Bertie Rides Again

1. Bertie visits the Fire Station

Come on Bertie, rise and shine, it is time that all young rabbits such as you were out of bed and enjoying the sunshine, said mum as she pulled back the curtains in Bertie’s bedroom and began to tidy up and put away the clothes that he had inadvertently left on the floor.

Mum was unusually joyful for a Monday morning and Bertie did not like it, this was not right. It was not in her nature to be so upbeat, particularly on a Monday morning. Monday mornings, in Bertie’s mind did not exist and were there to be avoided at all costs and yet here was mum full of the joys of spring. It was spooky! After all it was not yet eight o’clock and Bertie needed his beauty sleep. It was then that the penny dropped and he realised that today was no ordinary Monday; it was a bank holiday Monday. Bank holiday or no bank holiday, Bertie did not want to get out of bed just yet and his mother calling him so joyously was not going to change his mind any time soon. He slowly lowered his long elegant ears beneath the bedclothes and pretended that he had not heard his mother’s voice.

Mum had seen Bertie’s ears disappear and came over to the bed and vigorously shook his duvet. Bertie it is time that you got up and had your bath. We can spend today together just you and me. Bertie opened one eye and looked over the top of his duvet. His eye followed his mother about the room as she proceeded to pick up the toys that lay on the floor alongside his clothes. Give me just five minutes more in bed, I was having the most marvellous dream, said Bertie sleepily. Come on Bertie, said mum who had had enough of Bertie’s excuses. Bertie realised that mum was having none of his protests and before the young rabbit knew what had happened, he found himself being hoisted out of bed and placed on the chair. Angya, squawked Bertie as mum started to make up the bed and put Alfie, Bertie’s bear to sit on the pillows. There was certainly no going back to bed now.

Bertie was now in a sulk and went to his toy-box and searched out his toy fire engine. He spent hours playing with it, it was his favourite toy. He was determined that he was not going to have his bath or dress before he had played with his engine.

Mum came into the lounge where Bertie was revving up his fire engine and it was racing towards a pretend fire under the television set. I see that the fire station is holding an open day today and perhaps it would be nice if we went along, said mum casually, it might be fun. Meanwhile, I’ll run your bath.

Bertie’s mood immediately changed as mum went and ran his bath. Why hadn’t she said that before, this put a whole new angle on things? Whilst he realised that his engine could not go too, Bertie made up his mind that Alfie was going in its place so he quickly picked him off the pillow and placed him in his back pack. Bertie quickly decided that Mum did not need to know that Alfie was also going on their day out.

Bertie enjoyed his bath while mum made breakfast and prepared for the day at the fire station. Bertie lay back in the bath and told Fred, his duck how he was going to enjoy the day. He had never been to a fire station before and was now looking very much forward to the experience. Bertie hopped out of the bath and dried himself with his large fluffy towel that mum had left on the rack. Bertie was tempted to dowse himself with lavender talcum powder but remembering what mum had said to him about what might happen to his fur, he resisted. He dressed himself in his favourite tee shirt and shorts which mum had left out for him on the chair in his bedroom and then he scampered into the kitchen to eat his favourite breakfast of boiled eggs served in his favourite egg cup and toasted soldiers, and washed down with milk from his special rabbit-decorated mug.

Mum had packed a lunch in case there were no refreshments at the fire station and ensured that Bertie was dressed appropriately for the weather that looked to be somewhat changeable. Bertie, for his part made sure that he had his back pack with Alfie carefully stowed away in its main pocket.

The fire station was not far away from where Bertie lived and he held his mother’s hand all the way there as there was a lot of bank-holiday traffic on the road at that time of day. Bertie had seen the fire station when he was in the car. He was very excited about the open day and by now couldn’t wait to get there. He kept pulling at his mother’s hand in order to get to the station quicker. We have all day, said mum, there is no need to hurry. Bertie just wanted to ensure that he was front of the queue if there were any freebies being handed out.

When they arrived, flags were flying and bands were playing. The station looked very bright and colourful. Mum and Bertie went through the visitors’ entrance and into the station itself. A tour of the fire station was about to start so Bertie and his mum joined the end of the queue.

Leading this particular tour was the station’s Captain, Captain Dibbs. He looked smart in his shiny helmet, his buttons and boots had been highly polished and his facial whiskers twitched. Bertie sniggered at the Captain’s beard and moustache as he was reminded of someone who had whiskers just like that. Bertie received a tight squeeze on his paw and a stern look from his mother so he stopped sniggering and began planning how to get a better view of the proceedings. Bertie soon let go his mother’s hand and wriggled his way to the front of the tour. Mum could see him, so she knew that he was safe. She just hoped that Bertie would behave himself, not show her up or get into any mischief.

The first thing on the tour was the fire engine itself. It looked just a little bit bigger than Bertie’s toy engine at home in his toy box. The hose was neatly coiled and the brass-work shone like a new pin. Captain Dibbs showed the people (plus Bertie) how the engine worked when it was out on a call. Bertie tried to count the buttons that were on the dashboard of the engine but he soon became bored with that as Captain Dibbs proceeded to show the people what the engine could do in an emergency. Bertie was enthralled by it all and could not take his eyes off the big red gleaming fire engine that towered over him. Near the engine, Bertie noticed jackets and helmets and other equipment. They were in what Bertie could only describe as an ‘orderly heap’. The curious rabbit sniffed the pile and wondered why they were there and not neatly stacked in a cupboard somewhere. He made a mental note to ask Captain Dibbs at a later time.

After the engine, it was time to see how a real fire in a kitchen was dealt with by the brigade. The tour was taken outside the station where a mock-up of a kitchen had been built. The people heard that one of the most common fires in the home was a chip pan fire and the most common place for any fire was the kitchen. A chip pan was lit and the tour watched as the pan was left unattended by a pretend phone ringing. There was soon a blaze coming from the chip pan. The crowd let out a spontaneous ‘Ooh’ and ‘Aah’ as the flames crept up the wall. Bertie was most alarmed as no-one seemed to be coming to put it out, after all they were at a fire station. The young rabbit began to panic and was about to shout for someone when a member of the crew came back into the kitchen and proceeded to dowse the flames with a wrung-out tea towel. The flames were extinguished and the pan was left smoldering. Bertie let out a huge sigh of relief as he thought he was going to have to run for his life should the flames come anywhere near him.

Captain Dibbs explained that every kitchen should have a fire blanket instead of a damp tea towel and a fire extinguisher which could be used to put out a chip pan fire and any other fires that might happen in a kitchen or house. Captain Dibbs emphasized that a damp tea towel was just as good as fire blanket but only in an emergency. He stressed that the tea towel must be wrung out completely and not be left wet, before applying it to a chip pan fire.

Bertie made another mental note that he would talk to mum on that subject after the tour, as he was convinced that neither a fire blanket or a fire extinguisher were present in mum’s kitchen.

The Captain then went on to explain the different fire extinguishers that were available and the sorts that were meant for different kinds of fires that could happen in or around the home. Bertie also made yet another mental note of these, to discuss with mum later. Bertie hoped that he would remember all these mental notes that were flying around in his head when the time came to mention them to the appropriate people.

The tour were then lead to the canteen where the crews ate whilst on duty. Bertie did not see any food laid out for the public and was therefore glad that mum had thought to pack a lunch for him.

The rest room was next on the Captain’s agenda. In here there was a pool table and other such facilities to keep the firemen and firewomen amused whilst waiting for a call-out. In the corner of the room was the pole that the crews slid down to reach the fire engine and their equipment. This pole fascinated the young rabbit. Although he was a coward when it came to heights, this pole truly enthralled Bertie and he could not help gazing at it—from a safe distance of course.

Bertie learned that it would be impossible for a crew member to slide down the pole dressed in full fire-fighting equipment so the leggings, jackets and helmets etc were at the bottom of the pole next to the fire engine. Bertie had seen these earlier and had wondered then what they were doing there—now he knew. This was one of his mental note questions answered. The only ones left were for his mother.

Captain Dibbs asked if anyone would like to slide down the pole. A souvenir picture would be taken and would be presented at the end of the tour. Bertie looked at mum, and mum shook her head. He ignored this and Bertie boldly raised his paw and volunteered to be first down the pole. Captain Dibbs was very much surprised as Bertie Bunny was the only one to show interest in sliding down the pole. He had to be true to his word however so Bertie was led to the pole and instructed on how to proceed to slide down it safely.

As a novice, Bertie was placed in a harness and given a small helmet to protect his head and ears. Mum stood with her eyes tightly closed as the Captain gave her Bertie’s back pack containing Alfie to hold. Bertie was told to release himself slowly with his legs and use the strength in his little arms to lower himself down the pole.

At last the fire