Jeremie And Harrison

§  Narrator: One day, Jeremie was in the shed where he lived with the other characters. They were all bigger than Jeremie, and boasted about it.

§  Harrison: The Animators won't choose you again.

§  Narrator: Said Harrison.

§  Harrison: They want strong characters like us.

§  Narrator: But the Animator and writer felt sorry for Jeremie.

§  Jeremie's Animator: Would you like to come out today?

§  Jeremie: Oh yes, please.

§  Narrator: Said Jeremie. The other characters were very cross of being left behind. Jeremie worked hard all day. The coaches thought he was very kind and the Animator was very pleased.

§  Jeremie: I'm going out again tomorrow.

§  Narrator: Jeremie told the other characters that night.

§  Jeremie: What do you think at that?

§  Narrator: But he didn't hear what they thought, for he was so tired and happy that he fell asleep at once. Next morning, Jeremie woke up to find nothing had changed. Harrison was still boasting.

§  Harrison: You watch me, little Jeremie, as I rush through with the express. That will be a splendid sight for you. Goodbye, little Jeremie. Look out for me this afternoon.

§  Narrator: Jeremie went off to do some shunting. He liked shunting. It was fun playing with freight cars. He would come out quietly and gave them a push. Then he would stop walking, and the silly freight cars would go bump, bump, bump into each other.

§  Cars: OH!

§  Narrator: They cried.

§  Cars: Whatever is happening?

§  Narrator: Jeremie played till there were no more freight cars. Then he stopped to rest. Presently, he heard a voice. Harrison was cross. Instead of pulling shiny new coaches, he was pulling a dirty freight train.

§  Harrison: A freight train, a freight train, a freight train!

§  Narrator: He grumbled.

§  Harrison: The shame of it, the shame of it, oh, the shame of it!

§  Narrator: Jeremie laughed and went to find some more freight cars to tease. Then, there was trouble.

§  Porter: Harrison can't get up the hill.

§  Narrator: The porter called to Jeremie's Animator.

§  Porter: Will you take Jeremie and push him please?

§  Narrator: They found Harrison halfway up, and very cross. His Animator and writer were talking to him severely.

§  Animator: You're not trying.

§  Harrison: I can't do it!

§  Narrator: Said Harrison.

§  Harrison: The noisy freight cars hold an character back so!

§  Narrator: Jeremie's Animator came up.

§  Jeremie's Animator: We've come to push.

§  Harrison: No use at all!

§  Narrator: Said Harrison.

§  Jeremie's Animator: You wait and see.

§  Narrator: Replied Jeremie's Animator. They brought the train back to the bottom of the hill.

§  Jeremie: I'm ready.

§  Narrator: Said Jeremie.

§  Harrison: No good!

§  Narrator: Grumbled Harrison. They pulled and pushed as hard as they could.

§  Harrison: I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it!

§  Narrator: Puffed Harrison.

§  Jeremie: I will do it, I will do it, I will do it!

§  Narrator: Puffed Jeremie. Jeremie pushed and pushed as hard as he ever could. And almost before he realized it, Harrison found himself at the top of the hill.

§  Harrison: I've done it, I've done it, I've done it!

§  Narrator: He said proudly. He forgot all about kind Jeremie and didn't even say thank you. Jeremie was left out of breath and running far behind, but he was happy because he had been so helpful. At the next station, he found that his Animator and writer were very pleased with him. The writer gave him a nice long drink, and the Animator said...

§  Animator: I'll get out my paint program, and give you a beautiful coat of blue with red stripes, and then you'll be the smartest character in the school.

§  Narrator: Jeremie just beamed.