Little Tommy, who was 8 years old, was playing with his new trucks in his room. A short boy with skinny legs and arms, Tommy's sandy blond hair toppled over his face in neat rows. Freckles spotted his chubby cheeks and his eyes were as blue as the ocean. Little Tommy wore a red and white shirt that was two sizes too small, with jeans as blue as his eyes. (snapshot) He looked up as his cuckoo clock chimed 1:00 and he watched the yellow bird chirp from its perch as the little wooden door opened. As it closed he watched the little people dancing as he always did but he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw one of the people, a girl with a pink satin dress that was torn at the edges with a faded white apron and matching bonnet, slap a boy dancer across the face. (snapshot) Tommy rubbed his eyes in an attempt to make sure that what he was seeing was true. Could it be? No, it was impossible! There was no way that the people could be alive, yet he was sure he saw it and he heard the slap so how could it not be true? thought Tommy. (snapshot) But he thought that he'd better investigate. So he climbed up on a stool, so as to get a better look. The dancers had stopped dancing. He could tell that there were four in all, two boys and two girls. To his astonishment he found them fighting among themselves, kicking and shoving, rolling all over the smooth, old dance floor. This is what he heard:

“Hey! Stop shoving!” said one.

“It's all your fault!” accused another.

“That's not nice!”

“That's it, I'm leaving!” declared yet another.

“Fine!”

“What are you people fighting about?” asked Tommy.
It was only then that they realized that Tommy was observing all of this. They look at him with curious glances.

“Why do you care?” sniffed one of the girls.
It was impossible to tell which one was which because they looked exactly the same.

“I need to know. It's no use fighting. I want to help!”

“We ran out of dances and we are bored. It is tiring to be in this clock all the time and then staying stock still for an hour at a time,” replied a boy in a green suit and a black top hat.

What can I do to help? Maybe I could teach them new dances and I could get them new clothes. Surely that will make them happy! thought Tommy. (thoughtshot)

“Well, maybe I can help. I could teach you new and exciting dances and get you better clothes to wear!” said Tommy.

“I guess so,” said another boy, “When do we start?”

“Right now! Let's see.... there's this dance..”

And so Tommy proceeded to show them all the dances he knew. Gradually, they stopped fighting and they were no longer bored. They quickly learned the dances and Tommy got them beautiful new clothes.

“Maybe you should show off all of your talent and show my parents how great dancers you are.”

They agreed and Tommy showed his parents. The little dancers got ready. As the clock chimed they proceeded to dance. They danced gracefully as they twirled around in circles. The boys bowed to the girls and danced with them before disappearing through the doors, only to reappear on the other side. As they reappeared on the other side,there was little time left as they finished up their dance. Seconds left before their dance ended where the girls gently curtsied and the boys bowed and they disappeared through the doors. (expanded moment)

Tommy's parents were amazed and from then on, people came from all around the world to watch and the dancers were happy. Very happy.