Basket Cases🎄Christmas Compilation!

ESTABLISHING SHOT - Racks & TrailBlazer's School - WINTER AFTERNOON

INT. - School Auditorium - SAME TIME

TEACHER Alright, we'll practice for the pageant first, then go on to the music portion of the performance.

Her attention abruptly shifts to centre stage.

TEACHER (CONT'D)

Clovia, do I have to ask you every year not to eat the Manger hay?

TRAILBLAZER (emphatic) I get hungry! You want me to give my best performance or don't y--

She settles down with a sudden thought.

TRAILBLAZER (CONT'D) Can I bring a 2nd lunch?

The teacher sighs.

TEACHER Maybe we'll start with music, after all.

But as they get underway, Racks' tone deafness and inability to vocally carry a tune is reaffirmed.

She shrugs to her friends.

RACKS I'm just in the concert for the juice boxes, anyway!

TEACHER No- that won't do. We all must have a role we can do well.

And so, Racks is assigned the new role of conductor.

A much better fit. Racks is a dedicated conductor -tongue out in concentration as her tail additionally keeps time; swishing back and forth behind her like a metronome.

But as the class shifts from singing to playing instruments, there's another hitch.

TEACHER

Coona, please stop only conducting the bell ringer.

TrailBlazer is the diligent bell ringer in question.

RACKS

But she gives the best attention!

TEACHER (sighs) Class, let's all try and pay as much attention as Clovia.

TrailBlazer beams.

Racks flashes her a thumbs up before striking up her conducting again.

ESTABLISHING SHOT - Coon Home - ANOTHER DAY

INT. - Living Room - SAME TIME

Jumper Jones is over to visit Racks.

They're just sitting enjoying looking at the Christmas Tree, when Racks goes to get Christmas cookies.

While she's off in the kitchen, Jumper turns her attention to beneath the tree, where she observes Pawchee shaking a present.

Jumper speaks to her in a kind of affectionate tone reserved for speaking to younger children.

JUMPER

Are you trying to guess what you're getting?

Pawchee just smiles back before continuing her present shaking.

Jumper watches as Pawchee shakes more than are probably even hers.

Jumper takes on a matter-of-fact tone.

JUMPER You shouldn't be greedy.

Pawchee pauses and stares at her.

Racks returning just then, Pawchee tugs at her sleeve.

PAWCHEE

What's 'greedy'?

RACKS

That means you want everything all for yourself a whole lot.

She continues to join Jumper back on the sofa, a munched cookie already in Racks' hand.

Pawchee turns to explain to Jumper.

PAWCHEE

Oh, I don't want all the presents just for me.

I just like guessing and was reading all the nice love messages on them.

See?

She takes and holds a present up to Jumper, taking it back to read out herself.

PAWCHEE (CONT'D) (still learning to read) This one says 'may your Ca-rist-mas be a ss-weet treat just like my Jubejube.' That's Mommy's name for me, so I think this one is to me, from her!

She shakes it again; shickety~shick.

PAWCHEE (CONT'D) (excitedly)

I think it might be cereal!

Shickety~shick.

Jumper takes a cookie.

JUMPER

Oh it can't be cereal. It must be a building toy all in pieces or a puzzle or something.

Racks, glad her guest took a cookie so she can have another herself, corrects:

RACKS

Yeah, it could be cereal. Find one for me about that shape and shake it, Pawch!

Pawchee starts looking through the presents,

shaking them quietly to herself first.

JUMPER

Cereal isn't a Christmas present!

RACKS

"Yuh-huh! It's the greatest -it's all for the person who it was gifted to. Like only. No sharing except if you want.

JUMPER

But that's silly.

RACKS

No! You must know about having a favourite cereal that gets eaten up too fast by the other members in your family!

JUMPER

Sure, but then we just buy more. That's what I'm saying- cereal is an always thing.

RACKS

But what about when you have a hankering and go to get some, and someone's already emptied the box? You can't go get another all by yourself at 4 o'clock at night!

JUMPER

That's the morning by then. And anyway, what I do, if I think I'm going to be wanting some especially later but the box is already down low, is just fix a bowl for myself ahead of time with another bowl over top, and then set it aside for myself in my bedroom closet.

Racks stares at her. If Jumper wants to be that way, Racks can be that way, too.

RACKS

That's silly.

PAWCHEE (getting attention)

Racks!

She holds up another present, this one marked with

Racks' name, and shakes it loudly: shickety~schik!

She then points.

PAWCHEE (CONT'D) Ty has one, too!

RACKS

Ooo! My one's smaller than his which means mine must be some specialty cereal!

Pawchee makes an excited sound looking back at her own.

PAWCHEE

Mine's the biggest which means I must have a Family-Size!!

Racks makes a similar excited sound.

RACKS So cool, Pawch! Yay for us!

They high five.

PAWCHEE

I bet it's Cheerios!

RACKS

Ooo I bet it is!

She returns attention to Jumper.

RACKS (CONT'D)

Cheerios are her favourite. In fact that was her first word.

Racks is just turning back to the excitement of the tree -and more or less absently taking another cookier- when Jumper responds:

JUMPER

What? Cheerios?

But babies can't say three syllable words their first time.

RACKS

Well, she sort of said it like 'Chee-ee-os'. But she was eatin'

some at the time so we all knew what she meant -plus, I know

a baby who's first word was 'galuba', and also 'bluzh-agua'.

She bites into her cookie.

Pawchee has come to take one as well.

JUMPER

What? But those aren't even actual words!

RACKS

No, but they are three syllables, so babies

can manage one or the other. Clearly.

Racks turns her attention back to her sister.

RACKS (CONT'D) Take another cookie, Pawch.

And let's see what else Ty has!

Pawchee helps herself and, holding her first cookie in her mouth,

goes back over to the tree where Racks has now moved to.

Jumper just watches them both with a sigh and shake of her head

before looking over the cookies for the most appealing looking one.

ESTABLISHING SHOT - Mall - ANOTHER DAY

INT. - Mall - SAME TIME

Pawchee is in line to visit the mall Santa.

Her turn comes and she happily goes up with a candy cane in paw.

PAWCHEE

Hi, Santa! This is for you because you're always

giving candy canes, but it's a new flavour! Except. . .

do you make all the candy canes in the world?

SANTA

Ho-ho- no! And I haven't had one like this.

I'll be looking forward to trying it.

Now, what's your name?

Pawchee's cheer is suddenly replaced by a serious face.

PAWCHEE

. . .Pawchee.

Santa doesn't seem to notice the difference.

SANTA

And what are you hoping will appear in your stocking this year, Pawchee?

Pawchee perks up again.

PAWCHEE

A Island of Sodor Playset!

SANTA

Oh-Ho! That sounds fun.

Is that the kind of island that has delicious coconuts?

Pawchee's serious face returns.

PAWCHEE

It is fun. But no.

SANTA

Well, since you're on the nice list, I'm sure you'll

be very happy come Christmas morning!

He gives her a candy cane from his Santa Satchel.

Pawchee smiles again.

PAWCHEE

Thank you, Santa.

She climbs off his lap.

Meanwhile, way back where the line starts, Racks and Trailblazer

are waiting off to the side by a railing. Racks leaning over it even

as they're observe the line quite intently.

RACKS

Ya' think ten's too old to still go visit Santa?

TrailBlazer, leaning on the railing by one arm, looks around.

TRAILBLAZER

There's no sign that says.

RACKS

Yeah, but there are those 'you should know better'

situations that don't need signs to tell you.

TrailBlazer has a separate thought.

TRAILBLAZER

Would it seem greedy if we say we went just for the candy canes?

Racks is still having her own thought.

RACKS

Maybe we could just hang off at the back, and

by the time he's done with all the rest of the line he'll be out of candy canes, so we won't seem greedy.

TRAILBLAZER

. . .But I actually really want a candy cane.

RACKS Yeah. . .

--Oh look!

Here comes Pawchee back.

Racks gets off the railing to meet her sister, noticing the look on Pawchee's face.

RACKS

What'sa matter, Pawch?

Is that a consolation candy cane because Santa said you're not on the nice list?

PAWCHEE

No he says I am. But, he's not the real one.

Pawchee shakes her head.

RACKS

What makes you say?

PAWCHEE

Santa didn't know my name.

RACKS

Maybe he knows you by your actual name but knows too that you go by a nickname,

and just didn't know what that was.

PAWCHEE

But he didn't know the Island of Sodor and there are kids there,

so he should know it or he's been forgetting them!

RACKS

Oh. See actually Thomas and Friends is one of those shows that doesn't happen in an actual place.

The Island of Sodar isn't on any actual map.

PAWCHEE

Oh. But he didn't know the playset

and I thought Santa maked all the toys!

RACKS

Well since that's a TV show toy, actually the TV show people have it made, and Santa probably only has the distribution rights but not the manufacturing.

PAWCHEE

Oh.

She looks back at Santa, reconsidering him.

TrailBlazer looks that way, too. She sighs.

TRAILBLAZER Well looks like Santa's packin' up.

RACKS Oh well. .What we're wanting's too big for a stocking, anyway.

TRAILBLAZER But there are many bike accessories that could fit in a stocking.

Racks frowns.

RACKS We should've gotten in line.

TrailBlazer sighs again.

Pawchee considers the candy cane, then breaks

off the hook and the remaining stick in half.

She holds out the stick portions.

PAWCHEE There's enough for sharing.

RACKS Aw! Thanks, Pawch!

TRAILBLAZER

Thanks!

She ruffles the fur between Pawchee's ears.

INT - TrailBlazer's Bedroom - EVENING

Racks and TrailBlazer are laying on their stomachs on the floor, finalizing what they want for Christmas by way of a bike magazine.

RACKS So- we want the DeLux Mudslinger Shock~Absorber 926

Using a pen, she circles that in the mag.

RACKS (CONT'D) with, aero --no. Why do I always forget what that kind is...?

She scans the text for the word she's messing up.

TrailBlazer supplies it instead.

TRAILBLAZER

Ergonomic!

RACKS

Yeah! With ergonomic seat and I-Can't-Make-Up-My-Mind Design and attach --actually, we'll ask --we'll get the basket attachment separate

so we're not asking for too much. But since it's Winter --I think it comes with regular tires-- but since it's Winter, get the chunky wheels!

She underlines that.

TRAILBLAZER

Yeah! Chunky wheels in white.

Racks puts a "TB" next to

the white option for wheels.

TRAILBLAZER (CONT'D)

And I'd like mmm...gree --Spruce Green for my bike! Spruce trees are in the forest no matter the year, so it's seasonal as well as any time of year.

RACKS

Yeah! And my tires I'd like --well I'd like I-Can't-Make-Up-My-Mind-Design. I think it comes with two different colours.

She puts her own initial next to that option.

TRAILBLAZER

You can get just the Mudslinger, or the Shock~Absorber,

but the Mudslinger, it's painful. I mean it goes really fast but then

you can only ride it monthly. I mean, probably you could sooner,

like after a week, but then you really couldn't ride for longer!

MRS. HOOFENSTOPPHER (O/S) In five minutes you two've got

to get ready for the concert

TRAILBLAZER Okay, Mom!

Racks places the pen between the pages as a bookmark. TrailBlazer gathers up the magazine and returns it to a slot of her desk organizer.

INT. - School Auditorium - EVENING

Racks is in fine form as she commences conducting. She spreads her conducting evenly, not favouring anyone -attentive bell-ringing horse or otherwise.

The baton is dropped once, but Racks manages to keep things

going by shifting her tail to the job until she takes the baton

up once more.

At what was to be the concert's close, it's announced that the class will perform two more songs as snow needs to be cleared before anyone can go home.

Racks was just on her way to the performers' refreshment table for that coveted post-performance juice box.

She turns to the teacher.

RACKS We didn't practice two other songs.

TrailBlazer and some of the others look over, too.

TEACHER I know. I'll be conducting these. The rest of you will just be singing as you all know the words. Your voices are well warmed up from your earlier songs and I know you'll sound great! And I have a special role in mind for you, Coona.

The first song is "I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In", and we see at every mention of "three", Racks holding her three fingers up, moving them in a slow sweep from one side to the other,

even alternating which side she starts on for a little flare.

The last song is "The Twelve Days of Christmas", where Racks again holds up her fingers in relation to what number's being said. However, as they near the sixth day, Racks realizes she's going to have to get creative -- only having three fingers on each paw.

But there's a bigger dilemma to deal with as Racks notices Pawchee over by the refreshment table,

helping herself to a juice box.

RACKS (loud whisper) Pawchee! You put that back!

Pawchee looks over, but is still sipping.

RACKS (CONT'D) (loud whisper) Put it back! That one's for me!

Pawchee points to all the other juice boxes, not understanding the problem.

RACKS (CONT'D) (loud whisper)

There's only enough -one for each of us! Of us.

She gestures emphatically to the choir.

RACKS (CONT'D) (louder whisper) And you're my sister so if you drink that, that means you're drinking mine! Put it back!

Pawchee looks apologetic as she shows the juice box is all drank up.

Racks plonks down, covering her face with her paws.

The song is still going on. The Teacher taps Racks to get her back to it.

Racks thwacks her tail down to one side of herself, shifting her body position just enough so that all her six stripes are visible, and gestures to them for the remaining numbers, though her heart's gone out of the performance.

EXT. - School - NIGHT

The Coons walk home.

Maska holding the paws of Pawchee and Racks.

MASKA You were just excellent. Right to the very end.

RACKS (tired) Can I have a hot chocolate or something when we get home?

Pawchee looks interested in that as well.

Racks notices and gives her a look.

Pawchee looks somewhere else.

MASKA You can have whatever something you like.

RACKS But I mean can you prepare it for me?

MASKA I will. I feel like doing one of my specialties after seeing you do yours.

Racks wraps her free arm around her Mom.

RACKS Thanks, Mom.

INT. - Coon Home - Entryway - ANOTHER EVENING

Racks answers the door to TrailBlazer wearing a dress and a tie.

TrailBlazer notices Racks is in her normal clothes.

TRAILBLAZER

I thought this was a dressy-up party!

RACKS

It is. I just haven't yet.

TRAILBLAZER Oh good!

She comes in and Racks takes her to

INT. - Coon Home - Kitchen - SAME TIME

where Maska is making a fancy supper,

including baked aubergine!

RACKS I gotta' sneak one of those before they're put in the oven.

TRAILBLAZER No way! You can sneak one for sure. But you'll never be able to wipe the oil off your paw before your Mom notices!

Racks is undeterred, scampering over to where the baking sheet sits ready on the counter.

RACKS

No problem. They don't have oil on them ye-

Having snitched one off the tray, she now realizes they did.

With a little groan she scorffs it, then goes for the cloth.

MASKA

Oh Coona!

What did I already tell you about sneaking?

RACKS

But I always have a sample!

MASKA

But I told you this time I only had just enough for each serving.

She turns to resume the cooking process.

MASKA (CONT'D)

So you'll just have one less on your plate at dinner since I had just enough for each serving.

Racks' ears flump as she returns to TrailBlazer.

TRAILBLAZER

You still get the same amount in the end.

RACKS

But aubergine tastes so good when it's baked,

I'm going to want that other slice I can't have now.

TRAILBLAZER

Then why did you snitch one?

RACKS

Because they're delicious raw!

TrailBlazer draws a sympathetic breath.

MASKA

Go and change now, Coona!

You don't want to run out of time

and be caught with your pants down!

Maska laughs.

Racks and TrailBlazer exchange a look.

TRAILBLAZER

We don't even wear pants!

INT. - Coon Home - Living Room - LATER THAT EVENING

Racks -now also in a dress- and TrailBlazer are sitting together on a loveseat.

Racks is swinging her legs, but otherwise they're behaving and conversing like nice little ladies.

RACKS

I like your tie by the way. I meant to say that.

TRAILBLAZER Thanks! This dress neck is a little low, you see? So I added a tie to be more comfortable.

RACKS

That's smart!

TrailBlazer nods and they turn their attention a moment to the conversation coming from the table in the other room, where everyone else hasn't finished eating yet.

TrailBlazer finds their conversation more interesting.

TRAILBLAZER

I know why it's smart.

She points to her tie.

RACKS

Hm? Why is it?

TRAILBLAZER

Because it's one of my Dad's, and every time he wears one, animals say 'what a smart tie'.

RACKS

So it's smart for you, too!

TRAILBLAZER

Yeah! Exactly.

Their attention shifts again as everyone else starts filtering into the room.

MR. HOOFENSTOPPHER Who's joining me for Parcheesi!

INT. - Coon Home - Upstairs Bedrooms - EARLY MORNING

Maska opens the doors to each of her children's bedrooms, then announces from the hallway:

MASKA

Wake up my treasures! It's Christmas!

Racks, having been lying on her tummy in bed,

pushes herself up; seeming keen. However--

TY

(Groggily)

It is not, Mom! It's only like, it's the day before the day before.

Racks pulls out a small calendar from beneath her pillow. Sure enough, Ty is right.

Meanwhile Pawchee is still snoozing away.

MASKA

But it could be Christmas if you'd like it to be. Who can wait those two days, anyway?

TY

Noooo! You can't just pick like- That's not- I'm waiting! That's tradition! And it's a family holiday so we all open presents together on the calendar day!

MASKA

Alright then. We'll have Christmas on Christmas. Have a good snooze.

She closes his door.

Racks remains in her bed,

but is looking expectantly out the door.

Maska goes to close Pawchee's door before coming back to check what her middle child would like to do. Racks motions she'd like Christmas today!

Maska motions for her to wait and she exits the hall.

Racks sits herself up, and soon Maska has brought back a little pile of presents.

MASKA

Enjoy yourself, Syrup. Merry Christmas!

She pats her eldest daughter on the head.

RACKS

Oh I will! Merry Christmas to you, Mom!

Oh- oh--

She shifts to get something out of her side table,

then pauses.

RACKS (CONT'D)

So you don't wanna' wait too, right?

MASKA Well, since it means so much to your brother, I will.

RACKS Okay dokie.

She leaves whatever she had in her side table.

Maska closes Racks' door, leaving her to her quiet unwrapping!

INT. - Coon Home - Kitchen - MORNING

Racks comes down for breakfast.

She glances at Ty who's already filling his face while

in the process of taking his bowl to the living room.

Racks takes this opportunity to speak quietly to her Mom.

RACKS

Thanks for all the great presents, Mom!

I've rewrapped them all nice and set them back under the tree so I can unwrap them again as a family. But they're so great!

She hugs her Mom.

MASKA

Oh that makes my mouth turn up.

I can't wait to see your face when you open them again!

Racks nods vigorously before placing her paw beside her mouth all secret talk like.

RACKS

I also got my other present for you under there, the one I'd still had in my side table.

I think you'll love it!

She lowers her paw.

RACKS (CONT'D)

I know it, actually."

MASKA

I do, too! Now go gobble up your breakfast.

RACKS You don't have to tell me twice!

She peeks into the living room where Ty is still shoveling his in.

RACKS (CONT'D)

And you never have to tell Ty once.

While she's taking her bowl of cereal, Pawchee comes in looking around with a paw to her chin, as if she's trying to remember something.

She looks at the laid out breakfast as if for a clue.

Racks slurps some of her milk so the full bowl's safer to carry

RACKS 'sup, Pawch?

PAWCHEE I dreamed it was Christmas I think.

She looks again at the regular-day breakfast.

PAWCHEE (CONT'D) Did I miss it?

Racks slurps a little more milk.

RACKS Nope. It's the 23rd.

Pawchee perks up, spreading her paws out in a welcoming gesture.

PAWCHEE Merry Christmas Eve-Eve!