Bad weather had affected the Falmouth area quite badly. The snow was falling thicker than before, and this meant some roads were blocked. As a result, the only way to get supplies and people through was by rail. This meant that several engines that normally wouldn't have been used for this sort of task were being put into service. After all, the supplies had to be kept moving or people would shiver, and nobody wanted that. Well, maybe some people did, but their opinions are automatically invalid because of such a view.
One bright snowy morning, Porter was being prepared for work on one such supply train. He didn't seem hugely happy. "I don't like snow," he said. "It's such a nuisance! All this cold and slippery track, and the terrain being covered in white stuff that reflects the sun! It's a miracle nobody is having vision problems!"
Izzy stepped round the side, clad in a considerable number of layers for the weather, as was appropriate. "There's worse things in the world than a snowy day," she smiled. "A very hot day, for one. Remember that time when Zipp was trying to pursuade everybody to go to the beach and there was a surge in the cases of heat stroke as a result?"
"There was also a steam ban if I recall correctly," Porter added, as he simmered in the shed. "It got really boring just watching the diesels do everything."
"Besides, I think snow is wonderful."
Porter grunted. "Ever considered the possibility that you're wrong?"
Izzy paid this no heed. She knew Porter could be very upfront with his opinions, and didn't let it bother her.
The pair had a lot of work to complete up and down the line, and this meant passing the same landmarks numerous times in the space of a few hours. In a field next to the line, a group of children were building an enormous snowman as part of the Penmere Snowman Competition. As they passed by, the snowman became taller and taller, until when it was complete it towered over everything else in the area. It looked very good, especially when complemented by a top hat and a scarf.
"Hopefully there's no magic in the had they found," Izzy observed.
"I think if it was dancing around we'd have noticed by now," Porter replied. "Not to mention it would be leading them through the streets of town. How would Hitch write that one up?"
At last, the work was done, and Izzy handed Porter over to the depot crew for cleaning and disposal. She headed back home for the day, but when she stepped through the door Aurora was waiting for her. "Hey Izzy!" she said.
"Hi mom!" Izzy replied, as she closed the door behind her. "Boy did we have a wild day!"
"We haven't," Aurora admitted. "We've been trying to get the pipes fixed as they burst from all the frozen water. But the plumber can't get here for a bit, so I'm afraid it'll be microwaved food tonight."
"That's OK," Izzy replied, before spotting a letter addressed to her. "A letter? I haven't received a letter in a very long time!"
The letter stated Open before Christmas, so Izzy did, and took a look inside. The contents of the letter surprised her.
Gathered friends,
The time hath cometh to participate in a Secret Santa exchange. Containeth in this letter is the message that revealeth your gift exchange partnereth. These names hath been drawn at random from the hat, to ensure maximum randomness. Now you may checketh what person your were pickedeth.
Izzy glanced down to see she had been allocated Pipp, of all people. "How is this meant to work? She lives over 140 miles away!"
Now beeth not the time to complaineth, the letter continued, almost as if it knew she would complain. Now go, and acquireth a present for them. You may not spend more than Five Pounds, and the gift must reach them by the 22nd December. The mission awaiteth thee.
Secret Santa.
Izzy blinked. "That was weird. And that's saying something coming from me."
Just then, her phone buzzed with a text calling for a conference call. "Sorry mom! Gotta go!"
Izzy dashed up to her room and fired up her computer before signing into Zoom and clicking on her friend group. They each filtered in one by one.
"Did you guys all get a strange letter written in really bad English?" Pipp asked.
"Yeah," Hitch said. "I think it was supposed to be pigeon Shakespearean English, but the rhyming was all off. Grandma Figgy really tore it apart on that front."
"I did too!" Izzy said. "This is probably going to be quite challenging for those of us who have gift buddies who live far away."
"Statistically that'll be several of us," Zipp pointed out. "Three of you are over there and three are over here."
"Fair point," Misty noted. "Not that I'm saying who I got."
"That's rather the idea," Sunny said. "Still, we've faced challenges before and overcome them. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail, nor gloom of night shall keep us from delivering our presents to our friends!”
There was a sigh from Zipp. "You have way more faith in Royal Mail than I do, Sunny."
Suddenly, Izzy's phone buzzed again, and she checked it quickly. To her surprise, it was from the yardmaster.
Shipment of trucks was misplaced. Coal ended up in wrong place. You and Porter need to move it; no other engine available. Proceed bunker first owing to weather.
"Sorry, gotta go!" Izzy said. "Emergency delivery of some sort!"
The others said their goodbyes as Izzy signed out and headed back to the shed.
Sure enough, Porter was still in steam, and pretty bitter about the cold. "It's very cold," he said simply. "I wonder whose coal it was we were meant to be delivering?"
"I don't know," Izzy said. "But one more run and we'll be home and dry."
The run to take the coal went without issue, but on the return trip things soon went from bad to worse. The weather had become even colder, and near Penmere the points on the mainline had frozen to the siding. Porter knew something was wrong when he lurched to one side and saw the buffers approaching at speed. "Look out!" he shouted.
"Is there a problem?" Izzy asked, before seeing what was going on. She, quite wise, decided to jump as Porter crashed through the buffers, into the field, and into the snowman, producing a steam engine sized hole in it.
Porter was annoyed. "Well, apart from the fact I'm off the rails, and the buffers are gone, and the points are frozen, and this snowman is here, and I'm in it, I'd say there isn't a problem. Now can you get this snow off my eyelids?"
Izzy stepped forward, before noticing a bigger problem. "The snow should fall away," she said. "But the heat from your boiler is melting the snowman!"
"Oh goody," Porter said sarcastically.
"Look on the bright side," Izzy said. "You got your teeth whitened free of charge!"
Unfortunately, help would be a long time coming. There had been a derailment at Newton Abbot earlier in the day, and the crane was there. It was very dark when Salty arrived to tow Porter out. Temporary rails were laid to allow Porter back onto the siding, and with a series of pulls Porter was back in place.
"There you go!" Salty smiled.
"Thanks for getting us out of that one," Porter said.
"Well, you got me out of similar tight spots, so how about we call it even?" the diesel replied.
"I'm not so sure the children will agree with you," Sunny said. "Their snowman has been turned into a slushman!"
And she was right. All the heat from Porter's boiler had completely melted the snowman away.
It was then that Izzy had an idea. "How about you, me, and Hitch build them a new one?" she suggested.
"Wait, what?" Porter asked.
"That's a lovely idea!" Sunny said. "I'll call Hitch and ask if he's available."
Sure enough, Hitch arrived, and the three got to work on putting a new snowman together.
"Gotta work, work, work!" Hitch called. "We've got a lot to do!"
Izzy was rolling an enormous base for the snowman with a tractor. "Hey, I don't mind the work. I get to work with you!"
Before long, the base was ready, and the central section was soon ready. With the help of Harvey, it was craned into position, and without much time at all the head was ready. Izzy climbed the ladder and placed the head, complete with top hat, into place.
"Well done everybody!" Goldie called. "Those children will be very happy!"
"Glad to serve, Mrs Starshine!" Hitch said.
"Do you mind if we pop over to your house Sunny?" Izzy asked.
"Of course not!" Sunny replied. "I'll make some cocoa!"
Porter smiled at the scene. It seemed he, at last, had the Christmas spirit.