Tommy Halverson has enjoyed his life in America more than his life in Australia. Scarlet treated him better, but Emerald was still cruel to him. He though he'd found true love when he met Emily, that was until Emily had moved away to Los Angeles. Tommy thought no girl would ever love him again, that was until one Valentine's Day when Frieda gave him a valentine.
One of Tommy's hobbies besides hanging out with his friends was utilising model trains. It was lucky for him America had a lot of hobby stores, and that the house he moved into had an enormous basement large enough for a large model railway. And ever since Emily gave him a train set for Christmas before she moved away, Tommy's collection began.
One day, Tommy was writing different sheets of paper. Something special was happening to him soon.
"What are you doing, Tommy?" asked Karina, his mother.
"Just writing some invitations, Mum." Said Tommy.
"Invitations?" Karina asked. "Of course! Your birthday next Friday!"
"Oh, I hope everyone can come to my party." Tommy smiled. "Well, except for a certain someone."
"So how are you going with your invitations, Tommy?" asked Boco, his father.
"I'm down to the last one, Dad." Said Tommy.
Tommy finished his last invitation, and was ready to go to school.
"There. Time for school." Tommy said at last.
Tommy arrived at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to pull up. As he pulled up, he looked towards Frieda and sat down beside her.
"Hey, Frieda." Said Tommy.
"Hello, my Sweeteridoo!" said Frieda. "Looking forward to school?"
"I am." Said Tommy. "I've got some invitations to give out later."
"Oh, will I get one?" asked Frieda.
"When we reach our homeroom, I'll hand some out." Tommy said.
"Okay." Said Frieda. "I hope you don't invite you-know-who."
"I know what you mean, Frieda." Said Tommy.
Upon reaching the homeroom, Tommy stood out front to make his official announcement.
"Attention, everyone!" Tommy called. "As some of you may already know, next Friday will be the day celebrating the day I was born."
"The day he was born?!" quizzed Scarlet.
"In other words," Tommy continued. "That will be my birthday."
He paused impressively.
"In order to mark this auspicious occasion, I have written some invitations to you all," Tommy said. "so that way, you can make your decision whether or not you're coming."
Tommy finished and handed his invitations to everyone. As he reached Charlie Brown…..
"Three invitations, Tommy?" asked Charlie Brown.
"One's for you, Charlie." Said Tommy. "One's for Sally, and one's for little Wally."
"Gee, thanks, Tommy." Said Charlie Brown.
Tommy came up to Heather the Little Red-Haired Girl and handed her two invitations.
"Two invitations?" Heather quizzed.
"One's for you, and one's for little Henry." Tommy explained.
Tommy handed two to Lucy, and one to Linus.
"Ha! I got more invitations than you, Linus!" teased Lucy.
"Actually, Lucy." Said Tommy. "One is for you, but the other's for your even littler brother Rerun."
"Oh." Said Lucy. "Okay then."
"One for you, Frieda." Tommy said, handing her the invitation.
"Oh, thanks, Tommy!" Frieda said.
Tommy continued to hand out invitations. As soon as Tommy came up to Scarlet and Emerald, he was deciding who to give the next one to.
"Hmm…" Tommy thought. "Well, since Scarlet has teased me less….."
Then, he spoke.
"Here you go, Scarlet." Tommy said, handing her the invitation.
"Thanks, Tommy." Said Scarlet.
Emerald looked over and scoffed.
"Didn't wanna go to little failure face's party anyway!"
Of course, Emerald wanted to go, just to snack on any party food that'd be there, but Tommy saw Emerald's weight gain, so he didn't give her the invitation.
When it was lunch time, Tommy was going around the cafeteria, handing the remainders of his invitations around. He handed two to Janice's big sister Lindsey, considering he'd already handed one to Janice herself.
"Thanks." Said Lindsey. "But why two?"
"One's for you, one's for Britney." Tommy explained.
"Oh. Thanks, Tommy." Said Lindsey.
When the school day was over, Charlie Brown was sitting in the beanbag, watching TV. Sally looked at her invitation.
"RSVP…." Sally pondered. "I know what that means."
"So now you know." Said Charlie Brown. "That it isn't Risvup."
Sally went over to the phone and dialled the number for Tommy's place. The only one to answer was Karina, Tommy's mother.
"Hello?" said Karina.
"RSVP." Sally answered. "I'm coming to the party."
"Okay." Said Karina, knowing what Sally was talking about.
But things weren't better at the Emmons place.
"Risvup?" Britney quizzed, reading her invitation.
"Risvup?" Janice quizzed. "Oh. That's just an invitation for Tommy's birthday next week."
"I know." Said Britney. "But what does Risvup have to do with it?"
"It's not pronounced 'Risvup', Britt." Said Lindsey. "It's RSVP."
"Répondez s'il vous plaît." Janice explained, remembering the time she and her family went to France. "It's French for 'Please respond'."
"That means you need to tell him whether or not you're going." Said Lindsey.
"Okay." Britney said.
Britney called the Halverson place, and the one to answer was Karina.
"Hello?" said Karina.
"Hello. Is Tommy there?" asked Britney.
"No. He's down town." Said Karina. "Looking for what he wants for his birthday."
"Speaking of which…." Britney said. "Risvup."
"Risvup?" quizzed Karina.
"By the way, this is Janice's little sister Britney." Janice's younger sister said.
Frieda was at the park with Katie, the Little Pigtailed Girl, talking about next Friday.
"I got a birthday invitation from my sweeteridoo!" Said Frieda.
"You mean my favourite cousin?" Asked Katie.
"Yes." Said Frieda. "Oh, I can't wait to get him the best birthday gift ever!"
"Well, I'll be looking for a gift for him too." Katie said. "He'll be most surprised."
"Well….." Said Frieda. "I'll have to find out what he wants for his special day."
"Don't worry, Frieda." Said Katie. "Something might pop up."
And so the two girls headed home, wondering what to get for Tommy for his birthday.
And what was Tommy looking for? Well…
"Let's see if there are any good train sets I could get for my special day." Tommy said to himself as he was down town.
When Tommy arrived at the hobby store, there, before his very eyes, was it! An enormous train set with many brightly coloured locomotives; Diesel, electric or steam. As well as vehicles and rolling stock.
"I want that for my birthday!" said Tommy. "And then my train set will feel more complete!"
Tommy went home to tell his mother all about what he wants for his birthday.
"Mum! Mum!" said Tommy.
"Hey, Tommy!" said Karina. "So, anything you want for your birthday?"
"You bet!" said Tommy. "I went down to the hobby store, and found the largest train collection of all!"
"Really?" said Karina. "Oh, I don't know, Tommy. They could be very expensive."
"In that case," said Tommy. "I can ask someone else to get it for me."
The next day, in the homeroom, Tommy told everyone all about what he found in the hobby store the day before.
"You'll never believe it!" said Tommy. "There I was, entering the hobby shop, when there, before my beady little eyes, was the largest train collection ever!"
"I don't believe it!" said Charlie Brown.
"Sounds larger than my collection." Said Shermy.
"You? You have a train collection, Shermy?" asked Tommy.
"Yep. It's gotten larger since childhood." Said Shermy.
"You should see mine." Said Tommy. "But…. wait until next Friday."
"I'll be there." Shermy said.
"Guys! Class is starting soon!" said Violet. "We'll talk about this train stuff later."
"Sorry, Vi." Said Shermy.
Meanwhile, Snoopy and Woodstock went down town, and saw the hobby store Tommy went into the day before.
"Hey!" Snoopy cheered.
Snoopy and Woodstock went into the store, and looked at the model trains for sale.
"Ooh!" Snoopy cooed.
*Fades to fantasy*
Snoopy saw a large train with all kinds of rolling stock with flatbeds loaded with doghouses, and coupled in front, a red tank locomotive. Snoopy was ready to hop into the driver's cab. But as Snoopy climbed in, he took it for a wild ride.
"Woo woo!" Snoopy cheered.
"He he he he!" Woodstock giggled.
Snoopy drove the train all around the USA. Just ahead, there was a cat on the line, ready to slice Snoopy.
*Cuts back to reality*
There was the store manager, looking angrily at Snoopy and Woodstock. He was so angry, he booted both dog and bird out of his shop.
"No dogs!" he shouted.
"Aw…." Snoopy sighed sadly.
Back at Sparkyville Middle School, Tommy went to gym class, and was pretending to be a locomotive on his way.
"Look here!" teased Violet. "Tommy Halverson thinks he's a train!"
"Ah, let her laugh." Tommy said to himself. "At least that'll tell her I would like that train set for my birthday."
As Tommy reached his class, there was Peppermint Patty, out of the change room and in her leotard.
"Hey, Patty." Said Tommy.
"Hiya, Tom!" said Peppermint Patty. "Looking forward to your party next week?"
"You bet I am!" said Tommy. "Oh, I can't wait until someone buys me that special gift I've been wanting to get."
"Oh, don't worry about that now, Tom." Said Peppermint Patty. "Right now, let's worry about getting fit!"
"You're right, Patty." Said Tommy. "I've got gym now!"
Also at gym was Frieda, who'd also changed into a leotard.
"Come on, Tommykins!" said Frieda. "Let's do gym now!"
"Right away, Frieda!" said Tommy, who went into the boys' change room to change himself.
Whilst everyone was in gym class, Tommy looked over at Emerald, who was trying to do push ups, but kept falling flat on her belly.
"Oh dear." Tommy thought.
"Er, Tommy?" Heather the Little Red-Haired Girl asked.
"Oh. Yeah. I'd best shape up myself." Said Tommy.
So Tommy got a hoop, and he did a hula with it.
"Here goes!" Tommy said.
Emerald looked over at Tommy and tried to do another push up.
"Ugh! One!... Two….."
"Actually, Emerald." Said Charlie Brown. "That's just one."
"Aaugh!" Emerald shouted as she landed again.
When school was over, Tommy went down to the hobby store to see if the train set he wanted was still there. But much to his horror…..
"Oh, good grief!" Tommy exclaimed. "It's gone!"
"Er, what's gone?" asked the store owner.
"The collection of model trains!" Tommy exclaimed. "It's gone!"
"Oh….. I only had two left today, and two people came in and bought them." Said the store owner.
"Good grief." Tommy said, feeling dejected.
And Tommy left the store, feeling very sad.
"I was hoping to get that set for my birthday." Tommy said sadly. "Now what will I get?"
Tommy got home, and walked to his room.
"Tommy?" asked Karina.
Karina went upstairs, and saw Tommy, feeling very dejected.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"The train collection I wanted for my birthday, all gone!" Tommy said.
"Aw, don't worry, my son." Said Karina. "Maybe you can get those trains separately."
"Getting them separately will cost even more money." Said Tommy. "And that was a cheaper way to get them altogether."
"Aw, don't worry." Smiled Karina. "Who knows? The last one to buy that collection may have bought it for you."
"That's only maybe." Said Tommy.
The next day, as Tommy arrived in the homeroom, there was Emerald, spreading gossip to everyone.
"And there was an enormous train collection at the hobby shop!" Emerald said. "And I asked my dad to get it for Eugene!"
"Wow!" Scarlet exclaimed.
"For Eugene?!" exclaimed Tommy.
"Oh. Eugene. That's my little brother." Said Emerald. "Looks like you're not the only gunzel here, Tommy."
"Emerald! Why?!" Tommy said, tears in his eyes.
"Because," Emerald said angrily. "You didn't send me an invitation!"
Tommy thought and thought.
"Oh, I forgot to give you an invitation!" he sighed. "Silly me! What a blockhead I am!"
"Maybe he didn't want you eating up all the party food." Thought Scarlet.
While Scarlet was concerned for her best friend's health, she didn't dare say that to her face.
When it was lunch time, Tommy sat down, despaired that all the collections of trains were sold out at the hobby store.
"Tommy! Oh, Tommy!" cajoled Emerald. "I need some hot dogs!"
"Oh good grief!" sighed Tommy.
Tommy got up and later, he returned with three hot dogs for Emerald.
"Thank you, Tommy." Teased Emerald as she gobbled the hot dogs, not bite by bite, but dog by dog.
"Oh dear." Tommy sighed.
The day of Tommy's birthday had arrived, and while he was in his home room, he was most surprised to see everyone there holding birthday gifts.
"Oh ho ho!" Tommy said. "I can't wait to see what's in those gifts later today!"
"You'll be pleasantly surprised!" smirked Lucy.
"You're sure to like my gift." Smiled Heather.
"Mine too." Added Schroeder.
"Wanna open mine now, Tommy?" asked Frieda.
Thanks, Frieda." Said Tommy. "But not until the party after school. I wanna be pleasantly surprised."
"I don't believe it." Charlie Brown said. "Another end of week party. First, Violet throws one to celebrate us getting in junior high, and now Tommy throws one for his birthday."
When it was time to go home for the week, Tommy continued to mope. While he was pleased his friends had gotten him some gifts for his special day, he was feeling a bit guilty not inviting Emerald.
"Maybe Emerald's dad buying her brother that train collection was to teach me a lesson." He thought. "I'd best straighten things out."
So Tommy went over to the Greens' place and rang the bell.
"Yes?" said Emerald.
"Emerald." Said Tommy. "I'm ever so sorry for not inviting you to my party. I….. I forgot to give you an invitation. Here."
Tommy handed Emerald an invitation, and Emerald jumped for joy.
"Thanks, Tommy." Said Emerald. "But I'm not sorry for getting that train set for my brother."
"Really?" Tommy said.
"You'll see one day." Emerald smirked.
"Well, you'd best change into your best." Said Tommy. "See you there."
Later, Tommy got home, and dressed himself in a white dress shirt, blue tux, and red bow tie.
"All ready for your party, Tommy?" asked Karina.
"Waiting for your friends, I see." Said Boco, Tommy's father.
"I sure am." Said Tommy. "At least I'm getting some things. Still better than no gifts at all."
As Tommy said this, in walked Katie Halverson the Little Pigtailed Girl.
"Happy Birthday, Cuz!" said Katie.
"Thanks, Katie!" said Tommy. "And is that for me?"
"It sure is, Cuz." Said Katie.
"Good. Place it on the pile, and I'll open it when the time comes." Tommy said.
As Katie put the present on the pile, into the house walked Lucy, Linus and Rerun.
"Hi, Lucy, Linus, Rerun!" tommy said to the van Pelt siblings.
"Happy Birthday, Tommy!" said Lucy. "Hope you like my gift!"
"Mine too." Linus said.
"Same with me." said Rerun.
"Good. Now place your gifts with Katie's."
"Katie's? You mean she's here?!" Rerun exclaimed happily.
"She's my cousin, so of course she's here." Said Tommy happily.
"Rerun!" Katie exclaimed.
"Katie!" Rerun cried back.
Soon, Shermy, Violet, Marcie, the Pattys, Charlie Brown, Sally, Wally, Heather, Henry, Schroeder, Janice, Lindsey, Britney, Pig-Pen, Franklin, Lila, Roy, Violette, Pierre, Eudora, 555, Scarlet, Frieda, and regrettably Emerald arrived, but brought along gifts.
"Well, since everyone is here," Tommy said.
"Er…. Not quite everyone." Said Frieda.
"Oh. What do you mean?" asked Tommy.
"Another guest will be arriving later." Said Frieda.
"Another guest?!" exclaimed Tommy.
"You'll see." Smiled Frieda. "Now we can party!"
"Yay!" everyone cheered.
"I know! To pass the time," Tommy said. "Let's play musical chairs!"
"Set up the chairs all in a row!" Frieda called.
Frieda went up to the radio.
"Hold it!" Tommy called. "Since there's 30 of us, let's do this in groups of 10! 9 chairs for this."
Tommy made the first group being Charlie Brown, Sally, Peppermint Patty, Lucy, Schroeder, Marcie, Violet, Shermy, Patty Swanson and Pig-Pen.
"Let's go!" Tommy said as Frieda put on the music.
The group ran around the chairs, and as Frieda turned off the music, everyone but Sally got a chair.
"Rats!" groaned Sally as she left.
Frieda put the music back on, and everyone ran around again, but as Frieda turned off the music, everyone but Lucy got their chair.
"Rats! I lost!" Lucy sighed.
Frieda turned the music back on, and everyone ran around again, but as Frieda turned off the music, Peppermint Patty was the only one to not get a chair.
"Rats!"
After a few more, it was Charlie Brown and Violet left. But as Frieda turned off the music, as a big surprise, Charlie Brown got the last chair.
"Rats!" groaned Violet. "Charlie Brown beat me at something!"
"Okay, let me be in the next group." Said Tommy.
"Me too!" said Frieda.
"I'll be in charge of the music." Said Patty Swanson.
"Here we go!" said Frieda.
And in this group, Pierre, Violette, Lila, Roy, Pig-Pen, Lindsey, Janice and Scarlet joined in.
"Let's go!" Patty Swanson called as she turned on the music.
So everyone ran around the chairs, but as Patty Swanson turned off the music, everyone but Pierre got their chair.
"Sacre bleu." Sighed Pierre.
Patty Swanson turned the music back on, and as she turned it back off, everyone but Scarlet got a chair.
"Rats! Lost it!" sighed Scarlet.
Patty Swanson turned the music back on, and once it went off, everyone but Pig-Pen got their chair.
"Oh dear. Oh well. Losing is better than no dirt." Said Pig-Pen.
This went on and on until Tommy and Frieda were the last two left. As Patty Swanson turned off the music… Frieda got the last chair.
"Rats! Well, you win some, you lose some." Tommy said.
"I'm the winner!" cheered Frieda.
What nobody realised was that Snoopy would walk into the Halverson house and take over the music.
"Well, shall we dance?" asked Tommy.
"Cake time!" called Karina.
"Yay! Cake!" everyone cheered.
As everyone gathered around the cake, Tommy sat in front of an enormous 3 layer cake, covered in blue, red and yellow icing, and on top, thirteen candles to show Tommy was 13.
"I'm starved!" Emerald called.
"Wait!" said Scarlet. "Make a wish, Tommy!"
"I don't need to make a wish." Smiled Tommy. "Because I have a loving family and some loving friends, especially Frieda."
"Aw…." Frieda smiled.
"But then again….." Tommy said.
And then, he started to think.
"I wish to get that train collection."
And Tommy blew all his candles out, prompting everyone to cheer.
"And now," Boco Halverson said. "It's time to open presents!"
"Yours first, Charlie." Said Tommy.
"Why me?" asked Charlie Brown.
"Because," said Tommy. "Out of you little folks, who's a better guy to start off with than Good Old Charlie Brown?"
"If you say so." Sighed Charlie Brown as he got his gift out. And as he handed Tommy his gift, Tommy ripped the paper, and out came…
"Wow! A picture of me as a train conductor!" cried Tommy. "Thanks, Charlie."
Later on, Tommy got gifts from the following guests:
A baboon plush from Sally.
A picture of Lucy from Lucy herself.
A pumpkin model from Linus.
A pair of blue sandals from Peppermint Patty.
A comic with all the Peanuts comic strips from Marcie.
A hockey stick from Franklin.
A pair of bongos from Schroeder.
A rock from Violet.
A pair of boxing gloves from Patty Swanson.
Spare train tracks from Shermy.
A camping hat from Roy.
A Snoopy plush from Lila.
A miniature swing set from Janice.
A miniature disco from Heather.
A model chateau from Violette.
A hover craft toy from Pierre.
Dirt from Pig-Pen.
A Frisbee from Rerun.
"As it turns out," Tommy chuckled. "Rerun's real name is Lester."
"Here's mine!" called Katie.
As Katie gave her gift to Tommy, Tommy tore the paper, and out came…..
"A plush of me and you!" said Tommy happily.
"Whenever I'm not here, think of your favourite cousin." Katie smiled.
"Thanks, Katie." Said Tommy. "And…. You're my only cousin."
"Open mine!" said Frieda, handing Tommy her gift.
Tommy opened it, and inside was….
"Aw! So beautiful!" Tommy said, for it was a plush of Frieda.
"You can use that to think of me whenever I'm not here." Smiled Frieda.
"Thank you, Frieda." Smiled Tommy. "Well, looks like I got everything."
"Oh. Not everything!" came a voice.
In walked a girl whom Tommy hadn't seen in a long time, a girl he had a crush on when he first looked at her. It was Emily, dressed in a pink headband, a purple sleeveless sparkly shirt, a matching pleated skirt, and red pumps.
"Wow! She's beautiful!" exclaimed Roy.
"E…. Emily!" exclaimed Tommy. "What are you doing in Sparkyville?"
"Hi, Thomas!" said Emily. "Just visiting my grandmother. And I heard from someone it's your birthday. By the way, I got this for you, Thomas."
Emily handed Tommy the enormous gift, and as Tommy opened it….
"I…. don't…. believe…. It!"
It was the very same train collection set he saw at the hobby shop.
"Emily! How?" asked Tommy.
"As soon as a certain someone told me your birthday was approaching," Emily said. "I thought I'd duck into the hobby store and get you this, especially with my mom being an actress, earning millions, more than enough for this. Happy Birthday, Thomas!"
"Emily! I can't thank you enough for this!" Tommy said. "Now I have the whole collection!"
So Tommy put the box to the side and hugged Emily, causing Emily to blush.
Tommy went to his basement with his train collection, and was willing to set it up later. As he went back upstairs, there was Frieda.
"Oh. Hey, Frieda." Said Tommy.
"Tommy." Said Frieda. "Do you wanna know who told Emily about the train collection?"
"Yes?" asked Tommy.
"That someone was me." smiled Frieda.
"Aw, Frieda!" smiled Tommy. "You shouldn't have!"
And Tommy hugged Frieda and kissed her left cheek. The kiss caused Frieda to blush redder than her naturally curly hair. Hey. Anything for her sweeteridoo.