Jimmy Armstrong is a character created by Sam. He appeared in the episode "The Tale of the Long Ago Locket".
History[]
One day after school, Jimmy entered the woods to walk home. Soon he found an old knife just laying on the grass. It piqued his interest, so he bent over to pick it up, then suddenly he started by the hand of the owner who retrieved the knife. Then the owner ran off deeper into the woods.
The next day, he met with April by their lockers. He was in love with her, but just did not have the courage to confess her true feelings to her. Anyways he mentioned that a new skating rink was opening on Saturday. So he invited her to go skating with him. Then his other friend Josh came by. Josh mentioned that Saturday night was the opening night of a new monster movie. Then Josh asked her if she wanted to go with him. Then he got Nervous, and told them that it was okay and to go to it. He was upset because once again he messed up his chance to confess his feelings to April.
Then on his way home, he once again he saw the mysterious person running around. Soon the mysterious person met up with him. He assumed by the look of the man that he was some kind of soldier. Then then man nervously asked him if he knew the way to Harrisville, but he was too nervous. Then the soldier told him that enemy soldiers were approaching. So he had to go with, the enemy would hang them if they caught them.
The enemy soldiers were British Redcoat soldiers from the American Revolutionary War. The Redcoat Captain order them all to start shooting their muskets at them and luckily all their shots missed. The soldier fired fought ack. Then he and the soldier hid in a ditch in the ground until the Redcoats left. Then the soldier asked him again and insisted that he show him the way to Harrisville. Suddenly a redcoat soldier found them. As the Redcoat closed in them, he and the soldier screamed for their lives.
Then a moment later, he found himself all alone on the ground screaming. Now it was just April, Josh and a few of their other friends standing on the ground above. They asked him if he was all right and why he was crawling on the ground. He lies to them saying that he's just started wearing contact lenses. So he dropped one and he is trying to find it; however he did find an old fancy button.
Later he brought the button to Mr. Olshak. Mr. Olshak is a very intelligent historian and an antique dealer. Mr. Olshak informed him that over 200 years ago the battle of Harrisvile was fought in that very same park in the woods The battle was between the Minutemen and the Redcoats. Mr. Olshak, identifies the button, to be a button from an American Minuteman's Uniform from the American Revolutionary War. So now he realized that the soldier was an American minuteman, from the Revolutionary War. One who has been on the run for sometime now.
A day later, he played frisbee in the park with April and Josh. Then he accidentally threw it far into the woods. He tells them that he'll go find it and that he'll catch up with them later. Just as he heads along into the woods, he could hear the sounds of gunshots being fired. The redcoats came riding at full speed on their horses. Then the captain though that he was a spy. So they tied him up and took him prisoner. At first he that they were joking. Until he saw that they had a noose knot ready, and they planed to hang him at their camp.
Thanks to a diversion from the minuteman, he was able to break free and escape. Then the minuteman cut the ropes off his hands. Now he realized that it was real and they were really going to hang him. The minuteman said that they planned to do the same to him too. Once again he insistently asks him to guide him to Harrisville.
He wants to know why it was so important. So the minuteman asked him if ever really cared about someone and just didn't have the courage to tell them. He nodded yes and said her name. The minuteman explained that his friend was named Emilienne, and for many years he to never had the courage to tell her that he loved her. Now tonight in Harrisville she was marrying a man she didn't really love. Therefore he must get there before the wedding and show her the locket as a symbol of his love and win her over. Then he gave him his battle knife as symbol of their new friendship. Confused he asked the minuteman what the year was. He tells him it's 1780, hearing this he was shocked. He now realized that he entered a time slip in the woods. One where events from the year 1780 were repeating over again.
Now the Redcoat captain, and his men resumed their chase. So he and the minuteman split up for now. When he walks out of the woods, he hears a loud honking. Turns out he was back in present time. Now he almost gets run over by a big transport truck. He goes by to see Mr. Olshak again. Mr. Olshak identifies the knife as a minute's man's knie. He at first is offered $150 for it. He says that he does not want to sell it. He only wants to know who the inscription is. Mr. Olshak said it was Lt. William. Mr. Olshak was impressed with his fascination in history. Therefore he lends him one of his best history books.
He read the book in class. Then he learned that the during the American Revolutionary War, there was a battle for Harrisville. During the battle, Lt. William was on his way to Harrisville. He wanted to find his true love and finally confess his feelings to her. Then the British Redcoats captured him as an enemy and a spy. Then he was hanged to death on a Willow Tree. The tree is known as Hangsman Tree. The tree still stands there to this very day. Looking at the calendar, he realized that today was September 17. Therefore today was the very day the execution happened. Panicked and worried, he tried to leave class. He tried telling his teacher that he needs to help his friend. But his teacher Mrs. Ritter wouldn't let him leave until class was over.
After class, he met up with Josh and April. Now he told them the truth, that the other day he wasn't looking for a contact lens: he was actually hiding from redcoats. Now they're going to capture and hang his friend Lt. William. That is, unless he can save him in time. He explained that he also needed to guide him to Harrisville. So he can find his true love. His friends think he‘s tired and stressed, and not thinking clearly.
Jimmy borrows Josh's boombox and heads to the woods. April wants to go with him to help, but he insisted on doing it himself. When he gets to the woods, he finds that the redcoats have already captured Lt. William. Now they are preparing to hang him. Then he hides in the bushes and turns on the boombox. The loud blaring music spooks, scares and startles the redcoats. While they're busy and distracted, he unties Lt. William. Then he tells him the path to Harrisville. Lt. William gratefully thanks him before leaving. Then he reminds him, that if he loves April, then he must tell her as soon as he can.
After Lt. William takes the path to Harrisville, the Redcoat Captain chased after him at full speed on his horse. He ran for his life abd the end of the woods, April has arrived. He screamed for her to look out and he grabbed her. Then they fell to the ground and huddled. When they looked up it was present time again. Now it was just another teenage girl riding her horse. So she apologized for almost running them over, because she didn't know anyone was on the track.
Then he said that he hoped his friend made it. Then he asked her why she came. She smiled saying because she was worried about him and she cares about him. He showed her the knife. Then the inscription changed from Lt. William to Capt. William. This proved that history has changed. Lt. William made it to Harrisville and he got promoted to Captain. Also on the ground he found a locket from long ago. Inside of it were too small portraits of William and Emilienne. Now he finally had the courage to confess his love to April. Which it turned out she reciprocated, Then he placed the locket around her neck as a symbol of his love. Then they both smiled, held each other’s hands and walked home. Hinting that they were now together.
Trivia[]
- Will Friedle, the actor portraying Jimmy Armstrong, was very famous for portraying the older brother Eric Matthews in the series Boy Meets World and Ron Stoppable in Kim Possible. Later he would also be famous for voicing Terry McGinnis in Batman Beyond.
