Stranger Danger (Thomas episode)

Characters

 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Mr. and Mrs. Hatt (Stephen and Bridget's parents)
 * Alice
 * Alice's Mother
 * Thomas (cameo; seen passing Stephen and Bridget when they are walking to High Farm)
 * Henry (cameo; seen passing Stephen and Bridget when they are walking to High Farm)
 * James (cameo; seen passing Stephen and Bridget when they are walking to High Farm)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo; being pulled by Thomas)

Transcript
Narrator: Stephen and Bridget had had a good day at school, and were now on their way home. Their parents wanted to know what they'd been doing today.

Mrs. Hatt: And want did you do at school today, you two young-ens?

Stephen Hatt: The local police team came to see us, and told us all about Stranger Danger.

Mr. Hatt: Oh, stranger danger. That's something very important to know about. Can you remember what PC Brown told you?

Bridget Hatt: How did you know about PC Brown, Dad?

Mr. Hatt: Ah, I'm a long-time friend of his. Anyways, what did he tell you?

Narrator: Well Stephen and Bridget did remember because they'd been listening very carefully to what PC Brown had been saying.

Bridget Hatt: He told us all of the Stranger Danger Dos and Don'ts.

Mrs. Hatt: Dos and Don'ts?

Bridget Hatt: Yes, it was all about what we should do and mustn't do if a stranger comes up to us in the streets.

Narrator: The two children then went on to tell their parents all about Stranger Danger.

Stephen Hatt: Don't talk or take any sweets or money from a stranger. Don't go near a stranger's car, and don't tell a stranger your name and address.

Bridget Hatt: And if we're alone at home, we must not open the door for anyone, or tell anyone who telephones that we are at home on our own.

Mrs. Hatt: Well that's a lot of don'ts.

Mr. Hatt: Indeed. Can you remember the dos?

Stephen Hatt: Oh yes, do shout "HELP!" as loudly as you can, if a stranger will not go away, and then run to the nearest place where there will be a lot of people about like some shops.

Bridget Hatt: Of course! I just remembered another don't!

Mr. Hatt: What's that, young Bridget?

Bridget Hatt: Don't run to a lonely place, like a wood or a park.

Mrs. Hatt: Well done you two.

Mr. Hatt: Yes, you certainly know about Stranger Danger.

Bridget Hatt: But are all strangers bad?

Mr. Hatt: Hmm. That's a very good question. No, not all strangers are bad, but it's very difficult to tell if a man or a lady is a bad or good stranger. So you must be careful of all strangers, because bad strangers and good strangers can all look the same.

Mrs. Hatt: It may sound like a lot of things to remember, but it's very very important. And you've remembered them all.

Mr. Hatt: Indeed, what clever kids you are.

Narrator: Stephen and Bridget felt very pleased and grown up when their parents called them clever kids. The next day was a Saturday, and that meant Stephen and Bridget didn't have to go to school. Saturday was also the day that they both went to see Alice who lived on High Farm. Now High Farm was only about twenty miles from Stephen and Bridget's house, and as long as they promised their mum, that they would go straight there, Stephen and Bridget were allowed to go by themselves. While they were walking to High Farm, a familiar-looking car which was very much like Sir Topham Hatt's, pulled up beside them and stopped. And the Fat Controller, who was wearing a disguise, wound down the window and called to his grandchildren.

Sir Topham Hatt: Hello children! You don't recognize me, do you?

Narrator: Stephen was about to say no, when he remembered what he and his sister had learned about Stranger Danger. 'Don't Talk to Strangers' PC Brown had said. Stephen and Bridget begin to walk on.

Sir Topham Hatt: Hey! Wait a minute! I'm a friend of your mum's, and she's asked me to come and find you to take you shopping for some sweets. Look! I've already got some sweets for both of you.

Narrator: Bridget turned to look at her disguised father, and saw him holding two of the biggest bags of sweets she'd ever seen. And they were Wine Gums, she and her brother's favourites. They were about to go over to their grandfather when they remembered, 'Don't Take Sweets or Money from Strangers.' This was a Stranger Danger trick. Stephen and Bridget turned away, ignoring the conning stranger, and carried on walking. The 'disguised' Sir Topham Hatt started up his engine, and it wasn't long before he caught up with his grandchildren. And then he stopped the car and got out.

Sir Topham Hatt: Why are you two youngsters running away? I'm not going to hurt you. I know where there's a sweet shop right next door to a pet shop, and that's got lots of tiny puppies in the window. Why don't you come with me, and look at them, then I'll take you home to your mum. Where do you live? I've forgotten.

Narrator: This was another Stranger Danger trick, because if this stranger knew Stephen and Bridget's mum, why did he have to ask the two children for their address? Stephen and Bridget were beginning to feel quite frightened now, this stranger would not leave them alone. But then they remembered what PC Brown said to do, if a stranger wouldn't go away. They each took a deep breath, and then shouted at the top of their voices "HELP!" This seemed to frighten Sir Topham Hatt, and he started getting back into his car. Stephen and Bridget turned, and begin to run into some nearby trees, but then they remember that they mustn't run to a lonely place but to somewhere where they would be lots of people. But they only problem was, there were no shops, and there weren't many people about in the streets. So Stephen and Bridget ran as fast as they could, to Alice's home, shouting "HELP! HELP!" all the time they were running.

Alice's Mother: What's the matter you two? I could hear you shouting from inside the house.

Bridget Hatt: It's that stranger over there. He said he was a friend of our mum's, and we've never seen him before.

Stephen Hatt: And he tried to give us some sweets. But we didn't talk to him, and...

Alice's Mother: Okay, okay, Stephen and Bridget. You did the right thing.

Bridget Hatt: We did?

Alice's Mother: Yes. My daughter told me all about PC Brown's talk on Stranger Danger, and you've both very brave and sensible children to remember what you should do if a stranger starts to bother you.

Stephen Hatt: Really?

Alice's Mother: Oh yes. Come inside, Alice is in the back garden waiting for you.

Narrator: Stephen and Bridget went into the back garden, and told Alice all about the stranger. Alice also thought Stephen and Bridget were very brave.

Alice: Hey! I know what we can do today. We can make a Stranger Danger poster to hang in our bedrooms, so that we'll always know what to do, if a stranger comes up to us.

Narrator: So that afternoon, after lunch, Stephen and Bridget make their Stranger Danger posters. And they listed the rules in this order;

1) DON'T Talk to Strangers

2) DON'T Go to a New Stranger's Car

3) DON'T Take Sweets Or Money Or Anything Else From a Stranger

4) DON'T Tell a Stranger Your Name Or Address

5) DO Shout "Help!" As Loudly As You Can

6) DO Run to the Nearest Place Where There Are Other People

7) DON'T Run to a Lonely Place

8) DON'T Open the Door to Anyone When You Are At Home By Yourself

9) DON'T Tell Anyone Who Telephones You That You Are Alone At Home

Alice: There. That is the best Stranger Danger poster I've ever seen.

Stephen and Bridget Hatt: You are right there Alice.

Narrator: When Stephen and Bridget got home they told their mum and dad what had happened, and showed them the poster and they both gave them a great big hug.

Mr. and Mrs. Hatt: What clever youngens you are!

Narrator: And Stephen and Bridget like being told they were clever. Then Sir Topham Hatt's car appeared again, and the owner stepped out taking off the disguise he had been wearing earlier.

Sir Topham Hatt: I heard about your Stranger Danger knowledge last night, so I wanted to have a good plan to make sure you really did know about it.

Bridget Hatt; You did, grandfather.

Sir Topham Hatt: Yes. I cleverly fooled you into thinking I was someone else with this disguise. Oh, and because you did so well today, I'd like to give you the Wine Gums I bought today.

Stephen Hatt: Oh goody! Our favourites.

Bridget Hatt: Thank you grandfather.

Narrator: And the Fat Controller couldn't help but laugh about how the whole day had gone, especially for him.