It was a rather chilly, but beautiful September morning, and the members of the Ant Hill Mob: Clyde, Yak-Yak, Softy, Dum-Dum, Zippy, Snoozy, and Pockets were up bright and early for an important discussion.

"Alright you guys." Clyde told his boys. "You all know why we're having this meeting, right?"

"Yeah, Clyde!" The rest of the Ant Hill Mob replied, but then they forgot why they were having a meeting so early in the morning.

"Oh brother." Clyde groaned as he slapped his face. "You guys do know what day it is, right?"

"I know what day it is, Clyde." Dum-Dum attempted to answer Clyde's question, but he forgot what day it was, so he turned to the other mobsters, who gave each other clueless looks because they also forgot what day it was.

"Ugh, I can't believe you all forgot." An annoyed Clyde shook his head in disbelief. "It's September 13, Penelope's birthday! That's why we're up bright and early for this meeting."

"Oh, yeah…Right…" Said the other mobsters in scattered voices.

"And wherever is Penelope on such a special day?" Softy sobbed.

"Shh, she's still sleeping, so everyone keep your voices down." Clyde shushed them. "We can't wake her up or let her hear our surprise birthday plans for her, especially the surprise party I have in mind."

"You mean you're planning a surprise birthday party?" Pockets asked Clyde.

"With a birthday cake and such?" Zippy also asked.

"That's right, but it's not just me who's planning her party and getting everything ready for it." Clyde told the Mob. "Every one of us needs to pitch in and help each other get this party all put together and make sure Penelope's birthday is a good one. But first things first while she's still in bed."

"What's that Clyde?" Yak-Yak chuckled.

"Birthday surprise Number One of the day, her favorite breakfast in bed." Clyde explained. "All seven of us are gonna work together to make her breakfast. Now get to the kitchen and get started, and remember, stay quiet, do not mess up, and clean up all your messes."

"Right, Clyde." The Mob replied as they and Clyde went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast.

Despite a few goofups, small messes and having to remake some waffles after a few were accidentally burnt or underdone by Dum-Dum, the Ant Hill Mob finally managed to successfully prepare breakfast for the lovely Penelope Pitstop.

Penelope was indeed still sleeping very soundly and peacefully in her bedroom, tucked away in sweet dreams and the comfort and warmth of her bed on such a breezy September morning. Clyde silently crept into Penelope's room and very gently nudged her shoulder.

"Penelope…" He whispered. "Wake up, Penelope."

Penelope quietly gave a tired moan as she turned on her side as she still slept.

"Come on Penelope, rise and shine, kiddo." Clyde gave her another gentle nudge, but she still would not stir one bit.

"You can't stay in bed all day, Penelope. It's your birthday, today." Clyde kept nudging Penelope's shoulder until her eyes slowly fluttered open and she gave him a tired smile.

"Good morning, Penelope. Happy Birthday."

From there, Clyde helped the rest of the Mob carefully carry a tray (with small sides so she wouldn't accidentally spill anything) that had Penelope's breakfast into her room. On the tray were Belgian waffles, a small bowl of fresh berries, two strips of bacon, a small container of maple syrup for the waffles, a mug of coffee, a container that had cream, a container that had sugar, a small cup of orange juice, and a flower tied to a birthday card.

"Happy Birthday, Penelope!" The rest of the Mob told Penelope as they and Clyde held the tray.

"Oh, fellas." Penelope smiled and rubbed her eyes, the smell of the coffee waking her up a bit. "How sweet of y'all to surprise little ole me like that."

"Okay you guys, be very careful." Clyde told his boys as they all carried the tray to the side of Penelope's bed. "We'll serve her breakfast as soon as we make her comfy cozy and warm."

The Ant Hill Mob placed the tray aside and then helped make Penelope more comfortable in her bed by propping her upper body with extra soft pillows, straightening her covers before tucking them up to her chest, and restarting her electric blanket.

"Are you warm and comfortable enough, Penelope?" Softy sniffed.

"I sure am." Penelope took a breath and relaxed back against her pillows. "Here, I'll take care of that."

Penelope took the tray and, with help from Clyde, Yak-Yak, Softy, and Pockets, cautiously placed the tray below her.

Now that Penelope was all settled in for her breakfast, the Mob gathered around her.

"How's your breakfast, Penelope?" Dum-Dum asked Penelope.

"I love it, fellas." Penelope praised her heroes as she took a few bites of her waffles. "Thanks ever so ever. Who knew you had such good cooking skills."

"The first few times could've been better, but in the end, we all successfully managed." Clyde smiled. "Right, you guys?"

"Right, Clyde!" The Rest of the Mob agreed in unison.

"Penelope, here's your gift from all of us to you." Pockets reached into his pockets to find the Mob's present to Penelope, but it was not in his pockets at all.

"Oops, it's not there at all."

"You mean you guys forgot Penelope's present?" Clyde asked the rest of the mob in a stern voice.

The rest of the Mob felt guilty.

"Uh, sorry Clyde." Dum-Dum told Clyde.

"Don't be mad, Clyde." Softy wept. "We just didn't make our time right is all."

"Even that's on me, too." Clyde admitted. "Next time we're planning our gift shopping for Penelope early next year, and at Christmas of this year. Remember that."

"Boys, please don't worry about it." Penelope reassured the Mob. "I'm not in any rush to receive my little ole birthday gifts. I don't even mind getting them tomorrow. In fact, I think this surprise breakfast in bed and the time I'm spending with you during it is a wonderful gift."

"I think we can all agree on that." Clyde replied as he and the rest of the Mob went to hug her. "Gifts don't have to be any type of material. We love spending time with you."

But then he realized that he and the boys had to get her out of the house so they could plan her party.

"Hey, Penelope, you'd better get yourself ready for the day while we clean the kitchen now that your breakfast is finished."

"I'm just about to." Penelope got out of her bed and left to shower up while the Ant Hill Mob took the tray and went to clean the kitchen.

While Penelope took a shower and got herself dressed and ready upstairs, the Ant Hill Mob was cleaning the kitchen and trying to figure out how to send Penelope out of the house so she would be unable to know of their surprise plans.

"Alright boys, now we need to plan a trip for her so we can get everything set up for the party." Clyde turned to the others as they finished cleaning the kitchen.

"But how will we manage that, Clyde?" Yak-Yak giggled. "There's not much time for that."

"I've got it, everyone! I've got it!" An idea came to Zippy's mind.

"And what's that Zippy?" Clyde wondered.

"We'll just see what she's up to herself. You'll never know."

"Good idea, Zippy." Clyde grinned. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Although Clyde knew that Penelope couldn't be around while he and the other Mob members were planning her surprise party, he was a bit worried about sending her off on her own, knowing that her archenemy, the Hooded Claw, would very likely pursue her to try to do her in. His worries about what could happen disappeared and he entered reality again when he heard Penelope heading downstairs.

"Hey, Penelope." Clyde walked over to her once she came downstairs. "Do you have any plans or places to go today?"

"I'm supposed to meet Peter Perfect for lunch, but that's not til this afternoon." Penelope answered. "But until then, I think I'll go for a nice little ole drive in the town I'll be spending lunch with Peter and take in some sightseeing and some window shopping. In fact at some point I'll hit the salon and get a mani-pedi with some coupons I've been saving."

"Penelope, do you think you'll be okay on your own?" Clyde asked her.

"Are you sure you don't need us to drive you or anything?" Dum-Dum also asked.

"You'll never know when that foul fiend the Hooded Claw could strike." Zippy worried. "And he could strike anytime."

"Don't worry about me, boys." Penelope smiled. "I'm glad y'all wanna make sure I'm safe from the Hooded Claw, but I think I'll be alright. If anything does happen though, I'll call you, okay?"

"Okay, Penelope." The Ant Hill Mob nodded in agreement.

"Well if you've got plans, you'd better get going now." Clyde told Penelope after he looked at a wall clock.

"I'm about to right now." Penelope replied as she got her purse and went out the door, after giving them a reassuring hug.

"Don't hurry back Penelope." Zippy told her.

"Have a good time." Softy sobbed.

"Yeah, have a good time." Snoozy snored.

"Be extremely careful of the Hooded Claw, Penelope." Clyde reminded her.

"I'll be careful, fellas." Penelope told the Mob as she headed out the door. "I'll have my phone on at all times and I'll let you know if there's any little ole emergency. Goodbye y'all!"

After getting outside, Penelope started her car and headed off into another town.

"Now that she's gone, we can get everything started for the party." Clyde told his boys.

"I'm glad we're doing this for Penelope, but I am worried about her." He thought to himself. "I do hope she'll be safe."