So Eliza was playing with Thomas in the driveway - the one with the battery that can putter his way over some impressive terrain for a train. Anyway, I was talking politics with the neighbor and PJ comes running over. “Uh-oh! Eliza put Thomas in the tailpipe!”

I ran over afraid to look. I peered in. Thomas had been put in with his engine running. He had traveled up the tailpipe and through the muffler. He must have been 20 inches in. What to do?

I got a flashlight. And a telescoping magnet. But the magnet end kept sticking to the edges of muffler and wasn’t long enough anyway. Another neighbor, Glenn, came over with a longer telescoping magnet and a claw. No success with either.

Finally, Rodney gets the shop vac. No luck at first. He takes all the attachments off and stuffs the hose in as far as he can get it. It sucks Thomas halfway out. A second try retrieves him! Yay!