The Trolley Dash

It was a beautiful sunny day at Sellwell's Supermarket, the sort of day to put in a box so you could open it on a dull miserable day and make it nice again. Brian The Trolleyman was merrily whistling to himself as he strided towards the trolley park.

"Morning Trundle, are you all set for today?" "Today, what's happening today?" said Trundle. " Why the trolley dash of course" replied Brian The Trolleyman.

"Yippee" screamed Slik. "They'll all want to push me, I'm the fastest. I'll get everyone around quicker than a flash".
"It's not all about speed" said Trundle. "If I remember correctly you have to be able to stop as well"

"Well I'm not having anything to do with it" muttered Posy "I may break something or chip some of the paint on my nice wheels, and it's not very ladylike"

All of a sudden they heard a sniffing sound. "What's wrong Wobble?" said Brian The Trolleyman.

"Nobody will want to use me with my wobbly wheel, I always get left out" he sobbed.

"Ah Wobble" said Brian The Trolleyman with a smile, "I'm sure you will be chosen and Posy you don't have to join in if you don't want to". "Thank you Brian" said Posy gratefully "I can cheer everybody on".

At that very moment Slik started to whizz around the car park as quick as his wheels would turn. "Whoopee" he shouted "I'm going to win the trolley dash, I'm going to win the trolley dash".

"Oh dear" said Trundle.

Later that day Sellwell's Supermarket started to get rather busy, Mr Sellwell arrived with a shiny silver whistle around his neck. "I declare the trolley dash open" he said to all the shoppers. "Now who are the lucky participants?"

An old lady with a bright purple brimmed hat and a matching handbag stepped forward along with a young boy wearing a blue cap and rather splendid trainers appearing very eager and impatient.

"Now" said Mr Sellwell "the idea of the.... "yes we know" said the boy, "to get round to the end as fast as possible and put as many chocolates and sweets as you can into the trolley, a little chuckle was heard coming from Slik at this point. Trundle thought what a horrible, impolite little boy and gave Slik a very disapproving look.

"Yes, that's correct" said Mr Sellwell "but not just chocolates and sweets, anything that Sellwell's sells". "You have 2 minutes to fill your trolleys with whatever you want" he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Mmmm" said the boy, "we'll see".

"You are both winners, so whatever you have in your trolley at the end you can keep free of charge".

"Can you both choose your chariots" said Mr Sellwell. "Me, Me" squealed Slik. The boy with the trainers looked over at Slik and his shiny wheels and ran over to claim him and Trundle groaned. "Look at them" said Posy, "they are both so well suited.

"I will have...... eeeer that one said the lady with the purple brimmed hat, pointing at Wobble. Wobble wasn't taking much notice and was looking down at the ground.

"Wobble, the lady wants to push you" said Brian The Trolleyman and both he and Trundle smiled at one another.

"M m m me?" said Wobble. "I won't be able to..... what about my wheel?". "The lady has chosen you" said Brian The Trolleyman, "you can do it".

The lady was first to go and walked over to Wobble and pushed him to the start line, passing her purple handbag to Brian The Trolleyman. She looked down at his wheels as he bumped along. "Ooh something doesn't seem to be right here" she said. "He's one of our prize trolleys" said Brian The Trolleyman, "there's nothing the matter with him".

Mr Sellwell blew the whistle and off they went. The old lady shuffled around the store grabbing tins, packets, bottles and bags galore. They were all piled up in Wobble who seemed to be enjoying himself by now even though he wasn't always moving in a straight line!

"Come on Wobble" shouted Trundle, "you're doing great. "Yippee Wobble" screeched Posy "keep going".
"Wobble, Wobble, Wobble" chanted Posy.

Mr Sellwell blew the whistle again and shouted "time's up!"

Wobble wasn't quite full but the old lady seemed over the moon and was grinning from ear to ear. Wobble seemed rather happy too.

Now it was Slik's turn. The boy grabbed Slik and wheeled him to the start line. The boy was leaning forwards with his chin resting on Slik's handle raring to go, pushing Slik backwards and forwards. Mr Sellwell blew the whistle and off they raced. "Quick" said the boy "the sweets are around the other side". As quick as lightening they reached the first corner and raced around it with Slik on 2 wheels, down the next aisle and the boy's cap flew off his head they were travelling so fast.

"It's not a race" said Trundle despairingly.

At the next corner Slik was again on 2 wheels and the boy, in his eagerness to get to the chocolate, tripped causing Slik to fall on his side into a display of toilet rolls that landed on top of him. Poor Slik, one of his wheels was still spinning round.

"Oops" said Trundle. "That'll teach him" and looked at Posy who started giggling.

"Now, now you two" said Brian The Trolleyman, "let's go and see if they're hurt.

Brian the Trolleyman turned Slik up the right way. "Now then young Slik, are you alright?" "Yes" said Slik, "but I feel a little bit giddy".

Mr Sellwell abandoned the trolley dash for fear of further accidents and gave the young boy a chocolate bar who walked off feeling rather hard done by about the whole matter.

Slik wheeled himself over to the trolley park, rather sheepishly and not as speedily as he usually did.

"Are you alright"? said Wobble to Slik. "Yes thanks Wobble", he replied.

"You did very well today Wobble, that lady has a lot of nice food tonight because of you" said Brian The Trolleyman

"Yes three cheers for Wobble" said Trundle.......hip hip hurrah, hip hip hurrah, hip hip hurrah"

"I'll sleep well tonight" said Wobble. "I think everyone will tonight" said Brian The Trolleyman.