“Ahh!” said Teddy Mac. “I don’t like the winter very much, there are lots of repairs to do and we have to clean  everything up. ” Dropping the last polished marble in to a marble truck he said to Humphrey “We won’t have to polish any more marbles ever again will we?” Humphrey stretched out and shook himself. “Well, they do have to be polished every year.” he said.

Teddy Mac’s ears drooped. “It isn’t very exciting polishing marbles is it?” he said. Humphrey peered at him. “Well, I have a good idea. If the New Play Park goes ahead, the marbles will be able to polish themselves.” 

Teddy Mac frowned. “How do you mean?” he asked. Humphrey patted Teddy Mac on the back. “Well, it’s like this,” he said. “As you know, our mole tunnels go everywhere, so if the New Play Park has a soft play with slides at the bottom, it will seem a bit like a Marble Run to the marbles. We will be able to tunnel in and tip the dirty marbles out at the top of the Play Park then watch them race round together until they come out at the bottom on the slide!

They can polish themselves by rolling over clean towels from the Engine Shed before popping back underground..” “Oooh” said Teddy Mac. “That sounds quite exciting!” “M’mm” said Humphrey, “but I will need you to help! We may have to put a lot of towels down so the marbles don’t fall through the netting. Do you think that’s a good idea for next year?”  

Teddy Mac sat back looking past all the shining marbles in the mole tunnel. A huge grin spread across his face. “I think that sounds a really brilliant idea!” he said. “I know, it can be my New Year’s Resolution - that’s what it will be - to help clean the marbles every year!.”

A whistle sounded from a long way off. Teddy Mac’s ears pricked up.  “Oops! That is Otter calling me,“ he said.  “I’ll have to go!”

Waving at Humphrey, Teddy Mac set off at a trot along the mole tunnel towards the Engine Shed where he knew Grandad would be waiting for him.

Margaret Edmonds © 2013