferry Boat
by
Margaret Tolan
Georgy the little blue ferry boat chugged into the bay at Argostoli, chug chug clankety clank went his engines, just as they had done everyday of his life. He waved at the little island on his left and waved at the people on the beach but today, today was different, today nobody waved back.
'It's very quiet', thought Georgy. 'I wonder why nobody's waving at me'. Even the albatross(whose name was Eric) wasn't around and he always flew into the bay with Georgy. 'Must be something wrong' Georgy muttered 'but never mind, we're nearly home now.'
Then as Georgy entered the harbour something made him stop in his tracks because right there in front of him in his dock was a shiny new red ferry. He hadn't seen this one before, it was painted bright red with a shiny new funnel and was a lot bigger than he was. Georgy gulped 'Oh dear - that's in my dock, what am I going to do now?' Georgy looked around and could see that the only spare dock was next to a dirty old cargo ship called Rusty. Rusty was a nasty piece of work and Georgy wasn't very keen on being in the dock next to him but he had no choice so began to reverse into the space.
Rusty was laughing hysterically as Georgy tried to squeeze himself into the dock. 'Tight squeeze old boy', he chuckled. 'Put on a few pounds have we?'
Georgy glared back at Rusty. 'Must go on a diet,' he muttered under his breath as he squeaked and groaned and pushed and wiggled. 'Phew made it,' he said with sweat pouring down his cheeks.
'That's the best laugh I've had in ages,' chortled Rusty.
'Glad you think it's funny, you ought to see it from my side,' growled Georgy.
As Georgy got his breath back and the passengers, cars and lorries got off and went on their way, Eric flew up to him. 'Georgy, Georgy,' he cried, 'have you seen the new ferry? It's huge and I've just heard it's going back on your run with your passengers.'
'Over my dead body!' snapped Georgy.
'Couldn't have said it better old boy,' said Rusty. 'That's just what's happening, you're for the scrapyard. That's it finito, done, finished, kaput, chop chop.'
Georgy started to cry, 'Oh Eric,' he said 'I'm not ready for the scrapheap yet, I know I'm getting on a bit and I look as if I've had a bad hair day but I'm always on time. Oh what can I do, what can I do.'
'Let me think,' said Eric.
'Oh stop whingeing,' said Rusty. 'It happens to us all at some time.'
Georgy pondered on his future and looked at the shiny red ferry (whose name was Cecil) and thought, 'Oh well, I might as well do something useful and get the old paintbrush out while I'm stood here and do a bit of touching up.'
'You'll need more than that,' shouted Rusty, 'If you used all the painters in the land it wouldn't be enough, you'd be painting for years.'
Georgy sighed, 'Oh I am fed up, I think I'll have a rest and just watch Cecil while he loads up.'
Cecil looked at himself in the clear blue waters of the bay and preened. 'My what a fine specimen you are.' he huffed and puffed. 'Plenty of room on top,' he muttered at the passengers. 'No pushing, wait your turn and watch my paintwork,' he snarled at a very large lorry who intended getting to the front of the queue.
As Georgy watched all this he could see Cecil getting more and more upset and smoke started pouring from his funnel more than it should have. 'Oh, he's getting a bit hot and bothered,' said Georgy.
'I most certainly am not' snapped Cecil as his funnel poured out more and more smoke. Suddenly Cecil let out such a bellow that his funnel nearly blew off. There was smoke everywhere and all the people on the ship started coughing and spluttering.
'Oh that's not right,' said Georgy to Eric. 'I must get nearer to him to try and help.'
'You can't do that Georgy,' yelled Eric, 'It's much too dangerous.'
Without a thought for himself, Georgy tried to get out of the dock but he was wedged in. He wriggled and wriggled and jiggled and pushed and pulled and tugged and then suddenly there was such a pop, just like a champagne cork from a bottle and out shot Georgy straight into the bay and landed just near Cecil.
Cecil was in a right old lather. 'Help me Georgy,' he cried. 'My boiler's too hot, I need some water.'
Georgy moved right up to Cecil and got out his water hose and poured as much water as he could onto the bottom of Cecil's funnel. 'Turn off your valves Cecil' yelled Georgy.
All the people cheered Georgy, he was a hero, but Georgy was still sad and slunk back to his little dock. Suddenly Eric shouted, 'Look Georgy, look.'
Georgy turned round and saw all the people getting off Cecil and heading towards him. They were all shouting, 'We aren't going on any ferry unless its Georgy. We want Georgy! We want Georgy!'
'Well,' said the Captain to Georgy. 'Looks like we'll carry on a bit longer old boy.'
With that Georgy cheered, did a whoop and a little jig and turned round into the dock to let on all the passengers, the cars and the lorries. Georgy felt very proud. 'The old ones are good ones,' he thought to himself. Plenty of life in the old dog yet.
Rusty stood there and sulked. 'All right for some,' he tutted as Georgy chugged out of the harbour.
Just as Georgy was chugging past Cecil, a voice yelled out, 'Just a minute, not so fast, not so fast.' It was Georgy's owner.
'Oops,' thought Georgy, 'what now?'
'Just to let you know,' muttered the owner, 'in honour of your great act of bravery,'
'Oh get on with it man.' shouted the Mayor.
'Oh yes, mmm, in honour of your great act of bravery, the Mayor and the people of Argostoli are going to give you a make-over.'
'Make-over,' thought Georgy, 'what's that?'
Eric whispered, 'That my little round friend is a posh word for a refit.'
'Refit,' squealed Georgy. 'New paint, shiny new funnel, cleaned up engines. No more chug, chug, clankety clank. I'm so happy I could cry.'
'Oh no, not again,' shouted Rusty. 'The bay's already flooded out from you last outburst.'
In the drama everybody had forgotten about Cecil. He did look a sight and was feeling very sorry for himself with his shiny red paint dull and peeling off. 'What's to become of me?' he wailed (Overacting a little bit).
'Don't worry,' said Georgy. 'You can do my run while I have my make-over and then, when I come back, we'll do the run together but you can have the heavy loads and all the lorries. After all, I'm getting on a bit now and I need to take it easy.'
'Oh thank you, thank you my little round friend, what a good kind chap you are.'
Georgy turned to Eric and shouted, 'Come on Eric, time we were going.'
'Ok,' said Eric and off they went together.
Georgy felt very proud as he chugged along. 'What a lovely day it is.'
As he passed the little island, he hooted and waved and the little island shouted, 'Well done Georgy. Hurrah for Georgy, three cheers for Georgy, hip hip hurrah, hip hip hurrah, hip hip hurrah.'
Georgy steamed along with Eric up above. 'It is a lovely day,' said Georgy. 'It is the start of the rest of my life.'
'Yes,' said Eric, 'yes Georgy it is.'
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