Sundays were usually quiet in the Bumble Bus Depot and Mr Bus was having a lovely lazy day relaxing. There were no children to take to school and no passengers to pick up.
This was officially his one day off in the week and he intended to enjoy it. Suddenly, Mr Bus was startled to hear Stanley, his driver and ticket collector, calling his name. “Wakey wakey Mr Bus”, Stanley shouted. “We’ve got some work to do. We have to deliver some boxes to the local hospital as the post van can’t make it today”. “Oh well” thought Mr Bus, “At least it’s a sunny day and I’ll get to see my two favourite nurses, Maggie and Dora. They always make such a fuss of me”.
Stanley loaded the boxes onto Mr Bus and they set off up the road. A few people were walking on the pavement and they merrily waved to Mr Bus and Stanley. Mr Bus was well known in Bumble and was also very popular. Everyone recognised his shiny white body and this made Mr Bus feel really happy and proud.
There was Jonny and his sister Milly Parfitt with their parents. They were seated outside Luigi’s finest Italian ice-cream shop enjoying huge ice-cream cornets.
Jonny was such a messy eater and his chocolate ice-cream was all over his chin and on his white t-shirt. “I bet his mum will tell him off” thought Mr Bus. “I’m glad I don’t have to do the washing in their house.
Further up the road was Mrs Vanity Fayre walking her two big dogs, Humphrey and Lily.
They were pulling at the leads as they had just spotted another dog across the road and they wanted to play. “I do hope Mrs Fayre will be alright” worried Mr Bus, “I don’t want her to fall and hurt herself”. He was such a kind bus and was always very concerned about people.
“There is the Reverend Hugo Potter off to his church” smiled Mr Bus. “He’s always in such a hurry as none of his clocks ever seem to tell the right time”. “Better hurry Reverend, or you will be late for your service”. Stanley and Mr Bus drove further along the road and eventually arrived at the hospital where Stanley carefully parked and stepped outside. Mr Bus watched him go over to the side door and press the bell. “I wonder what’s inside those boxes” wondered Mr Bus, “soon find out as they must be very important to have me working on a Sunday”.
Well, who should appear at the door but Nurse Maggie and Nurse Dora, Mr Bus’s favourites. “Hello Stanley, hello Mr Bus” they both said at the same time. “How wonderful to see you. The children on the ward are going to be so happy to each get a teddy bear, donated by Mr Bell, owner of the big toy shop in Upper Bumble. “Ah” said Mr Bus, “now I know what’s inside the boxes. how exciting”.
Suddenly, just as Stanley had finished unloading the last of the boxes a very high pitched squeak could be heard. This was followed by another and another and another.”Whatever can that strange noise be” said Stanley, Maggie and Dora together. Mr Bus was really puzzled now. “I think Stanley ought to investigate”. To his absolute astonishment, when Stanley looked underneath the back seat of Mr Bus, there was Amelia, the bus depot cat sitting on top of an old uniform jacket and beside her were not one, not two, not three but four little furry faces all looking up at Stanley. Two ginger faces and two black faces. “Well I never” said Stanley lifting his hat and scratching his head, “Amelia has gone and had her kittens”. “Goodness me” said Mr Bus to himself,”I thought I hadn’t seen Amelia for a couple of days”. “How perfectly sweet” said Maggie and Dora together, “will we be able to keep a kitten each when they are able to leave their mother”? “I’m sure that can be arranged” said Stanley, “but first we need to get these little furry friends to a more comfortable place. I’m sure my wife Jemima will be able to find a basket to make them more cosy”. Mr Bus was so excited as he had never seen tiny little kittens before and to think that they had chosen his bus. Well, wait until he told the other buses at the depot. They would be so jealous.
“Come on Mr Bus, lets go home” said Stanley. “I’ll have to be extra careful not to go over any bumps in the road” thought Mr Bus. “I didn’t expect any passengers today and I’ve ended up with five”.
A very special delivery indeed.