BENNIE BARRIER'S BIG CITY ADVENTURES

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Read the first Bennie Barrier's Big City Adventure here for FREE on this website:

Snowflakes fell softly over The Maintenance Yard as Bennie Barrier wandered out of the sleeping quarters and headed over towards the gate. Larry Ladder was busy reading a book, occasionally looking up as the odd car or pedestrian wandered by, as night gave way to day.

“Good morning Bennie, you’re up early this morning. Is this part of your new year’s resolution?” Larry Ladder asked.

“What’s a new year’s resolution?”

“Oh it’s a silly thing that people tend to do at the start of a new year. They make these big plans like they want to write a book, lose weight or become a vegetarian or something. Normally, after a couple of weeks, they tend to give up on it.”

“Maybe I need to make a new year’s resolution too,” Bennie Barrier sighed.

“Are you still missing Cornelius Cone? Christopher Cone will make a superb leader of the team whilst he’s away.”

“Do you think Cornelius will come back?”

“When he stepped onto that helicopter and flew away on Christmas Eve, I was very surprised. Cornelius has always been a proud leader of this team ever since he took over from his father.”

“Wasn’t Corny’s grandad Custer Cone also a leader here?”

“Yes, when Driver Donald first brought me here as a young ladder, Custer led the team to some amazing sites and helped create a lot of the roads that make our village what it is today. Times do change though. Donald grew old and his son, Driver Dave took over looking after everyone here. Now Cornelius is gone, although sooner than we all expected, maybe it is time for Christopher to become our leader,” Larry Ladder explained.

“Did you ever think about leaving?”

“Me? No, where would I go? I’m an old man now, Bennie. I watch over the yard each night to keep everyone safe and come out to help occasionally when the other ladders can’t do something. I’ll be seeing out my days here until I’m too old to be useful or Dave decides to move me on.”

“Don’t you think you’re missing out on things? There’s a whole world of adventures outside these big metal gates.”

“If I was your age and had more energy and enthusiasm then perhaps I would go looking for new things. Whatever you decide, there will always be a home for you here.”

Bennie Barrier thought about that for a moment. 

“Don’t regret something you didn’t do,” Larry Ladder said as Bennie began heading back towards the sleeping quarters. “It’s better to try and fail at something then wonder what if?”

Bennie Barrier smiled. “Thanks Larry, I know exactly what I need to do.”

Bennie rushed into his bedroom, packed some warm clothes into a suitcase and slipped on a warm coat before heading towards the door. As he left, he noticed a photo of him and Cornelius outside the lighthouse at Lepe Beach. What an incredible day that turned out to be. He picked up the photo and slipped it into his suitcase before heading out of the door.

“Uncle Bennie, are you coming to breakfast with us?” Chloe Cone asked as she rushed towards the food hall.

“Not today Bubbles, I need to do something first,” Bennie Barrier replied.

Chloe Cone looked at him disappointed. “Oh ok, but hurry back, we need to have a snowball fight later!”

Bennie smiled as he watched her run away towards the food hall. He walked out of the sleeping quarters and across the yard towards the side gate. Larry Ladder opened the gate and Bennie wandered through and headed outside. Larry watched him as he crossed the road and headed over towards the bus stop outside Bluebell Park.

“Oh dear, oh my, oh dear, oh my,” Bruno Bus gasped as he approached the bus stop and skidded to a stop in the snow and slush on the road.

“Calm down Bruno, slow and steady wins the race,” his driver commented as Bennie stepped on board.

“Happy new year Bruno, a single ticket to the city please,” Bennie Barrier said.

“Are you not planning on coming back?” Bruno Bus asked.

“I’m not sure to be honest.”

“Someone else with a new year’s resolution,” Bruno’s driver chuckled.

“Maybe my new year’s resolution should be to stop driving in the snow. My wheels are cold, I’m sliding all over the place and the salt on the road is playing havoc with my sinuses,” Bruno Bus complained.

“You can have a nice warm scrub down later in the yard to warm you up. For now, let’s get Bennie and the rest of the passengers to where they need to go,” Bruno’s driver replied.

Bennie Barrier sat down by the window as Bruno Bus carefully drove along the country roads of The New Forest with its freshly laid blanket of snow covering the woodlands and fields. As woodland gave way to tall tower blocks and factories, Bennie soon began to realise the different world he was entering into. Bruno Bus skidded to a stop outside Southampton Central Railway Station.

“Stay safe out there!” Bruno Bus called out as Bennie carefully walked along the path.

“We’re used to working in bad weather Bruno,” Bennie Barrier replied.

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it though!”

“Cornelius used to say, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.”

“If only that was true,” Bruno Bus smiled before continuing on his way.

Bennie Barrier wandered up Civic Centre Hill and walked along past the shops towards Palmerston Park before heading towards the football stadium. There was a tunnel with images of football players from years ago painted on the walls. Driver Dave had often talked about the successful team from years ago but football had never really interested Bennie before. After a slow and icy walk, Bennie found himself in front of two tall wooden gates painted blue with a wire fence surrounding a messy Maintenance Yard. Rusted metal sheets and poles, half built furniture, tyres and pieces of broken bicycles were scattered everywhere. There was a side gate with a doorbell on the left side of the main gate. Bennie pressed the doorbell and waited.

“What do you want?” a voice shouted from above the gate.

Bennie Barrier looked up and saw a cone with a piece of his high visibility belt missing looking down on him. “Um, my name is…”

“Don’t care, what do you want?”

“Is Highway Harry here?” Bennie Barrier asked.

“Nope.”

“He said if I wanted a job I could…”

“No jobs here.”

“Are you sure? He said…”

“Don’t care,” the cone snapped before heading back inside.

Bennie Barrier rang the bell again.

“You don’t take a hint do ya!” the cone shouted.

“I don’t like your attitude…”

“That makes two of us. We don’t need no barrier who couldn’t make it in his own team dragging us down.”

“But Harry said…”

“Harry don’t know nothin’”

“When will he…”

“Don’t know, don’t care!”

“Can you let him know that Bennie Barrier called to see him.”

“If I remember.”

Bennie Barrier turned and walked away. The cone watched him from the top of the gate before turning to face a ladder who had wandered over.

“No need to be like that Carlton,” the ladder snapped. “A new barrier could’ve been just what we need to tidy this place up.”

“Shut it Lewis, you know what happens when a new member joins the team. Suddenly Harry thinks we can do the impossible…”

“He won’t be happy if he knows you’re turning workers away. We need all the help we can get.”

“You just shut up and do your job and leave the decisions to me. That barrier didn’t know one end of a roadblock from the other.”

Lewis Ladder looked over the gate and saw Bennie Barrier slowly wandering away towards the football tunnel once again. He looked back at Carlton Cone who was arguing with another cone in the yard. He knew he had to do something to help but he didn’t know what.

Bennie Barrier wandered back through Palmerston Park before finding the High Street. Shopkeepers were opening their shutters ready for another working day whilst a man in a huge green coat played a guitar and sang a song that Bennie didn’t recognise in the shelter of the overhanging entrance of the shopping centre.

“Hey, why so blue?” a voice called out.

“He ain’t blue, he’s orange and yellow you silly sausage,” another voice replied.

Bennie Barrier looked around and saw two bins with their backs to each other. “Are you talking to me?”

“There’s no one else out ‘ere on this freezing cold mornin’ is there? Bonzo Bin’s the name and she’s Boomer Bin. These new gen-Z lot need to be told how to recycle things. Too much plastic gives me a lot of gas,” Bonzo Bin explained.

“I know a bin that has the same problem out in the countryside,” Bennie Barrier replied.

“Pah, he don’t know how good he’s got it. We feed on the scraps that get thrown out for the pigeons over ‘ere. He’s probably getting bacon sarnies with the occasional bit of horse muck thrown in for good measure.”

“Oh stop complaining Bonzo,” Boomer Bin replied. “You’ll scare the poor barrier away before he’s even had time to get to know us. What brings you to our wonderful city centre today?”

Bonzo Bin chuckled and Boomer backheeled him in his leg.

“Oi, that hurt!”

“It was meant to,” Boomer Bin replied.

“I guess I’ve been a bit silly,” Bennie Barrier admitted.

“Why’s that?” Boomer Bin asked.

“My friend has gone away and I thought if he could create a new life for himself somewhere else then I could too.”

“Well you’re still a young barrier, I’m sure there would be lots of Maintenance Teams you could work for.”

“Not the city one.”

“Oh, you met ol’ Carlton did ya?” Bonzo Bin asked. “Nasty piece of work that cone. One night they were meant to be covering a huge hole on the big roundabout at the top of town. You know, the one with the big hotel built on it…”

“I get confused with roundabouts, it feels like I’m going round and round in circles all the time,” Bennie Barrier confessed.

Bonzo and Boomer Bin looked at each other before Bonzo continued. “Anyway, one Friday night, ol’ Carlton wanted to go to the concert at the guildhall, some postman with his band I’d never heard of but anyway, he left his post with his buddy Coquelin and a car drove straight into the hole. There were police, ambulance, fire brigade, you name it.”

“Did he get into trouble?” Bennie Barrier asked.

“Nah, ol’ Highway Henry or whatever his name is said Carlton was injured during the accident and there was nothing more said about it but we know the truth,” Boomer Bin explained.

“Is that why he’s missing part of his high visibility belt?”

“No, he lost that in a bet with one of the bollards on that new cyclepath they built down in Millbrook a while back. He raced the bollards down the full stretch of the cyclepath but when the bollard got ahead of him, he deliberately tripped him up,” Bonzo Bin explained.

“That’s so bad, he tripped him just so he could win the race?” Bennie Barrier gasped.

“That was his plan but the bollard fell over in front of Carlton, tripping him up and sending him into the side of a heavy goods vehicle which ripped his high visibility belt in half. The recycling plant managed to save the other half but now Carlton can’t work at night anymore in case people don’t see him.”

Boomer Bin reached out and took a bottle from someone walking by.

“Why do you two stand with your backs against each other? Don’t you wander around and see more of the city?” Bennie Barrier asked.

Bonzo Bin pulled out a white thermometer from his inside pocket. “At the moment it’s minus three degrees celsius, we need to share bodily warmth or I’ll be crunching frozen food and Boomer will be getting plastic splinters in her teeth from the frozen bottles and trust me, it ain’t a pretty sight!”

“Maybe I’m better off staying where I was in Hythe Village. There’s nothing for a barrier in the city. I was silly to think otherwise.”

“I wouldn’t say that, you only regret the chances you don’t take,” Boomer Bin replied. 

“A friend told me that this morning. I wanted my new year’s resolution to be a new start in the city. I won’t let Carlton Cone bully me into not following my dream.”

“Er, small problem with that. If you’ve already annoyed him, chances of you working in that team are slim to none,” Bonzo Bin replied.

“So what do you suggest?”

“There’s always… No, maybe not,” Boomer Bin started.

“No, no, tell me, is there another team?”

“You could try Yuri or Yurika.”

“Who are they?”

“They work in the loading bays of the shopping centre. The bollards joined the team after they fell out with Carlton Cone and they had nowhere else to go.”

“Where do I find these people?”

“Person, Yuri and Yurika is one person. Sometimes he’s Yuri, sometimes she’s Yurika,” Bonzo Bin explained.

Bennie Barrier looked confused. “So I’m looking for one person who could be a man or a woman?”

“Yes but you don’t find them, they find you.”

Bennie Barrier thanked the bins and continued on his way down the High Street towards the remaining ruins of the Bargate Castle. He saw a sign claiming that the road he was on was part of the QE2 mile. If things didn’t work out at the shopping centre, maybe he could work at the docks. He always wanted to travel all around the world although he tended to have seasickness so a cruise ship was probably not the best idea. He walked past a row of restaurants and a newly built cinema before finding a car park with the loading bays for the shopping centre further along the road. The smell of burgers and pizzas made his tummy rumble and reminded him that he hadn’t eaten anything yet today. He opened his suitcase and found some chocolate biscuits that he had taken from the food hall back at The Maintenance Yard last night. It wasn’t much but it would be ok for now. Bennie leant against the wall at the side of the multi-storey car park and ate his biscuits. It was getting colder and he knew he needed to find somewhere warm soon. 

As Bennie finished eating his biscuits, he saw a long white heavy goods vehicle manoeuvre into its correct position before reversing towards the loading bay. This was his chance. Bennie Barrier rushed across the road and headed down towards the loading bay. The reversing vehicle beeped as it slowly reversed. 

“Keep going!” a voice called out.

At that moment, Bennie noticed a bollard stepping out from what looked like an office at the side of the loading bay, looking at a piece of paper. The vehicle driver did not see him.

“Stop!” Bennie Barrier shouted as he ran towards the vehicle and hit the passenger door as hard as he could.

The bollard looked up and screamed.

The driver quickly hit the brakes and the vehicle shuddered to a stop.

Bennie Barrier rushed towards the back of the vehicle and saw the bollard carefully removing himself from underneath the tail lift of the vehicle.

“Barnaby?” Bennie Barrier gasped.

“No, it can’t be? Bennie Barrier, what are you doing here?” Barnaby Bollard gasped.

“Everything all right back there?” another voice called out.

“What’s going on?” the driver of the heavy goods vehicle shouted.

Bennie Barrier and Barnaby Bollard moved to the side before the driver continued reversing towards the loading bay.

“Bradley is here too?” Bennie Barrier asked.

“Bennie Barrier, what brings you to this part of the city?” Bradley called out as he climbed down from the platform near the loading bay entrance. 

“Bennie just stopped me from getting crushed!” Barnaby Bollard replied.

“Were you too busy looking at paperwork again. Honestly, I thought you’d know how to cross busy roads by now,” Bradley Bollard sighed. “Sorry Bennie, Yuri doesn’t like new faces around here. What brings you to us?”

“I was kind of hoping that I might be able to find some work here,” Bennie Barrier replied.

“Has Driver Dave run out of work over in the forest? We haven’t worked the roads since that Millbrook cyclepath job.”

“Cornelius Cone has left and I feel like I need to follow my new year’s resolution and find somewhere else to explore.”

“You know new year’s resolutions never last.”

“I’m hoping this one will.”

“Why don’t you go and see Highway Harry. I’m sure he could use a new barrier to sort his team of questionable abilities out.”

“I’ve been there already, they didn’t want me,” Bennie Barrier admitted.

“They or Carlton?” Barnaby asked as he helped the driver open up the back of his heavy goods vehicle.

“I heard what happened at the race in Millbrook.”

“That was a long time ago,” Bradley Bollard admitted.

“Carlton forced you out of their team.”

“And I made a new life here.”

“Unloading deliveries for the shops in the shopping centre?” Bennie Barrier asked.

“It pays well and I’m not left out in all weathers like The Maintenance Team getting run over by hooligans driving too fast through the roadworks.”

“What’s going on down there?” a voice called out.

“Oh no, that’s Yuri, you have to go,” Bradley Bollard replied before rushing over to help Barnaby Bollard unload the delivery.

Bennie Barrier wandered over towards the platform at the side of the loading bay and saw a man wearing a grey suit walking towards him.

“You’re a long way from your yard barrier, what are you doing in my loading bay?” Yuri asked.

“I’m looking for work, I heard that you might be looking for some extra help,” Bennie Barrier replied.

“You thought you could work in my loading bay. We don’t have any holes to dig or traffic lights to control inside here my boy. What could a roadside barrier like you offer that the bollards cannot?”

“He just stopped one of your bollards from getting crushed when he wasn’t looking where he was going!” the delivery driver called out.

“Did he, now?” Yuri asked. “Perhaps you may be of use after all. Do you have a name?”

“Bennie, Bennie Barrier.”

“Well Bennie, Bennie Barrier, I have two separate living quarters in here for my workers but you will have to earn your keep. If Barnaby and Bradley are happy to teach you what needs to be done to keep everything running efficiently  then I am willing to give you a chance but I will be watching… One false move and you’re out! Deal?”

“Deal,” Bennie Barrier smiled.

“Well go and put your stuff away, we can’t have the place looking untidy and then hurry back as we have two sofa deliveries for the department store due to arrive soon,” Yuri replied before heading towards the office.

Bennie Barrier rushed over and helped Barnaby and Bradley Bollard finish unloading the delivery before Barnaby Bollard showed him where the living quarters were. Bennie Barrier lifted his suitcase up onto the bed before heading back down to the loading bay for the next delivery.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do, Bennie? Warehouse and loading bays are not for everyone. You and Cornelius led an amazing team when we had to work together,” Barnaby Bollard asked.

“A wise friend once told me that you should never regret the chances you take, only the ones you don’t. Now Cornelius Cone has gone, I need to make new friends and go on some new adventures in the big city.”

“Then I wish you good luck Bennie, it’s going to be one hell of an adventure.”

SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ADVENTURE!!

Coming soon, Bennie Barrier will be sharing his latest big city adventures with you. 13 more tales from the big city followed by a bonus Christmas special where Bennie has two unexpected guests arriving at his Maintenance Yard that will change his life forever. Keep checking this website for updates over the next few months.